Months of the Year for Kids: Learn the 12 Months Easily
Look, I get it. Teaching your kid the months of the year for kids feels like another item on your endless parent to-do list. But here’s the thing – I’ve been there. When my daughter was 4, she couldn’t tell January from July. Fast forward 6 months, and she was correcting ME on which months had 31 days.
The difference? I stopped making it complicated.
Learning months of the year isn’t rocket science. Your kid just needs the right approach. And I’m going to show you exactly how to make it stick – without the tears (yours or theirs).
Why Teach the Months of the Year to Kids?
Look, teaching kids about the months of the year isn’t just busywork. It builds their understanding of time and the world around them.
I remember when my kid first grasped the idea of birthday months – it lit up his face like Christmas lights. Kids as young as 3 or 4 can start picking this up, but the sweet spot is around 5 to 7 for real retention. When to teach months of the year?
Right when they’re curious about calendars or asking about holidays. It helps with learning time for kids, like knowing when school starts or summer hits. Skip this, and they miss out on connecting dots in everyday life. Trust me, it’s worth the effort.
Plus, knowing the months of the year for children ties into bigger skills. Think planning ahead or understanding routines. As a dad who’s tested this, I saw my child get more independent just by tracking the calendar for children. It’s practical – no fluff.
Names and Order of the 12 Months
Let me break down each month the way I taught my kids. No fluff. Just the essentials that actually help them remember.
January – The Fresh Start Month
31 days. Cold weather (in most places). New Year celebrations. I tell kids: “January is when we start fresh. Like cleaning your room and actually meaning it this time.”
February – The Short Month
February’s the short one, usually 28 days, but 29 in leap years. Think Valentine’s and winter fun.
March – The Windy Month
31 days. Spring begins. Weather gets confusing. My kids remember: “March comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb.” They love this saying.
April – The Rainy Month
30 days. Spring showers. Easter often happens here. Simple connection: “April showers bring May flowers.” Classic for a reason.
May – The Flower Month
31 days. Everything blooms. Mother’s Day. I connect it to: “May is when Mom gets flowers.” Works every time.
June – The Wedding Month
30 days. School ends. Father’s Day. Summer starts. Kids connection: “June means summer vacation starts!”
July – The Fireworks Month
31 days. Hot weather. Independence Day (in the US). Memory anchor: “July has fireworks and hot dogs.”
August – The Last Summer Month
31 days. Still hot. Back-to-school shopping. Reality check for kids: “August means summer’s almost over.”
September – The School Month
30 days. School starts. Fall begins. Leaves change. Universal truth: “September means homework returns.”
October – The Scary Fun Month
31 days. Halloween. Cool weather. Orange leaves everywhere. Kid favorite: “October has Halloween candy!”
November – The Thankful Month
30 days. Thanksgiving (in the US). Getting colder. Family focus: “November is when we say thanks.”
December – The Gift Month
31 days. Winter starts. Christmas. Hanukkah. New Year’s Eve. Ultimate memory hook: “December has ALL the good stuff.”
That’s your months list for kids. Repeat it daily, and it’ll stick like glue.
Abbreviations of the Months
Now, let’s talk about abbreviations of the months. These are shortcuts like Jan for January. Kids see them on calendars everywhere. Teaching month abbreviation for kids makes reading dates a breeze.
- Jan (January)
- Feb (February)
- Mar (March)
- Apr (April)
- May (stays May)
- Jun (June)
- Jul (July)
- Aug (August)
- Sep (September)
- Oct (October)
- Nov (November)
- Dec (December)
No changes for May or June – they’re short already. I used to quiz my kid on these while flipping through a kids months calendar. It turned into a game, not a chore.Â
Real-life tip: Point them out on birthday cards or invites. Boom, practical learning.
Days in Each Month and Seasonal Changes
Ever wonder how many months in a year for kids? Twelve, but each has different days in each month. This ties into seasons and months, helping kids get seasonal changes and months.
January: 31, winter chill.
February: 28/29, still winter.
March: 31, spring awakens.
April: 30, spring showers.
May: 31, spring blooms.
June: 30, summer starts.
July: 31, summer heat.
August: 31, summer peaks.
September: 30, fall begins.
