June 2021 | Ideas for Every Day

(Updated 4/22/22.)

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing a year ago today? It’s crazy how far we’ve come in a year. Sadly, I heard a minister say the seeds planted in 2020 are bearing fruit in 2021 and it’s not all good. Many of us are depressed. Anxiety is sky rocketing. In short, we’re still struggling. Take care of those around you. Seek the good in others as you continually remind yourself of the gift you are. We need to stay positive. We must lift each other up. Together, we can; alone we suffer.

To aid you in building up others, we’ve curated an action-packed June Calendar with ideas for EVERY day for you and your learners.

Browse the interactive calendar below, then click on activities that make your spirit soar.

Or, print a blank June 2021 calendar (religious or inspirational) and jot notes of the activities you prefer on the day you’d like to do them.

Here pictured is the Bible verse featured on our BLANK calendar for June 2021.

Here pictured is the featured quote on our BLANK calendar for June 2021.

If you’d like, stick around to discover our top five June activities.

Or check out the links below to uncover more about June days from last year:

First Week of June 2020

• World Reef Awareness Day 
• I Love My Dentist Day 
• Love Conquers All Day 
• Cheese Day 
• Hot Air Balloon Day 
• Family Recreation Day 

Second Week of June 2020

• Frozen Yogurt Day 
• Upsy Daisy Day 
• Donald Duck Day 
• Herb and Spice Day 
• Corn on the Cob Day 
• Magic Day 
• Weed Your Garden Day 

Third Week of June 2020

• Flag Day 
• Electricity Day 
• Fresh Veggies Day 
• World Croc Day 
• International Picnic Day 
• Pets in Film Day 
• Summer Solstice 

Fourth Week of June 2020

• Father’s Day 
• World Rainforest Day 
• Pink Day 
• World UFO Day 
• Global Beatles Day 
• Forgiveness Day 
• Great American Campout 

Fifth Week of June 2020

•  Descendants Day 
• Camera Day 
• Meteor Watch Day 

Our Top 5 June 2021 Activities 

1. Love Conquers All Day - Thursday, June 3, 2021 

For many reasons, love is my favorite - my favorite emotion and my favorite motivation. More than a strong emotional feeling, love is a choice that, when lived out well, really does conquer all. (Read more on my thoughts regarding love and marriage.)

Create a visual representation of love by making a Heart Map. In this activity, shared at Curious Kindergarten, learners:

1.       Read the book My Map Book by Sara Finelli (links to a YouTube read aloud by Heidi Walbert).

2.       Brainstorm things, objects, ideas, people, etc. that have a place in their heart.

3.       Decide how much space each listed item takes up.

4.       Draw objects large or small to reflect heart space utilization.

See examples at The Curious Kindergarten.

For a linguistic interpretation of the heart map, Scholastic offers a write from the heart opportunity. With included heart outline, legend, step-by-step directions, and sample, this activity is ready-to-go for you. A main difference is instead of spatial significance, this heart map uses positional prominence: the items held nearest and dearest are placed in the center. Additional steps detail using the heart maps for writing inspiration.

Explore what the Bible teaches about love with these I Corinthians Teaching Ideas from Rotation.org. A few we’d love to do:

1. Create visual verses using Kid Pix 4. You could also use PowerPoint or paper and art supplies. (Submitted by Neil MacQueen.)
2. Play a board game to reinforce examples and nonexamples of what love is. (Board game and cards PDFs submitted by Lisa Adlem.)
3. Match each love trait with specific sensory items. To find it, scroll down to the second idea on the page. (Lesson idea submitted by Stephanie Smith.)

 All you need is love, leaders. I truly believe that. Share one thing you love in the comments below.

2. Frozen Yogurt Day - Sunday, June 6, 2021

Menchie’s. Have you heard of it? It’s a frozen yogurt eatery that resembles a dessert salad bar. You start by grabbing a cup, pump in your yogurt of choice, top it your way, then pay by weight. My goal was always to come in lightest, while my nephew's goal was to pack in as many interesting flavors as he could in one cup. Because Menchie's memories, frozen yogurt has a soft spot in my heart.

And, after testing out some of these ideas for making your own frozen yogurt, we highly recommend you try out your own frozen yogurt bar this summer. We found two options for your consideration:

1.   5-Minutes 4-Ingredients, and Customizable  – Just a Taste walks you through the steps and versatility of whipping up this summer-friendly, healthy treat in no time flat. Last summer, we took turns concocting unique recipes. It was a highly anticipated activity with satisfying results. Personalize your yogurt by choosing your favorite fruit, preferred yogurt, and add-ins. I have yet to try my chocolate peanut butter banana frozen yogurt idea. Maybe this summer. What about you? What yogurt would you craft?
2. Carefully Crafted, Bold, and Stylized – Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking tested flavor combinations for you and shares her favorites. If you prefer "chef’s choice" options to "build-your-own," this one’s for you. Choose from Strawberry, Pineapple and Coconut, Chocolate and Banana, Mango and Lime, or Cake Batter. I’m clicking on chocolate and banana. What about you?

