July invites play and open exploration
July invites children to slow down, enjoy summer rhythms, and explore the world around them. This is a time for play, reflection, and connecting experiences — building on the language, stories, and ideas developed throughout the year so far.
Rather than rushing toward structured lessons, July encourages curiosity and discovery at a gentle pace. Children can follow their interests, experiment with ideas, and notice the small changes happening in nature, in themselves, and in their surroundings.
This month offers opportunities to:
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Observe and celebrate change, from the world outside to the growth children have made over the year.
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Explore through hands-on activities and play, letting children use language naturally to describe experiences, share stories, and express ideas.
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Reflect on past learning, connecting favorite stories, projects, and experiences to new summer adventures.
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Enjoy shared experiences, from simple outdoor activities to conversations and storytelling that spark imagination.
July is a month to pause, notice the world, and embrace curiosity under the summer sun. It’s a time to celebrate small joys, foster creativity, and allow learning to unfold naturally — wherever children explore, create, and connect.
July is full of opportunities to celebrate and notice:
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Summer Exploration: Enjoy the outdoors, notice nature, and experience seasonal activities.
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Independence & Community: Reflect on freedom, teamwork, and being part of a larger community.
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Family and Friendship: Celebrate connections through shared stories, games, and creative projects.
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Cultural Awareness: Explore traditions and celebrations from different parts of the world.
1 – International Reggae Day
1 – National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day
2 – World UFO Day
4 – Independence Day (United States)
6 – International Kissing Day
7 – World Chocolate Day
8 – Video Games Day
9 – National Sugar Cookie Day
10 – Pick Blueberries Day
14 – National Mac and Cheese Day
16 – Guinea Pig Appreciation Day
17 – World Emoji Day
20 – International Chess Day
20 – National Lollipop Day
21 – National Hot Dog Day
25 – National Merry-Go-Round Day
26 – Bagpipe Appreciation Day
29 – International Tiger Day
30 – International Day of Friendship
Shark Week – Explore ocean life, marine animals, shark facts, and water safety through playful learning.
Ocean Conservation Conversations – Explore ways to care for oceans, beaches, coral reefs, and marine wildlife.
Beach Safety Awareness – Discuss sun safety, swimming rules, hydration, and caring for the environment while exploring beaches and water spaces.
Ways to Explore These Moments
Conversation Sparks: Ask questions about experiences, feelings, and favorite summer activities
Playful Exploration: Notice patterns, weather, plants, animals, or seasonal rhythms
Quiet Making: Drawing, journaling, or crafting simply because it feels enjoyable
Outdoor Discovery: Go on nature walks, collect natural materials, observe bugs, or watch clouds and shadows change.
Summer STEM: Experiment with melting ice, water play, sink-or-float activities, or simple weather observations.
Storytelling & Literacy: Encourage children to create comics, tell vacation stories, write postcards, or keep simple summer journals.
Ocean Discovery: Explore seashells, tides, sharks, whales, jellyfish, and other fascinating sea creatures through books, sensory bins, dramatic play, and observation activities.
Shark Investigation: Compare shark sizes, learn shark facts, discuss ocean habitats, and explore the difference between real sharks and fictional portrayals.
Water Play Exploration: Use pouring stations, floating experiments, ice play, and sensory water activities to encourage curiosity and scientific thinking.
These are invitations to observe, reflect, and connect, not lessons to check off.
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
A humorous story about a crocodile who’s afraid of swallowing a watermelon seed. Perfect for laughs, discussions about summer fruits, and noticing silly fears in storytelling.
Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee
Follow a little girl’s adventures throughout a summer day — from sunrise to bedtime. A great book to explore daily routines, seasonal changes, and the joy of summer play.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague
A funny story about a boy’s exaggerated tales of his summer adventures. Ideal for sparking imagination, practicing retelling, and encouraging children to share their own vacation stories.
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
A thoughtful story about courage, fear, and building confidence while trying something new, ideal for conversations about resilience and emotional growth.
Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae
A playful collection of ocean poems introducing sea creatures through rhythm and humor, perfect for Shark Week, ocean themes, and marine life exploration.
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
A meaningful story about friendship, misunderstandings, and kindness that encourages empathy, connection, and social-emotional learning.
Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
A calming and beautifully illustrated nonfiction-inspired story that encourages children to observe nature, ecosystems, and hidden wildlife.
The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak
A silly and engaging read-aloud that sparks laughter, imagination, listening skills, and joyful participation.
Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale
A funny and energetic story about excitement, self-regulation, and friendship, perfect for Shark Week conversations and social-emotional learning.
Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway
A sweet underwater story about friendship and belonging that introduces children to ocean animals through playful storytelling.
