July Nature Calendar Themes
This month, we will spend a week per theme learning about five different themes:
- slugs, snails, and worms (a continuation from the last partial week in June)
- teddy bears (I know, I know – not exactly “nature-y”, but it’s such a fun theme!!)
- fireflies
- ocean animal life
- peaches
A Little Bit About My Nature Calendars
If you are new here: Hi! Welcome! I make these nature calendars each month and offer them as freebies that you can download and print at home (no sign up required).
After you read through the blog post to get an idea of what the month will look like, I recommend printing, laminating, and sticking the calendar on your refrigerator – after all, they are just so pretty!
Next, log on to your library’s website and place holds on any of the books that you don’t already own. There is a big ol’ booklist at the end of the blog post that includes all of the titles of the books listed in the calendar, so be sure to scroll down and check that out. My nature calendars HEAVILY focus on books – so there are a bunch of titles!
Lastly, I recommend jotting down each days’ plans in your homeschool planner or wherever you plan things out so that you are prepared each week with the proper books, recipes, or activity supplies.
There isn’t a whole lot of pre-planning required for these nature calendars. I aim to keep them fairly simple. There may be sensory bins here and there or nature crafts – but nothing over the top. I include poetry tea time every Wednesday – so there will be recipe links for those days that will require some preplanning on your end with your grocery list, but other than that, it’s mostly read alouds and nature facts.
July Activity Links + Information
Here is where I’ve broken it all down for you – you’ll find more information about the activities, nature facts and sources, and read aloud choices for each day of the month.
Disclaimer: The ABCs of Motherhood is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps me run my website. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Week 1: Slugs, Snails + Worms
July 1st: Make worm puppets.
I found this wiggly worm marionette tutorial from onelittleproject.com and thought it looked really cute! Here’s the tutorial video link.
July 2nd: Poetry Tea Time: Read Norman The Slug With The Silly Shell. Enjoy pink sprinkle donuts.
I may try my hand at making homemade donuts for this one – but I’d be willing to bet it’d be easy to find donuts with pink frosting at just about any donut shop, too.
July 3rd: Create snail art using items found in nature.
These dandelion snails are too cute from happytoddlerplaytime.
July 4th: Worms have been around longer than dinosaurs.
July 5th: Make pattern worms using pony beads and pipe cleaners.
I stumbled upon these fun pattern worms using pony beads and pipe cleaners. Here’s the link for the tutorial.
Week 2: Teddy Bears
July 6th: Teddy bears were invented in 1902 in honor of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
July 7th: Begin reading A Bear Called Paddington.
I can’t wait to dive into this series! We are heading to the movie theater for a re-run of Paddington (hooray for $1 summer movies!), so this is perfect timing to start on this one. You could always rent the movie afterward.
July 8th: Read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and then make binoculars and go on a teddy bear scavenger hunt.
I did this with my oldest when he was younger and it was such fun! I found a tutorial that includes a bear hunt map with the binoculars from buggyandbuddy.com that we may do this year.
July 9th: Poetry Tea Time: Read a stack of picture books featuring bears. Enjoy bear-themed snacks.
There are SO many fun bear-themed snacks out there to make!
Some ideas are:
- bear rice cakes
- bear paw cookies
- bear faces sandwiches
- bear graham crackers
- bear cookies
- bear mini donuts
- “bear”-ies (berries)
- bear themed cheese ball
July 10th: Celebrate Teddy Bear Picnic Day – don’t forget to bring along the book, The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.
I have been patiently waiting for this fun holiday to arrive all summer long! Set up your very own teddy bear picnic with your children’s favorite teddy bears, yummy picnic food, and of course – The Teddy Bears’ Picnic book!
July 11th: Read Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear.
This story won the Caldecott Medal for it’s gorgeous illustrations by Sophie Blackall (yep! The same author/illustrator who wrote and illustrated the Caldecott Medal winning book Hello Lighthouse featured in last month’s calendar).
July 12th: Create bear-themed crafts.
There are TONS of bear-themed crafts out there, but I think we will be making these felt teddy bears from theempowerededucatoronline.com
Week 3: Fireflies
July 13th: Fireflies use their light, called bioluminescence, to light up the ends of their abdomen to communicate with their fellow fireflies.
July 14th: Begin reading The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: Lightning Bug Light Show.
Yay for more Sophie Mouse! This series never gets old.
July 15th: Read a stack of picture books featuring fireflies.
Head to the bottom of this post for a booklist featuring fireflies.
July 16th: Poetry Tea Time: Read Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. Enjoy s’mores scones.
