Make an Infinity Calendar (Part 1)

A flexible, evergreen, infinite, perpetual, kid-friendly calendar!

Making a perpetual calendar is a project for kids to do with their adults. It requires measuring with a ruler, cutting paper, writing words/numbers, decorating paper, selecting patterns & colors. As with all art projects for kids at Daisy Yellow, kids should do as much of their own calendar as they possibly can! Your role is facilitator, manager of logistics.

Before you jump in, consider how you will use each calendar and how many you'd like to do. It's relatively easy to manage two at once. We made one for each kid's room. You could make one for the kitchen or mud room. Or even a mini-calendar!

In Part 1, a list of materials you will need to make a calendar.

Ingredients for each calendar:

• The calendar: One 20"x30" posterboard, foam board or heavy corrogated cardboard, any color.
• For writing names, dates, etc.: Thick, vivid magic markers or paint markers in a variety of colors
• The dates: 31 squares of white cardboard 1.5" x 1.5"
• Framing behind dates (optional, see white calendar above): 35 rectangles of a variety of patterned & bright colored cardstock, magazine images, paper ephemera, 2.5" wide x 2.25" tall. If you want to skip the paper background, kids can color in the boxes.
• To attach day names, framing behind days or dates (optional) to calendar: double-sided tape, mod podge or glue.
• To attach adjustable dates, month, holidays etc. to the calendar: 1 roll adhesive backed Velcro circles, very thin, round or square.
• Framing behind the days of the week (optional, we did this on both calendars): 7 rectangles of bright colored cardstock 2.5" wide x 1.5" tall.
• Days of the week: 7 rectangles of bright colored cardboard, 2.25" wide x 1.25" tall
• Framing behind month name: Patterned cardstock, about 6" wide x 3" tall (size as desired)
• The month names: 12 rectangles of white cardboard, about 4" wide x 2" tall (size as desired)
• Holidays & special days: for each holiday, birthday, special day you want to put on the calendar, you'll need 1 square of white cardboard or patterned paper modge podged to cardboard, 1.5" x 1.5" We did birthdays for the folks that live in this house and major holidays. You might want one for the start date of a vacation or school or a sport. Hint: If you have too many "extras" you won't see many of the real dates on the calendar.

Now, off we go to Make an Infinity Calendar (Part 2), a step-by-step tutorial on making a perpetual calendar, plus calendar resources! Please let me know if you have any questions about the materials or instructions in the tutorial.

Comments

[Sam]

I love the look of this, so I shall be gathering supplies, and paying attention :-)

[Rachel]

I love all that color, your calender is gorgeous! I'll be linking-I can't wait for part 2!

[Sarah S-B]

Wonderful! I can't wait to make this with my girls when they are older :)

[Shell]

This is a great calendar. I can't wait for part 2.