Monthly Curriculum Planning Pack for May 2020

May is upon us! The clocks have sprung forward meaning that the days are longer and the evenings brighter. The days are gradually becoming warmer and it is a great time to spend more time outdoors (within two kilometers of your home). May is the 5th month of the year and the Mexican people celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

At the Early Years Shop we have taken some great activities from our May themed packs (In The Garden, Show Time and Summer) and pulled them all together to make one great pack. This pack includes activities that can be done both indoors and outdoors to allow for the warmer and drier weather that we experience in May.

If Early Years Services continue to be closed for the month of May, these activities can be used to continually engage with parents as suggestions for them to do with the children at home. We are also aware of services who are doing one to one video calls with preschool children and therefore, these activities may be useful for these lessons also.

The pack also includes observation sheets that you can use for observing children and a May calendar sheet to help with your planning. There are some great themes that you can use for the month of May to incorporate into your calendar which we have suggested below.

May Monthly Curriculum Planning Pack Theme Ideas

1. Birds - Birds are all around us. We can hear them chirping throughout the day and hopping about collecting twigs to make their nests. Having a bird theme is a great way for children to learn about the birds that may live in their garden and around the neighborhood. It is a great way to introduce children to nesting, laying eggs, feathers, flying, different species and migration. Visit www.BirdWatchIreland.ie to help identify the birds you see this month.
2. Caterpillars and Butterflies - Watching the lifecycle of caterpillars and butterflies is truly amazing for young children and adults alike! The two versions of one creature provide a great learning opportunity about the life cycle of an insect and also to learn about comparing and contrasting. Many services raise their own caterpillars and once they change into butterflies they release them into the wild. The Early Years Shop now has Butterfly Gardens available if this is a theme that you would like to do in your classroom. You can also recommend this for parents to do at home.
3. Growing Flowers - Another great learning opportunity for young children is to encourage planting seeds and flowers. It gives another chance for children to compare and contrast as they explore seeds versus fully bloomed flowers. This can be done indoors or outdoors depending on the space that you have.
4. Cinco de Mayo - Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican culture, heritage and pride and is celebrated on the 5th of May every year. This is a great theme to celebrate different countries and their culture. This can be done through various activities such as making Mexican craft sombreros or pinatas and decorating with bright, floral colours.
5. Zoo - Children love to explore animals and a zoo theme allows for many different animal types. There are many different activities that can be done around this theme, from sensory bins to creating your very own zoo. Children will love to participate in this theme and it provides a great opportunity to learn about different species, males and females, colours, sizes, animal habits and the food they eat.

• May: The 5th Month of the year, 31 Days
• Flowers: Peonies, Iris, Lilacs
• Weather: Sunny, Warm, Clear Skies, Fluffy Clouds
• Birthstone: Emerald

If you are already a member of the Early Years Resource Factory, this new May 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.