Step into September

Jessica Anne Carter

Aug 31, 20215 min read

September marks the beginning of autumn, of leaves changing, and getting back into the rhythm of school. It’s a good time to knuckle down into schoolwork, but don’t forget to make time for fun and learning outside of the classroom. This month we have some food fun, charity, and days devoted to literacy – and some pirate talk. Are y’ ready?

Start September off right by giving back. September 3 is National Food Bank Day.

Food banks help people living with food insecurity, and their work has become even more necessary due to COVID-19. At Telegraph Road Entertainment, we are doing a food drive for our local food banks. While most people donate canned goods, consider also donating personal hygiene items, toilet paper, baby wipes, cereals, pasta, and other non-perishable goods. You can inquire at your local food back to see if there’s something in particular they need. Speak to your child about food insecurity in Canada to help them understand the importance of donating to food banks.

International Literacy Day is September 8, which means it’s time to get back to the books and encourage literacy throughout your community. Literacy is fundamental for everyday life, from filling out tax forms and sending work emails to reading road signs and restaurant menus. According to a Statistics Canada survey, one in six adult Canadians struggled in basic literacy tests. So today, challenge yourself and your child to work on your literacy skills. You can help your child practise phonetics and sight words with our flash cards, and then look for similar sounds on street signs, food packages, toys, or other places. Go to the library and choose a book for yourself and one for your child and read together.

Numerical literacy is just as important as reading and writing. Understanding how numbers work can help anyone understand the world around them, from telling time to paying bills and all of life’s transactions in between. Math skills also help children think strategically. Check out our Singapore Math Challenge books for grades 3-5 to help your child practise their math literacy.

It’s time to bring all those literacy skills and food together with Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day on September 13. It’s the perfect day to let your child show off their skills in the kitchen and teach them a few new tricks, which can help them gain confidence and important life skills. Young children can help stir foods or set the table, while older kids can prepare a meal all on their own! From sandwiches to pasta to full course meals, let your child show their creative side and practise reading recipes, working with kitchen tools, food safety, and more!

Are ye a lover o' jigsaw puzzles? On this Talk Like a Pirate Day, September 9, we be drawin' a map t' some fun loot - The Learning Journey Pirate Ship puzzle.

With Puzzle Doubles! Glow in the Dark- Pirate Ship puzzle, learning about life on the sea has never been so much fun! After assembling this 100-piece puzzle, turn off the lights and watch it glow in the dark! Puzzle Doubles! Glow in the Dark! Pirate Ship puzzle is a fun way to expand your knowledge or different environments. Your child will be amazed by the lively illustrations and prehistoric skeletons! This puzzle measures a giant 3’ x 2’! Ages 3+ years.

Practise yer r's, swing from the sails, 'n set off on a voyage wit' the crew o' the ship. Beware o' nightfall, when a curse commandeers the ship, so it glows in the dark!

Perhaps a perfectly punctuated sentence is necessary after a preponderance of pirate talk. September 24 is the perfect day for all your questions, exclamations, and trailing ellipses… it’s National Punctuation Day! From the long-suffering Oxford comma to the bewildering semicolon, punctuation can be confusing. Practise recognizing punctuation marks and their usage, building sentences, and editing with our graded Writing books. You can also look for punctuation in everyday life, in your child’s favourite books, and even in subtitles on their favourite shows.

Sometimes the simplest recipes can be the most educational and creative. If you skipped Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day or just want a Part 2, September 26 is National Pancake Day. Try our simple Telegraph Road Chocolate Pancakes or make your own special stack with fruit, toppings, or more.

Telegraph Road Chocolate Pancakes

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup milk

¼ cup melted butter or margarine

½ teaspoon vanilla

Optional: ½ cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl.

2. Whisk together egg, milk, melted butter or margarine, and vanilla.

3. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Add optional chocolate chips, if desired.

4. Cook on medium temperature in a skillet or on a griddle.

5. Serve. Top with syrup or your choice of toppings.

My Little Pony: A New Generation – September 24

For all you pony people, the newest My Little Pony movie premieres on Netflix on September 24. Follow Sunny Starscout as she and a unicorn named Izzy go on an adventure through Equestria to bring harmony and friendship to the land. Gallop into the fun early with some My Little Pony activity books that make learning entertaining.

Orange Shirt Day – September 30

Orange Shirt Day supports Indigenous communities and reconciliation initiatives across Canada. It is a day to discuss the history of residential schools in Canada as well as reconciliation efforts to promote anti-bullying and anti-racism. While residential schools may be a heavy subject for young kids, conversations focused on supporting Indigenous communities and reading books by Indigenous authors is a great first step toward helping your child along the path to reconciliation. Telegraph Road Entertainment is donating to Orange Shirt Day charities. Make sure to wear orange today and do your part to support Indigenous initiatives in your community.

Daniel the Beaver's Educational Adventures

Daniel the Beaver had a fun month telling jokes, eating watermelon, and learning some great Canadian history about the telephone and the de Havilland Beaver bush plane. Remember to follow along with Daniel the Beaver’s adventures on Instagram @daniel_the_beaver_. Make sure you stop by on Wednesdays to see Daniel the Beaver’s Weekly Fun Fact in his stories.

All this fun is making Daniel the Beaver thirsty. Try his favourite seasonal drink – he likes the maple flavour!

Daniel the Beaver’s Peach Maple Citrus Drink

Ingredients

3 sliced peaches

½ cup lime juice

1 cup orange juice

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup of pure maple syrup

6 cups of cold water

Optional: Thin slices of orange, lemon, lime, and peach, plus ice.

Directions

1. Blend peaches, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, maple syrup, and 2 cups of water together until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into a large jug and add the remaining four cups of water. Stir.

3. Add peach slices, citrus slices, and ice, if desired.

4. Refrigerate up to three days.

Flash Card of the Month

This month’s Flash Card of the Month is Three-Letter Words.

These flash cards can be combined to make dozens of three-letter words, which help kids with letter sounds, rhyming words, and word families. Picture clues help children sound out words. They can sort and assemble words with the beginning sound cards and ending sound cards.

Practising these simple words will help your child gain a solid foundation in reading. Try making silly sentences out of the words your child makes to activate their creativity and get them thinking about letter and syllable sounds.

It’s the spookiest month of the year, so gather your goblins and ghouls for some festive frights. But along with the thrills we’ll be talking cookies, mental health, Women’s History Month, and things to be thankful for.