The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark by Ken Geist
A creative underwater retelling of a classic tale that encourages prediction, comparison, and imaginative thinking.
Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck
A rhythmic and repetitive ocean adventure that builds vocabulary, participation, and excitement about marine animals and underwater exploration.
The author of the month is ... Eric Carle
Best known for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle created beloved picture books that combine simple, repetitive text with vibrant collage illustrations. His stories introduce children to important early learning concepts such as counting, colors, days of the week, animals, and the natural world in a fun and memorable way.
Whether you’re teaching in an ESL classroom, homeschooling, or working in a primary school, Eric Carle’s books encourage participation, language development, and creativity while capturing children's imagination.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: A classic story that follows the journey of a hungry caterpillar as it eats its way through different foods before transforming into a beautiful butterfly. Perfect for teaching sequencing, life cycles, counting, days of the week, and healthy eating vocabulary.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle and Bill Martin Jr.: A highly interactive and predictable story that introduces colors and animals through repetitive patterns children quickly learn and enjoy. Ideal for developing vocabulary, prediction skills, and oral language practice.
July offers plenty of opportunities to explore summer, curiosity, and shared experiences. Here are some engaging ideas for this month:
Independence Day: Explore July 4th traditions, talk about celebrations, and discuss the meaning of independence in different cultures. Grab more ideas here
Beach and Seaside: Discover beach vocabulary, talk about sea creatures, beach games, and safety rules while at the shore.
Summer and Vacation: Enjoy conversations about summer activities, travel adventures, and fun holiday plans. Encourage children to share their own experiences or dream destinations. Grab more ideas here
Picnics and Barbecues: Explore food-related words and traditions, share favorite picnic or barbecue experiences, and enjoy simple food-related activities or role-play.
Weather and Seasons: Notice summer weather, compare it to other seasons, and discuss how weather affects activities and daily routines.
Nature and Wildlife: Explore the outdoors, learn about local plants and animals, and discuss observations from nature walks, gardening, or backyard adventures.
Ocean & Shark Exploration: Learn about sharks, tides, coral reefs, ocean conservation, and marine life through books, crafts, and sensory play.
Camping & Outdoor Adventures: Pretend campfires, star gazing, storytelling, maps, and nature scavenger hunts inspire imaginative summer exploration.
Friendship & Kindness: Encourage teamwork, empathy, sharing, and conversations about what makes a good friend.
Creative Arts & Music: Explore reggae music, summer art invitations, movement activities, and open-ended creativity.
Summer STEM & Discovery: Explore shadows, melting ice, floating and sinking, simple engineering, and water experiments.
Environmental Awareness: Explore ways to reduce waste, recycle materials, and care for oceans, animals, and natural spaces during Plastic Free July activities.
These themes give children rich opportunities for conversation, storytelling, and hands-on exploration — all at a relaxed, natural pace that lets curiosity and language grow.
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~Sit outside and notice sounds, colors, and movements of summer
~Share a favorite memory from the school year or summer plans~Ask one reflective question: “What do you enjoy most about summer?”
~Draw, journal, or craft with natural summer materials
~Play simple games that encourage storytelling or teamwork
~Celebrate small achievements and kindnesses with peers or family
~Create a simple summer journal with drawings, observations, or favorite memories.
~Try a nature scavenger hunt using leaves, flowers, rocks, clouds, or insects.
~Watch the sunset or stars together and talk about nighttime sounds and sky changes.
~Make pretend lemonade stands, campsites, or beach shops through dramatic play.
~Tell silly jokes, create comics, or invent imaginative summer adventures together.
~Create an ocean sensory bin with water, shells, scoops, and toy sea animals.
~Draw or paint favorite ocean creatures and talk about underwater habitats.
~Compare shark sizes using tape measures or sidewalk chalk drawings.
~Freeze small sea animals in ice and rescue them during water play.
~Make simple waves in water trays and explore floating and sinking objects.
~Pretend to be marine biologists observing ocean animals and recording discoveries.
These are moments to savor, not tasks to complete.
Canada Day: Celebrate Canadian culture through nature, symbols, maps, wildlife, and multicultural traditions.
Plastic Free July: Encourage conversations about caring for the Earth, reducing waste, recycling, and protecting oceans and wildlife.
International Day of Friendship: Explore empathy, connection, teamwork, and appreciation for meaningful relationships.
Celebrate friendship, summer, and curiosity. Revisit stories, enjoy shared moments, and let learning continue at a gentle, reflective pace — honoring growth, connection, and the joy of the season.
Looking for ready-to-use book companions, story props, and language-rich activities to make July planning easier? Browse the resource library here.
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