Finally! A Moon!

I had been pondering for awhile the best way for the girls to learn about the months of the year and the days of the week.  I knew that I wanted it to be something that was learned more organically than not.  Something that was more natural than me sitting there and saying "today is_____, yesterday was_____ and tomorrow will be____" (which harkened me back to my classroom teaching days).  And finally it occured to me:  how about if we create a calendar each month and track the moon phases as well as holidays and other special occasions?!  Just brilliant (if I do say so myself)!  I printed out some blank calendars and, on October 8th, we started tracking the moon.  It just so happens that the day we began this project was the only day (until tonight) that the moon was visible. Most nights it was simply too cloudy to see it.  Tonight, while I was taking the garbage and recycling bins out to the curb I noticed that there was a beautiful, bright crescent moon in the sky.  "Girls, come see!  Come see!"  We headed outside to the driveway, looked up and their eyes grew wide: "Mommy!  Look it's the moon!  Finally!"  Quickly they headed back in and up to their room where they have hung their calendars to record the moon sighting.  This calendar sure has come in handy.  It has become a great way for them to see how much longer it is 'till Halloween, as well as record things they notice (like the lack of a moon or the first time that birds arrived at our feeder this season).