That’s it, leaders. I’m committed: I will have an at-home Menchie’s day before summer’s end. The question is: will you join me? And if you do, please share your favorite froyo creation. We’d love to try it out!

 

3. International Picnic Day - Friday, June 18, 2021

The littles in my life love picnics. Do the littles in yours? If so, and you’re like me, you’re likely hankering for a way to make this favorite summer pastime a low-stress, on-the-fly reality. After searching through several picnicking articles, I found a few ideas I’m ready to try out.

To make the on-the-fly part a reality, you must (pre)prepare; that is, prepare as much ahead of time as possible. Raising Bliss aids you in this with a list of picnic essentials. My add-on is: keep as many of these essentials as you can in a conveniently stored, ready-to-go picnic bag, basket, box, or tote. Then, when you’re ready to picnic, you only need to prepare the food and beverages.

Speaking of food and beverages, consider adding fun, kid-friendly, and easy-to-prep cuisine offered by AmberLee via How Does She. AmberLee’s tips like "smoothies in a bag" and "dip and roll" add an entirely new level of enjoyment to your picnic feasting.

But, once the feasting is over, you’ll need entertainment. If you’re looking for something more than playing in the park or tag, Noshing with the Nolands brings the outdoor group games line-up. We think their sponge race relay sounds fun. But then again, we’re not opposed to a competition that results in cleaning (the picnic basket relay).

Now, equipped with new picnicking tips, you're summer ready. If you have any tips to add, we’d love you to share your best picnic tip in the comments below.

 

4. Father’s Day - Sunday, June 20, 2021

As Father’s Day and my birthday fall in the same month, the two celebrations often merge in my memory. I love the time for backyard cookouts, family gatherings, and outdoor games. And while I’m a creature of habit and tend to keep family gatherings low key, it never hurts to look for more ideas. Like:

What do I get Dad?

The Giving Assistant offers a list of unique gift ideas for Dads such as the Any Music Format Stereo, the Sriracha Man Crate, or a personalized tape measure. For direct links to these and more gift options, visit The Giving Assistant to buy your Dad a gift today.

Would Dad enjoy a new recipe this year?

Browse staff picks for Father’s Day at AllRecipes. Our advice: if salivation doesn’t occur during a glance at the offerings, stick with your usual. Otherwise, make the recipe that sends your tastebuds into a tailspin. Our top pick: Dad’s Steak Rub.

What could the littles do for Dad?

Make a craft, of course! Find 40 Father’s Day crafting options at Good Housekeeping. The two we’re bookmarking: a craft stick roll-up card and a Swedish fish tackle box.

What are other Dads like out there?

Reader’s Digest shares 14 stories featuring real-life Dads to get you in the mood to celebrate. We like “Talking is Like Ketchup,” and “Dad’s Secret Spot.” For a memorable Father’s Day gift, submit a story about your dad.

We hope whether your celebration is new or familiar, you have a good one - one that Dad will look forward to again next year. What Father's Day tradition is your favorite? We'd greatly benefit if you'd care to share.

5. Paul Bunyan Day - Monday, June 28, 2021

American folklore tall tales, like Paul Bunyan, are some of my favorite stories because they are over-the-top imaginative. Claims of a blue ox and lassoing hurricanes will forever claim a spot in my mind. Share traditional folktales with your learners this summer with the help of these two sites:

American Folklore

Here find several Paul Bunyan stories (penned by S.E. Schlosser) conveniently (and freely) tucked away in one place. Select a traditional tale like “Babe the Blue Ox” or a new-to-you tale like “Paul Bunyan and the Frozen Flames.” Then, continue to the next site to choose the next stop on your adventure.

DLTK Crafts for Kids

First, choose your story format (printable, online, or video). Then, select a complementary activity. Activity types include crafts, puzzles, writing templates, word puzzles, and language art skills worksheets.

What would we do?

1. Read “Babe the Blue Ox.”
2. Talk about what makes the tall tale entertaining.
3. Have learners plan their own tall tales featuring hyperbolic events using:
1. Character Planning Template from Education.com for younger learners.
2. Tall Tale Planning Template from Best is Yet to Be via Teachers Pay Teachers for older learners.
4. Write out the final draft on a:
1. Paul Bunyan coloring page from coloring.ws for younger learners.
2. Paul Bunyan writing template via KidZone for older learners.

Paul Bunyan Day sounds like an opportunity to sneak in some fun literacy and cultural learning this summer. What is your favorite go-to literacy activity that your learners love?

Before you go, we’d love to know:

• Which of these activities appeal most to you?
• You get one day with an American folk hero. Who do you choose?

That wraps up this month’s ideas for every day, leaders. We’ll be back toward the end of June with July activities for you. Until then, keep finding the JOY in every day.

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