March 2024 Activity and Idea Calendar

March is a great month when winter is ending, spring is sprouting, and there are all kinds of fun colorful activities to do both indoors and out!

I’ve selected a variety of special activities for March, which are either National Monthly Themes, National Weekly Themes, or Special Days. Pick and choose what you would like – they are all sure to be both fun and learning experiences for you and your child.

You can also find here on TheraPlay4Kids.com, two different March calendars to print out and use to plan and record all the things you do in March. A calendar made for your child to color in, and one other that can be printed out in color or black/white as you choose.

Pick a Calendar to Use

See the following ideas and suggestions to work on during the month of March – Have fun all month long!

Tissue Paper Stained Glass Collage Art

What you Need:

o   Colored tissue paper

o   Kid-safe glue

o   Construction paper

o   Scissors (kid-safe)

What to do:

o   To make your frame (circle or square, or design for a butterfly, kite, heart, etc.) – cut out the outline from a piece of construction paper

o   Put Glue onto surface of waxed paper

o   Cut out or tear pieces of colored tissue paper and stick onto glued surface

o   Place your “frame” or outline shapes over the paper with glued on tissue paper

o   Trim and hang in the window

Options: You can make simple circle frames, rectangular, or simple outlines for a kite, butterfly, heart – See photo’s as examples)

_____________________________________________________________________

First Day of Spring

March 20th is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere – AND its also Big Bird’s birthday!!

Celebrate by wearing yellow, dressing in spring colors, going to the park, coloring pictures of spring flowers, read books about spring, watch Sesame Street for Big Bird!

_____________________________________________________________________

March 2: Dr. Seuss's Birthday

Find and read books by Dr. Seuss!

Pretend play some of the characters from the books!

_____________________________________________________________________

March is National Kite Month

Here are several simple kite ideas to celebrate national kite month:

Paper Plate Kite

What you Need:

• Paper plate

• Colored Tissue Paper

• Colored Tissue Streamers

• Crayons and/or markers

• Colored pieces of yarn

• String

• Craft Sticks

• Tape

What to Do:

o   Have your child draw a design (or make one with tissue paper) on the paper plate.

o   Glue foot long streamers on the paper plate.

o   Punch a hole at the nose of the plate and tie a piece of yarn through it.

o   Wrap more colorful yarn around a craft stick and then tape the yarn on the plate to the stick.

o   Hang onto the string and then go out and fly your kite!

_____________________________________________________________________

Matching Paper Kite Game

What you Need:

• A variety of wallpaper, poster board, or contact paper (with liner still on to make it sturdy)

• Scissors (kid-safe)

• Masking tape if sticking on the door/ wall

What to Do:

o   Cut kite shapes out of different patterned wallpapers

o   Cut the kites in half

o   Spread all the half kites all around the table, or use a small piece of masking tape to stick on a door where they will have to stretch and reach the pieces

o   Have your kids match the kite halves by the patterned design

_____________________________________________________________________

 Springtime Rainbow Hands

What you Need:

o  Colored construction paper in rainbow colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)

o  Washable marker

o  Scissors (kid-safe)

o  Poster board or extra-large piece of construction paper

What to Do:

o  Trace your child’s hands on the various colors of construction paper (about 10 hand tracings per color)

o  Cut out the hands (I suggest an adult cut them out unless your child is able to cut in and around all of the fingers!)

o  Glue the backs of each hand and place in rows to form a springtime hands rainbow (see photo for guidance)

_____________________________________________________________________

March is National Peanut Butter Month

Lets Make Some Peanut Butter Playdough!

If your child has a peanut butter allergy you can modify by using the peanut free/ nut free butters out on the market today

What you Need:

Peanut Butter Playdough (Edible – kid safe)

o   2 cups smooth/ creamy peanut butter or the “allergy free nut butters)

o   2 cups rolled oats

o   2 cups dried milk OR 1 ½ cups instant powdered milk (if playdough is too moist, slowly add more dry/powdered milk)

o   Honey (start with 3 tablespoons and add honey to make smooth and pliable, and not dry)

o   Bowl for mixing

o   Spatula or mixing spoon

o   Airtight container for storage in fridge

What to Do:

o   Mix all ingredients in bowl and stir together well to form a pliable dough

o   Play!

o   Store in container in fridge when not using – toss out after a couple days for safety!

_____________________________________________________________________

National Reading Awareness Month

Get your books ready and read, read, read, all month long!

Go to the library, borrow and share books with friends, make a special spot to read in, pick a variety from picture books, to early reading books, to those that you can read to your child.

_____________________________________________________________________

National Bubble Week (second week)

Gather up your bubble mixture and bubble wands

Blow bubbles inside and outside

Read the blog (on TheraPlay4Kids.com) about Giant Bubble Play and then make your own giant bubble mixture for some giant sized fun!

_____________________________________________________________________

March is Youth Art Month

Encourage creativity all month long through creating artwork, looking at art picture books, visiting an art show or gallery, finding art books at the library.

Save all the creations your child makes over the month and keep in a scrapbook, frame, or share with relatives and friends.

Make an “art wall” during March to highlight your child’s work

_____________________________________________________________________

Shamrock Tree for St Patrick’s Day

What you Need:

o  Construction paper (brown, variety of green, white or tan)

o  Washable Marker

o  Scissors (kid-safe)

o  Kid-safe Glue

What to Do:

o  On large piece of tan/white construction paper have your child lay their arm, from elbow to hand, onto the paper

o  Trace around their arm and hand (making the trunk and branches)

o Color in or use markers to turn the “tree trunk” brown

o  Use the green construction paper to cut out a variety of shamrocks (in size and in different colors of green) – you may want to help your child cut them out if they are unable to follow a drawn outline or handle the scissors safely)

o  Glue the shamrocks all over the “branches”

o  You can glue shamrocks around the tree as well as on the tree

o  Options: glue on cotton balls for clouds

_____________________________________________________________________

Color the Shamrock, Rainbow, March & Hang up!

Print out the following pictures and color!

Make several to share! 

_____________________________________________________________________

March 30: Take a Walk in the Park Day

This one is super easy! Plan a walk in the park!

Plan ahead to do “search and find”, or have a “scavenger hunt” during your walk in the park

Try to arrange a play date if possible for your park day

See the Blog on TheraPlay4Kids.com about a “Walk in the Park” for lots of ideas

_____________________________________________________________________

March is National Nutrition Month

March is a great time to teach your children about healthy eating habits. Talk about eating vegetables, taking good care of themselves, and more.

·  Have a fruit and vegetable taste-test by cutting up a variety of colorful produce, trying each piece to see which one is your favorite.

·  Ask your kids to draw and color their favorite fruit or vegetable. Hang up the art in the kitchen or use it to inspire your next grocery store trip.

·  Cut out pictures of fruits and vegetables from magazines. Place different colors of construction paper out on the table. Match the fruit or vegetable to the color (i.e., banana’s go on yellow, peas go on green, potatoes could go on brown or red, and so on)

·  Make a fruit rainbow on the plate – then “taste the rainbow!” Cut up small pieces for kid-sized hands and “trial tastes.”

·  Visit the supermarket or farmers market and count how many different fruits and vegetables you can find.

 Enjoy March! Enjoy Spring! Enjoy all of the Activities!

Please Share!

Thank you for your support of TheraPlay4Kids.com