October: 31, fall colors.
November: 30, fall deepens.
December: 31, winter returns.
I taught my kid using a rhyme: “Thirty days hath September…” It covers the months of the calendar year perfectly. Link it to **months of the year with seasons for kids** – like how summer months mean no school. Makes **kids learning months** more relatable.
Fun Activities to Learn Months (That Don’t Feel Like School)
Here’s where most parents mess up. They make learning feel like work.
Songs and Rhymes That Stick
The months of the year song is your secret weapon. But not just any song – find one with a catchy beat.
We used “Months of the Year” to the tune of “Ten Little Indians.” My kids were humming it everywhere. Grocery store, car rides, bath time.
That’s when you know it’s working.
Flashcards and Games That Actually Engage
Forget boring flashcards. Make it competitive.
Month Tower with Building Blocks: Stack 12 blocks. Each block is a month. Child says the month name before placing it. If they mess up, tower falls. They LOVE rebuilding it.
Hopscotch with a Twist: Draw 12 squares instead of 10. Each square is a month. Child hops and says the month. Mix up the order as they improve.
Arrange the Cards Challenge
Simple but effective. Give them 12 month cards mixed up. Time how fast they can put them in order.
My competitive 7-year-old turned this into a daily speed challenge. Best time: 23 seconds.
Seasons and Months Connection
This is crucial. Months of the year with seasons helps kids understand WHY months matter.
Spring: March, April, May (flowers bloom, weather warms up) Summer: June, July, August (hot weather, no school, vacations)
Fall: September, October, November (leaves change, school starts, getting cooler) Winter: December, January, February (cold weather, holidays, cozy inside time)
I use weather as the anchor. “What season is your birthday in? What’s the weather like then?”
Printable Resources for Learning Months
Let’s be real. You need backup.
Printable flashcards for months of the year: Print them. Laminate them if you’re feeling fancy. Keep them in the car for traffic jams.
Months of the year worksheet: Great for quiet time. My kids do these while I make dinner. Win-win.
Calendar for children: Get a big wall calendar. Let them mark special days. Circle their birthday month in red. Cross off days. Make it interactive.
Navigational wins: Search for months of the year song video or printable months of the year flashcards. Easy grabs.
Calendar Skills for Kids – Building the Foundation
Teaching months to kids is really about building calendar skills. Start simple:
- Today is what month?
- What month comes next?
- What month was last month?
- What month is your birthday?
Master these four questions first. Everything else builds from there.
Preschool Months Learning vs Kindergarten Calendar Skills
Ages 3-4 (Preschoolers): Focus on month names and birthday months. Keep it fun. Sing songs. Use coloring pages.
Ages 5-7 (Kindergarten): Add abbreviations, days in each month, and seasonal connections. Start the knuckle trick.
Don’t rush it. Every kid moves at their own pace.
FAQ: Questions Kids and Parents Ask About Months
Got questions? Here’s the scoop on common ones.
What are the months of the year for kids?
January through December – the full 12 months of the year.
How to teach months of the year to kids?
Use songs, games, and flashcards. Keep it fun.
What is the best age to teach months of the year?
Around 4-6, when curiosity peaks.
Why is it important to learn for months?
Builds time sense, plans events like birthday months.
How can kids remember the months of the year?
Through rhymes and repetition.
What is a fun way to learn for months?
Hopscotch or building towers.
How do you teach kids the months of the year?
Start simple, add activities.
Months of the year for preschoolers?
Focus on basics with pictures.
The Bottom Line on Learning Months of the Year
Your kid will learn the months of the year. The question is: will it be painful or fun?
I’ve seen parents turn this into a battle. Flashcards become weapons. Songs become torture.
Don’t be that parent.
Make it about their life. Their birthday. Their favorite holidays. The weather they experience.
When my youngest finally got all 12 months in order, she didn’t celebrate knowing the sequence. She celebrated knowing that her birthday comes “three months after Christmas.”
That’s the real win.
Months of the year for children isn’t about perfect recitation. It’s about understanding their place in time. And once they get that, everything else falls into place.
Start with songs. Add games. Connect to their world. Be patient.
Your future self will thank you when they stop asking “How many more days until my birthday?” every single day in January.
