Perfect for children's early learning! Handmade tear-off daily calendar ideas
It can be hard to explain invisible concepts like “today” and “tomorrow” to children, can’t it?
Why not try introducing an educational calendar when your child starts asking questions like “What’s today’s date?”
An educational calendar not only helps children develop a sense of dates and days of the week, but also sparks interest in events and holidays, and deepens their understanding of numbers and letters—supporting growth in many ways.
In this article, we’ll share some DIY ideas for educational calendars.
From designs featuring characters and vehicles that kids love to clever mechanisms that make them want to check the calendar every day, we’ve gathered plenty of ideas for educational calendars that make learning fun.
Give them a try!
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Perfect for children's cognitive development! Handmade flip calendar ideas (1–10)
English Educational Calendar
If you want children to get a feel not only for dates and days of the week but also for English, this activity is recommended.
Prepare a smooth surface for the base, such as laminated construction paper or a whiteboard.
On it, create sections where you can place items like “year,” “month,” and “day.” If you like, it’s also a great idea to add sections for “weather” and “season.” Once the sections are ready, simply stick on separate pieces you’ve made for the months, dates, weather, and so on.
It’s fine to leave months and dates as numbers, but prepare the days of the week and weather in English, such as “Monday” and “Sunny.” By replacing these together with the children every day, they’ll develop a sense of the date while also being exposed to English!
Railway Crossing Calendar
A recommended idea for kids who love trains is a railroad crossing calendar.
Prepare separate pieces for the month, date, and day of the week, then group each set and attach them to a base.
After that, simply add illustrations of a railroad crossing or trains to the base to complete it.
You could also prepare several train illustrations separate from the dates and days, and flip one along with the date and day each day.
That way, train-loving kids can look forward to which train will appear every day while also developing a sense of dates and days of the week.
A calendar that becomes a bento bus theater
This can be used not only as a calendar but also as a play item.
First, firmly attach a bus with three windows—made from construction paper—to a whiteboard using clear tape.
Next, prepare cards with the month, date, and day of the week written on them, and stick magnets on the back of each.
Then simply place these in the bus’s three windows so the month, date, and day are visible—that’s it! If you also make food items that appear in the popular children’s song “Obento Bus” at the same time you create the dates, you can stick them on like a magnetic theater and play while singing.
Give this two-in-one calendar a try!
Perfect for children's early learning! DIY tear-off calendar ideas (11–20)
Milk carton perpetual calendar
Would you like to try making a slightly larger perpetual calendar? Its standout feature is easy-to-read text.
First, prepare a milk carton.
Cut off only the bottom part, then fold it to form a square.
Next, cover it with construction paper and write the numbers.
Repeat this process to make blocks that display the date and the day of the week.
For the month blocks, divide each face into two sections and add numbers.
You can also customize it by increasing the types of blocks or making other adjustments to suit your preferences.
Felt Calendar
How about a felt calendar that gives a warm, cozy feel? Prepare a piece of fabric as the base, then attach felt-made months, dates, and days of the week with Velcro.
Since Velcro is easy to stick on and peel off with light force, you can switch to the next month’s calendar together with the kids each time the month changes.
If you place felt decorations of seasonal foods or flowers in the empty date spaces, it also helps cultivate a sense of the seasons.
It’s also a great idea to create a section you can change daily, like the weather.
Paper Cup Calendar
A slightly unique-looking idea is a paper cup calendar.
Besides paper cups, you can make it with materials you can find at a 100-yen shop, like pens and masking tape.
It’s easy to make: cut a slit in a paper cup.
Then prepare another cup and write numbers around the rim in a circle.
Stack the two cups, and only one number will show through the slit.
Using the same method, make another paper cup to display the date as well.
Since plain paper cups can look a bit plain, try decorating them too.
Add pipe cleaners or beads to give it a festive finish.
A calendar that gives you a clear outlook
This calendar lets you see not only today’s date and day of the week, but also those for tomorrow and beyond—for questions like “What’s the date today?” and “Is tomorrow a day off?” First, put a calendar on a whiteboard.
As long as it fits the whiteboard, a store-bought calendar is fine, or you can make one on a computer.
Next, prepare magnets labeled “Today,” “Tomorrow,” “Yesterday,” etc., and place them on the corresponding dates.
That’s it.
Each day, have the children move the magnets themselves so they can get a feel for what the date is today and what the date will be tomorrow.