May 2025 (PDF)

Daily literacy-building activities to share with your child.
MAY 2025
S U N D A Y
M O N D A Y
T U E S D A Y
W E D N E S D A Y
T H U R S D A Y
F R I D A Y
S A T U R D A Y
	 1	
WRITING
Play with play dough—it 
strengthens muscles 
needed for writing.
	 2	
PLAYING
Go on an outside scavenger 
hunt. Make a list (tree, car, 
flower, bird, bus, etc.) and 
check off the items as you 
see them.
	 3	
TALKING
Take turns saying as many 
words as you can that rhyme 
with May.
	 4	
SINGING
Make up simple melodies 
to go along with everyday 
activities or routines, like 
getting dressed or cleaning 
up. Use familiar tunes and 
add new lyrics.
	 5	
COUNTING
Go for a walk and find three 
different-sized twigs. Talk 
about shorter and longer. Ask 
your child to hand you the 
longest, the shortest, etc.
	 6	
READING
Ask your child to “read” to 
you by telling you their own 
story based on pictures in 
a book.
	 7	
WRITING
Make a Mother’s Day card 
and have your child “sign” 
their name. Scribbles are ok!
	 8	
PLAYING
Play a stacking game. 
Use blocks, rocks, boxes, 
anything you have. Talk 
about what might make your 
stack tumble.
	 9	
TALKING
Talk about feelings you 
felt today. What made you 
laugh?
	 10	
SINGING
Sing “The Farmer Plants the 
Seeds.”
(Words are on the back. 
)
	 11	 COUNTING
Sing “The Ants Go Marching.”
(Words  
are  
on the  
back. 
)
	 12	 READING
Draw the pictures to a story 
on 4-5 small pieces of paper. 
Help your child put the 
papers in proper sequence 
to tell the story.
	 13	
WRITING
Draw a large alphabet. Have 
your child practice finger 
tracing while you say the 
letters out loud.
	 14	 PLAYING
Play hide and seek, taking 
turns being ‘it’ and doing the 
countdown.
	 15	
TALKING
Look for signs of spring. Go 
for a walk and talk about 
what you see. Point out new 
grass, birds, first flowers, 
leaf buds.
	 16	
SINGING
Sing a favorite song. Sing it 
fast. Sing it slow. Whisper it. 
	 17	 COUNTING
Ask questions about what is 
heavier.
Does an orange or a grape 
weigh more? Is Mom’s shoe or 
your shoe heavier?
	 18	 READING
Find out the details of your 
library’s summer  
reading program.
	 19	
WRITING
Draw pictures 
together. Label the 
things you draw. 
	 20	 PLAYING
Go for a walk after dark. 
Pretend you are an  
explorer. Talk 
about what  
you see. 
	 21	
TALKING
Enunciate words today.
Would you like a ba-ba-ba-nana? 
Banana begins with B! Can you 
close the d-d-d-door? Door 
begins with D!
	 22	 SINGING
Involve your child in creating 
their own songs about their 
interests, favorite stories, or 
experiences.
23	COUNTING
Draw numbers on the 
sidewalk with chalk. Say 
them as you step on them.
	 24	 READING
Encourage your child to take 
the lead with reading. They 
can select the books and 
show you where to start.
	 25	 WRITING
Help your child begin to 
recognize words for a few 
common objects by labeling 
them. Shoe, Table, Door, 
Floor.
	 26	 PLAYING
Set up an obstacle course  
and give your child directions.
Run to the park bench. Jump 
over the stick. Touch the ground. 
Come back to me.
	 27	 TALKING
When reading a book today 
stop before you get to the 
end and ask your child what 
they think will happen next. 
	 28	 SINGING
You: ABCDEFG 
Child: HIJKLMNOP 
Continue taking 
turns to finish 
the alphabet.
29	 COUNTING
Count the number of eggs 
in a carton. Explain that 12 
items together is also called 
a dozen.
	 30	 READING
Act something out from the 
story you are reading. 
	 31	
WRITING
Make a list of things you 
liked best about this month.
W W W . P L A . O R G

Check out these books at the library. If they are not available,  
ask the librarian for a recommendation.
Books to Read 
this Month
FOR READERS AGES 0–3
Dozens of Dachshunds
by Stephanie Calmenson
A Beautiful House for Birds
by Grace Lin
FOR 
READERS 
AGES 3+
Milo Imagines  
the World
by Matt de la Peña
A Big Mooncake 
for Little Star
by Grace Lin
Good readers have a large vocabulary. 
Knowing lots of words helps children better understand what they 
read. You can help your children learn lots of words by:
•	 Having plenty of conversations. Take turns talking. It is important for 
you to ask questions and listen to what your children say in response. 
•	 Read together! A lot!
•	 Make connections. Connect what you are reading in books to their 
lives. “Yes, Grandma has a black cat, too.”
•	 Repetition. Children often love to read the same book over and over. 
This is a good thing as repeated readings help build vocabulary.
THE FARMER PLANTS THE 
SEEDS
Sing to the tune “The Farmer in the Dell”
The Farmer plants the seeds,
The Farmer plants the seeds, (Pretend to plant seeds) 
Hi, ho, the dairy-o, 
The farmer plants the seeds.
The sun comes out to shine… (Make large circle with arms)
The rain begins to fall… 
(Hands flutter up and down)
The seeds begin to grow… (Stand up tall)
The farmer picks the crops… (Pretend to pick crops)
We all sit down to eat… 
(Pretend to eat)
ANTS GO MARCHING
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to eat a plum.
And they all go marching down,
To the ground, to get out of the rain.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Two by two. Tie its shoe.
Three by three. Climb a tree.
Four by four. Shut the door.
Five by five. Take a dive.
Six by six. Pick up sticks.
Seven by seven. Tie a ribbon.
Eight by Eight. Close the gate.
Nine by Nine. Check the time.
Ten by Ten. Say THE END.