These S’mores Scones from akitchenaddiction.com look amazing and I can’t wait to make them!
July 17th: Make glow in the dark firefly crafts.
How cute are these firefly pop bottles that actually glow?! Another fun one from onelittleproject.com
July 18th: Firefly populations are declining worldwide due to pesticides, laboratory research, light pollution, and habitat loss.
July 19th: Using your camping lanterns from last month, collect fireflies in your mason jar.
If you didn’t want to use your pressed flower mason jars – you could create these glow in the dark jars instead.
Week 4: Ocean Animal Life
July 20th: Pufferfish are poor swimmers, so they inflate themselves with a huge amount of water (and sometimes air) as a defense mechanism.
July 21st: Read a stack of picture books featuring ocean life.
Head to the bottom of this post for a nice big list of picture books featuring ocean life.
July 22nd: Create jellyfish art.
As soon as I stumbled upon this watercolor jellyfish art project by thecraftyclassroom.com I just knew we had to recreate it this month at home! Check out the tutorial here – it’s stunning.
July 23rd: Poetry Tea Time: Read Over and Under the Waves. Enjoy cheesecake bites.
I have been dying to make these cheesecake bites from thefirstyearblog.com all month now. So yummy!
July 24th: Watch The Blue Planet.
Here’s a link on youtube.
July 25th: The Octopus is an interesting creature. They have 9 brains, 3 hearts, and blue blood.
July 26th: Visit an aquarium or do so virtually.
Here’s a link for a virtual aquarium tour.
Week 5: Peaches
July 27th: Peaches originated in China thousands of years ago. Can you find China on a map?
July 28th: Begin reading James and the Giant Peach.
This has been on our bucket list for the longest time – I can’t wait to dive in and then watch the movie afterward.
July 29th: Make peach scented homemade play dough.
I cannot wait to make this peach scented play dough from laughingkidslearn.com.
July 30th: Poetry Tea Time: Read Each Peach Pear Plum. Enjoy peach hand pies.
This book is always fun to read! Here is the recipe I always use for hand pies – you can substitute any flavor or shape (the recipe is for cherry Christmas trees). They are so easy and delicious to make.
July 31st: Paint James and the Giant Peach story stones.
I thought these story stones from thegingerbreadhouse.co.uk sounded really cool to make. I love when activities and crafts double as an item to actually use and play imaginary games with.
July Nature Calendar Booklist
Norman The Slug With The Silly Shell – Sue Hendra
A Bear Called Paddington – Michael Bond
*This box set is really cute!*
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – Michael Rosen, Helen Oxenbury
Picture Books Featuring Bears:
The Bear Series – Karma Wilson (box sets included below)
- Bear Snores On
- Bear Wants More
- Bear’s New Friend
- Bear Feels Scared
- Bear Feels Sick
- Bear’s Loose Tooth
The Little Bear Series – Else Minarik Holmelund
More ‘Little Bear’ books you can find at the library:
- Little Bear’s Picture
- The Toy’s Wedding
- Little Bear’s Loose Tooth
- Little Bear and the Missing Pie
- Emily’s Birthday
- Father’s Flying Flapjacks
- To Grandmother’s House
- Little Bear’s Bad Day
- The Cricket Who Came to Dinner
- Lost in Little Bear’s Room
- Father Bear’s Special Day
- Little Bear’s New Friend
Baby Bear Sees Blue – Ashley Wolff
Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Jan Brett
Where’s My Teddy – Jez Alborough
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? – Nancy White Carlstrom
The Teddy Bears’ Picnic – Jimmy Kennedy
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear – Lindsay Mattick, Sophie Blackall
The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: Lightning Bug Light Show – Poppy Green
Picture Books Featuring Fireflies:
The Very Lonely Firefly – Eric Carle
Sam and the Firefly – P.D. Eastman
How to Survive as a Firefly – Kristen Foote *find at your local library*
Leo the Lightning Bug – Eric Drachman
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems – Paul B. Janeczko
Picture Books Featuring Ocean Life:
First Big Book of the Ocean – Catherine D. Hughes
The Magic School Bus Gets Crabby – Kristin Earhart
Tiddler: The Story-telling Fish – Julia Donaldson
The Underwater Alphabet Book – Jerry Pallotta
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee – Chris Van Dusen
I’ll Follow the Moon – Stephanie Lisa Tara
Over and Under the Waves – Kate Messner
James and the Giant Peach – Roald Dahl
Each Peach Pear Plum – Allan Ahlberg
Enjoy Your July Nature Calendar
Grab your FREE copy of the July Nature Calendar by clicking here.
Happy July, friends!
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