Monthly Curriculum Planning Pack for June 2020

June is almost here and with it comes the longest days of the year and the beginning of the Summer season. It’s time to make the most of the longer, brighter days and drier, warmer weather and get outdoors as much as possible! In June we celebrate Father’s Day and typically a graduation but unfortunately things are different in 2020 so graduation ceremonies will either be postponed until later in the year or some services are arranging variations of a ceremony to be held while staying apart. The Summer Curriculum Planning Pack for June has some great activities and includes the main topics that we may think about in June; Summer, Father’s Day and Graduation.  

As we are all still at home right now, these activities can be used for remote learning to continually engage with parents as suggestions for them to do with the children. We are also aware of services who are doing one to one video calls with preschool children and these activities may be useful for these lessons also. The pack also includes observation sheets that you can use for observing children and a June calendar sheet to help with your planning. There are some great themes that you can use for the month of June to incorporate into your calendar which we have suggested below. 

June Monthly Curriculum Planning Pack Theme Ideas

1. Summer - A Summer theme is a great way to teach children about a new Season. Children will learn that Summer is the hottest of the four seasons and at Summer Solstice the days are longest and the nights shortest. This is the time when children take a break from school to enjoy the nice warm weather and to typically go on holidays  and family outings with family and friends. There are many different themes that can be done for Summer such as The Beach, Camping, Outdoor Picnics, Sports Day, Swimming, Ice Cream and Lemonade to name but a few.
2. Father’s Day - Of course Father’s Day will be a top theme for June. There are many ways you can teach the children about Father’s Day. You can discuss why we celebrate it and different ways we can show our love to the male role models in children’s lives. The children can make art such as pictures and cards to give to their Daddy, Grandfather or Godfather on Father’s Day. 
3. Graduation - Although this year’s graduation ceremony won’t be like previous years it is a good idea to explain to the children what a graduation is and why we celebrate it. The children can learn a graduation poem or song and make some graduation crafts. This is a big milestone as the children will move to Primary School at the start of the next term in September. So it is important to mark it in some small way if possible.
4. Water - Children love to splash in puddles, have water fights and play with water in many different ways. A water theme is a great way to introduce children to what water is, where it comes from and how we use it in our daily lives. As we are into warmer weather now there is more opportunity for children to play with water. This can be as simple as having a basin in the garden to bathe small toys, make bubbles, or have a dip in a small paddling pool. When we can move further from home this could be to go fishing, swimming or rock pooling. It is also a good opportunity to talk about water safety for children. 
5. Eric Carle - The great children’s author Eric Carle celebrates his birthday on the 25th of June. Children may be familiar with books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?, or The Grouchy Ladybug. This is a great theme to teach children about writing books, telling stories and talking about the many books that they all love and read on a regular basis. 

• June: The 6th Month of the year, 30 Days
• Flowers: Chrysanthemums, Cornflower, Magnolia, Roses, Poppies, Water Lilies
• Weather: Sunny, Warm, Mild, Bright Blue Skies 
• Birthstone: Pearl

If you are already a member of the Early Years Resource Factory, this new June pack comes free as part of your membership. If you are not already a member you can sign up here. 50% Discount now available for new EYRF members. You can also sign up for a trial which will give you access to EYRF for 7 days so that you have a better idea of what the service entails. Click here for your 7 day trial.