PSA #2: Interactive Calendars

Happy September!

Now that we are all in full-on back to school mode, I thought no better theme to expand upon than

Building Structure and Routines. Last week, on the blog, we explored how visual timers are a successful addition to any routine, as they teach time management skills, while providing structure and accountability.  

Today we will focus on another practical solution that is crucial in routine building: the interactive calendar.

Now you might be rolling your eyes at your screen right now, thinking that you didn’t need an education consultant to tell you that a calendar supports organization, structure, and routine, but my purpose is to explain just how we should be using the calendar with our families, students, and clients for optimal executive function and social-emotional support.

Calendars come in many varieties but essentially, they serve the same purpose: they provide us with a sense of time and visual representation of our schedules across the day, week, month, and year. Beginning in preschool, children explore the calendar in a group setting during morning meeting and refer to it as they learn the days of the week, months, and seasons. Young children will also start using calendars to build a sense of time, marking important days and celebrations they are looking forward to. But it is not until upper elementary/middle school that calendars really come into play on a more individualized basis to support overall executive function. At this age, students learn to record assignments in agenda books through teacher modeling and gradual release of responsibility. This experience is crucial, as our students really start to build an understanding of the importance of long-term planning, prioritizing, and task initiation/completion.

In addition to the practicality and executive function benefits of the calendar, Practical Solutions believes that when children have an understanding of what they can expect and when they can expect it, they feel grounded and more available to tackle what lies ahead. The unknown can create overwhelming emotions that may lead to an imbalance of control, possibly triggering power struggles and behavioral challenges. Therefore, we believe the sooner we expose our children to the calendar, as a tool for all of the above, the stronger their executive functions and emotional intelligence will become, fostering efficiency, independence, security, and balance.

I have used various interactive calendars over the years in my teaching experience and have developed a pretty concise understanding of what works for each type of learner. In addition to that prior knowledge, it’s exciting that I can now bring things full circle and tap into the need for an interactive calendar at home, as a parent. This new experiential perspective is informing and driving our approach with families this fall.

After trying a few different interactive calendars with my daughter, (each individualized to fit her specific needs) we found the Magnetic Calendar Activity Center from Lakeshore Learning Materials. This product was developed with our youngest learners in mind, providing a sturdy center with durable pieces that are made to withstand frequent engagement. Its colorful design and concise display of information is inviting and not too visually overwhelming.

This product is a real homerun! However, If I’m being fully transparent, I do wish this calendar had a section to describe how our children are feeling (enter PS customization).

Through my years of experience with countless students, I’ve learned to love the benefits of universal design and implementing strategies that may be intended for one specific learning style, but truly can benefit them all. I believe that checking in with our bodies and minds during the calendar routine is a great example of this. I have noticed that teaching my daughter about her emotions and drawing attention to how her heart feels at various points of the day, has really jump-started an early understanding of empathy.

Including this piece using Practical Solutions’ resources, has made checking in with our emotions, when we are setting purpose and intention for our day, quite simple! Also, I must note that the convenient magnetic design of this Lakeshore calendar allows for sturdy and seamless customization.

We would love to design practical solutions, like the interactive calendar, to help your family build structure and establish routines this fall. Contact us today to get started!