Classroom Calendar Wall Ideas for Calendar Time (K-1)

One of the most important spaces in my classroom is our calendar wall. We start every morning here during calendar time, and it has become such an important part of our daily routine.

I put a lot of thought into designing this classroom calendar wall so it would be meaningful, organized, and easy for students to use during morning meeting. Today I’m sharing a few pictures of how I set up our calendar time area and some of the pieces I use with my students.

Our Classroom Calendar Wall Setup

Here is a look at our classroom calendar area.

I like to keep everything we use during calendar time in one area so students can easily see and interact with it. Our calendar wall includes:

• Monthly classroom calendar
• Date display
• Analog classroom clock
• Space for our daily message
• Months of the year
• Seasons
• Place value chart
• Hundreds chart (I now use a 120 chart)
• Weather graph
• Days in school

Having everything together in one place helps students stay engaged and makes our morning routine run smoothly.

We sit together on the rug in front of the calendar wall each morning. Students take turns helping update the calendar and participate in our daily routine.

I made this date flip-chart from a free download at Mama Jenn.  I love it and I love the idea of having all the pieces on a ring. Before going home each night, it’s easy to switch the date because everything I need is in one place.

Our Morning Calendar Time Routine

Each morning my students hang up their backpacks and then we all meet together on the rug in front of our calendar wall to start our day.

Our calendar routine looks like this:

1. Morning Song
   We start with a morning song to get everyone settled and ready to begin the day.
2. Say the Date Together
   Our calendar helper (like most classrooms, my students have weekly helper jobs) leads the class in saying the date together: “Today is Monday, August 22, 2011.”
3. Days in School & Place Value
   The calendar helper also changes the number of days we have been in school. We add a straw to our place value pocket chart and add a tally to our tally chart. This is a great way to reinforce place value. As the days go on, the tallies are crossed at five, and the straws are bundled together in groups of ten and moved to the tens column on the place value chart.
4. Months of the Year Song
   Next we sing or chant the Months of the Year together.
5. Hundreds Chart Counting
   We use the hundreds chart to practice counting by 5s, 10s, and other number patterns.
6. Reading the Clock
   I also change the time on the classroom clock each day and we practice reading an analog clock together.
7. Weather Graph
   Finally, our weather friend comes up and graphs what the weather is for the day.

It is a simple routine, but it gives students daily practice with counting, place value, patterns, and calendar skills.

Why Calendar Time Is Important in the Classroom

Calendar time may seem simple, but it provides so many learning opportunities for students.

During calendar time students practice:

• Counting and number patterns
• Identifying days of the week
• Recognizing months of the year
• Understanding yesterday, today, and tomorrow
• Observing seasonal changes

This daily routine helps reinforce important math and language skills while giving students a predictable way to start the day together.

Calendar Wall Ideas for Elementary Classrooms

If you are planning your own calendar wall, keeping the area organized and easy for students to interact with makes a big difference.

A few things that have worked well in my classroom:

• Keep everything students need in one area
• Use large visuals students can easily see from the carpet
• Let students participate in updating the calendar
• Build the same routine every day

A well organized calendar area quickly becomes one of the most used spaces in the classroom.

The picture above is from my sister’s kindergarten classroom. She used many of the same components that I used in my own classroom calendar wall setup.

You might notice the alphabet displayed above the calendar. That alphabet is from my Teachers Pay Teachers shop, and it’s the same alphabet I used in my classroom as well.

Final Thoughts

Calendar time was always one of my favorite parts of the day with my students. It’s such a simple routine, but it builds so many important skills while bringing the class together each morning.

A well-organized classroom calendar wall can make calendar time meaningful, interactive, and easy for students to participate in every day.