We are going to celebrate Columbus Day this year a little different than in the past. Prior to this year we have just considered it a day off of school and read a book to learn. As luck would have it we will be on fall break so convincing the kids to do school on Columbus Day would not be easy
A little mom persuasion popped into my head as I worked on my plans this week. Adding fun into the lesson would not even feel like a lesson. We celebrate our birthdays’ with music, gifts, cake and company. Why not celebrate Columbus Day with the same idea? Full scale decorations, and learning included. Along with the festive activities I have also included a great printable about Columbus Day that can be used from preschool to late elementary to enhance the learning.
Celebrate Columbus Day With Music
Earlier I mentioned that we celebrate our birthdays’ with music. Cd’s are great, download something off of iTunes, or turn on something from youtube.
Most people (kids and adults) will remember something related to music.
As the kids are making hats, or decorations play the music and talk about Columbus. For example, what was it like to sail on a ship with Columbus? What kind of imaginative stories will they tell?
Celebrate Columbus Day With Food
I am not sure what they ate in Columbus Day, but I am sure it wasn’t Lasagna. or maybe it was! Anyway, do a little research and fix a special meal that maybe Columbus ate with the King and Queen of Spain. Making a historic meal that Columbus would have eaten on the ship during the voyage could draw interest. Ships did not hold much room in earlier times.
Celebrate Columbus Day With Decorations
Decorations make any day fun and more fun is handmade decorations. Supplies: A large cardboard box that you let the kids make into a boat and a spyglass. Large quantities of blue paper to make water around the house. Decorate the table for the King and Queen to sit and dine with Columbus while they discuss his voyages and future voyages.
Celebrate By Dressing Up
Remember the days of old when dressing up was fun and not just on Halloween? I do. My favorite dress up when I was young was Dorothy or Princess Leia. Those days were so full imagination and storytelling that I didn’t even know I was learning. So many different ways that learning can be incorporated into dress up time. Dress up time is great for any age.
Celebrate Columbus Day With Re-Enactment
Re-enactment helps our minds to picture what actually happened at that time period. Columbus Day celebration can be the same with everyone dressing up like explorers, the King and Queen of England, the Indians, or whatever dress up is relevant. Then, after everyone is involved act out some scenes that may have happened. Read a story and see if the book can be acted out. Activities like this are great for non-readers.
Add in some props, food, and games that they may have played on the voyage (if any)( cards maybe), or a dance that was popular in that day.
Columbus Day 2017 will be memorable to say the least.
Holidays bring so much fun. Small fun days such as celebrating national coffee day or donut day is exciting. Celebrating Columbus Day doesn’t have to involve a lot of money because kids remember what we invest in them with our time and efforts.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard Shaw
Will you be celebrating Columbus Day this year? We will. Throw in a little bit of learning along the way.
Cheers,
Michelle
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