Spring is coming early this year! Usually the March Equinox falls on March 20th or 21st but not this year. It’s March 19th and this month we not only celebrate the beginning of a new season but also special holidays that highlight nature, education and health. Whether it be things to celebrate all month long or a special holiday just happening one day this month, we are here to help you make sure to have some special family fun. And you can print out this month’s calendar here:
This month you won't want to miss:
Celebrate these things all month long:
- Music in Our Schools Month - Plato once said, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything else.” You and your kids can celebrate music together and create your own instruments with these crafts:
- National Celery Month
- National Craft Month:
- Check out this article by Amanda Stanford, the owner of Craft It NC - a local maker's space in Indian Trail! When it comes to crafting, Amanda knows a thing or two about a thing or two! AND she's giving a way a 1:1 class to learn how to use the Circut machine or work out those issues you are having! Find the entry form in the article.
- This is a great time to get outside, breathe the fresh air and have fun with Homemade Sidewalk Chalk
- National Irish American Heritage Month
- Try a meatless recipe and create this Vegetarian Irish Boxty to celebrate Irish heritage.
- Head down to Mary O'Neils in Waxhaw celebrate the luck of the Irish!
- National Nutrition Month
- Kids are much more interested in eating vegetables if they help to grow them. A great family activity that combines nutrition and gardening is creating a family Gutter Garden.
March 1 - Peanut Butter Lovers Day
- Did you know that peanut butter is a good source of protein, essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium and zinc? Head down to Your GG's Kitchen in Indian Trail for the best Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie you've ever had - throughout March kids get a free slice with the purchase of a kids meal on Thursday nights by mentioning Union County Macaroni Kid. Or you can try any of these delicious recipes at home:
March 2 - Read Across America Day
- According to our friends at Ballantyne Reading Academy the one thing parents can do at home that directly influences their children’s success at school is to read with them! Your child might not remember all the books you read to them, but the feeling of being read to will stay with them no matter how old they are. This advice is for children of every age, but can take different forms depending on the age of your child.
- Birth to toddler: Infants react to the inflection your voice as read from a book. Encourage tiny fingers to grasp a board book, and eventually help you turn pages.
- Preschool: Take advantage of their eagerness to curl up on your lap with a book by talking about what is happening on the page. Point out words that match the pictures, glide your finger from left to right as you read, stop and ask “What do you think will happen next?” After reading, don’t just ask if they liked the book, but ask what did they like (or not like) about it?
- Elementary: Just because your child has learned to read themselves doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy reading together. Model good reading habits at home. Create a cozy reading nook or set aside time for family reading, just like family game night. Talk about what you are reading and ask about their book choices. Older children are required to understand character motivation, summarizing and evaluating a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. Phrase your questions around these concepts that go beyond retelling events.
- Some of our other favorite ways to celebrate this day include
March 6 - Dentist’s Day
- The old saying, “Brush your teeth everyday to keep the dentist away” is great but no one ever really teaches us the proper way to brush. Thanks to our friends at Carolina Kids Dentistry in Waxhaw we have some great tips on how to Overcome Fear of the Dentist
March 8 - Daylight Saving
- It’s a battle getting kids to sleep on a normal night, now add the time change in and it’s almost impossible those first few days. Here’s some great advice in dealing with this bi-yearly event and why it happens:
March 11 - Worship of Tools Day
- Try your hand at a DIY project and put those tools to good use! Head over to Indian Trail Hardware for all your crafting and tool needs - it's family owned and you know how much we love family!
March 12 - Plant a Flower Day
- The start of spring celebrates flowers so this is the perfect time to plant seeds, create a flower craft, or create a flower or vegetable/herb garden with your kids.
- 6 Tips for Planting a Kid-Friendly Garden
- Grow a Sunflower at Home
- Make indoor Newspaper Planters and plant seeds to grow flowers or vegetables this spring
March 14 - National Pi Day
- I could try to explain Pi Day and the history of Pi but this video does it so much better (and it’s more fun to watch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kd6wX6cWWM
March 17 - St. Patrick’s Day
- You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and we have you covered from recipes to crafts to creating a centerpiece to decorate your table:
- Interview with a Leprechaun
- Modify this Grinch-themed slime with some gold glitter to make Leprechaun St. Patrick's Day Slime
- A St. Patrick's Day Favorite Recipe
- Easy St. Patrick's Day Crafts for Preschoolers
March 19 - Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
- We know, we know, every day is a celebration of our children but they’ll be super excited to know they’re an “absolutely incredible kid” when you celebrate this day. While they’re sleeping fill their room with balloons for a good morning surprise, make them a homemade card (we love getting those the best so why not our kids) or write your child a letter telling them how wonderful they are and list their fantastic qualities that are unique to just them. This is also a perfect way to celebrate if you have more than one child. Write to each one - I promise they will cherish that letter forever.
- Keep an eye out for an Absolutely Incredible Kid that we'll be honoring this week!
March 25 - Waffle Day
- Are you Team Pancake? Or Team Waffle? If you’re a waffle lover like me, this is the day for you. Check out this list of the top breakfast joints in Union County - most of which have KILLER waffles. And, if you wanted to try a fun twist on the breakfast of champions for dinner, try these Pizza Waffles.
March 27 - World Theatre Day
- Kids love the theatre and generally speaking toddlers through age 4 are ready to see their first show. Keep it short, about a half hour and no longer than an hour, and find one with lots of participation so your kids can move around and feel like they’re part of the show. Many local museums and puppet theatre have shows geared specifically for young children. Preschoolers and elementary age children can usually sit longer but you know your child so when they’re ready introduce them to a local theatre or your local school so that it’s not too expensive in case you need to leave early (maybe they weren’t quite ready yet).
March 29 - National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day
- I can list a ton of reasons why you should shop local like how business owners live in the community so you're supporting local families and entrepreneurship. I can write forever about how these business owners sponsor local teams, donate to schools, support PTAs and non-profit organizations. I can bore you to death with statistics from Forbes like "Independent businesses create about two-thirds of private sector jobs" or "Local businesses create the majority of economic growth, employing about 77 million Americans and improving stability in communities". When we shop locally, our money stays in the community but ultimately, it's also about YOU. When you shop locally, lots of times you get to know the owners. They know what you like, they sell local products, you make a connection. You're not just another random customer which in turns makes customer service and making YOU happy that much more important.
March 30 - Take a Walk in the Park Day
- This fun activity is perfect for the whole family, every age, and it’s totally FREE. Spend time together, talking, laughing and walking in your local park.
March also marks the beginning of outdoor entertaining. The winter chill is gone and its not quite sweltering yet. If you are beginning to plan outdoor birthday parties, graduation parties or just an annual summer bash, make sure you have all the supplies you need! Bounce houses, heaters, extra chairs and - of course - tents just in case it rains! You're in GREAT hands with 485 Events and Party Rentals and Union County Macaroni Kid insiders get a special bonus just for being awesome. Check it out HERE.
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Want more information about how your business can be featured or a sponsor of a monthly calendar? Email rachaelw@macaronikid.com.
