Knowing the days of the week helps children make sense of their own lives: school days, the weekend, and how long until a birthday. Year 1 explorers learn the seven days in order, find the day before and after, and meet the twelve months.
What your child will learn
- Say the seven days of the week in order
- Find the day that comes just before or just after another day
- Know there are 7 days in a week and 12 months in a year
- Begin to say the months of the year in order
Round and round
The days go round like a wheel: after Sunday comes Monday again. That is why “the day after Sunday” has an answer even though Sunday is the last day in the list.
Yesterday, today, tomorrow
Linking the days to real events makes them stick. “Today is Tuesday, so yesterday was Monday and tomorrow is Wednesday — swimming day!”
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Which day comes just before Friday?
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Saturday
- Monday
Show answer
Answer: Thursday. In order: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, then round again. The day before Friday is Thursday.
2. Which day comes just after Friday?
- Monday
- Sunday
- Thursday
- Saturday
Show answer
Answer: Saturday. In order: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, then round again. The day after Friday is Saturday.
3. Which day comes just after Saturday?
- Monday
- Friday
- Tuesday
- Sunday
Show answer
Answer: Sunday. In order: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, then round again. The day after Saturday is Sunday.
Tips for grown-ups
- Say the day together every morning, plus yesterday and tomorrow.
- Keep a simple weekly chart with a picture for each day’s activity.
- Sing a days-of-the-week song — the tune keeps them in order.