May Homeschool Fun: Meaningful Days to Celebrate All Month

Updated 5/1/2026

We’re moving right along through the year—can you believe summer is just around the corner? Time is flying, which makes it all the more reason to slow down and find something to celebrate each day—and that’s exactly what May Homeschool Fun: Meaningful Days to Celebrate All Month is all about.

More often than not, it’s the little things you do with your kids that stick with them most—and that includes celebrating quirky holidays! Whether it’s baking Wookiee Cookies on Star Wars Day, visiting a museum for International Museum Day, or flying paper airplanes together on National Paper Airplane Day, these are the moments kids remember.

Keep your month organized and full of fun with a free printable featuring every day to celebrate, plus space for your own ideas, resources, and supplies. Delivered straight to your inbox—grab the current month’s printable and start planning today!

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Grab your planner and cue the confetti—here are some fun and meaningful May days to celebrate, perfect for adding curiosity, creativity, and a little seasonal joy to your homeschool.

May Holidays – Week 1

• 5/1 May Day – Check out the rich history and varied customs on The Almanac.
• 5/2 National Scrapbooking Day -I’ve made end-of-the-year mini scrapbooks for my kids, but I definitely made it harder than it needed to be. I was down to the wire before our last day of school, scrambling in true “why am I like this?” fashion to print photos and finish everything at the last minute. If I could do it again, I’d get the kids involved from the beginning by creating simple homeschool highlight pages together. Let them reflect on what they loved learning, their favorite moments, what they’re proud of, and what they’re excited to learn next.

May Holidays – Week 2

• 5/3 Wordsmith Day – If you’re looking for a no-nonsense writing curriculum, Wordsmith is a hidden little gem. I used it with my kids in 8th–9th grade, and I loved how simple and effective it was. Wordsmith Apprentice is the lower level, and Wordsmith Craftsman is the higher level—honestly, it was one of the most practical writing programs we’ve used. On another note, if you prefer games, Wordsmith is a great one to try. Wordsmith Day is a great reminder that vocabulary building doesn’t have to feel formal.
• 5/4 Star Wars Day – One of the best ways to learn is through cooking! Whip up a batch of Wookiee Cookies—along with other galactic treats—with a fun kid-friendly cookbook (P.S. they’re out of this world!). Then, while you’re enjoying your cookies, try a Darth Vader abstract art lesson using chalk pastels. Ours turned out spectacular!
• 5/5 Museum Lover’s Day – Visit a local museum or take a virtual tour from home—there are so many fun ones to explore, like the Smithsonian Natural History Museum or the Louvre Museum online. Let your kids pick something they love and recreate it in their own way—through art, building, or storytelling.
• 5/6 World Carnivorous Plant Day – I’m so fortunate to live right along the outer radius where Venus Fly Traps grow in the wild! If there’s ever a reptile expo in your area, it is a great place to find Venus flytraps. Vendors that specialize in carnivorous plants are knowledgeable and eager to tell you all about them, and sell you one too! Hunter Flytraps is a fantastic source of information if you are interested in carnivorous plants.
• 5/7 Beaufort Scale Day – Learn about the Beaufort scale, developed by Francis Beaufort in the early 1800s to estimate wind speed based on observed conditions at sea. Take it outside and try estimating the wind speed yourself by observing trees, flags, and movement around you, then compare your observations to an official Beaufort Scale chart.
• 5/8 National Public Gardens Day – Visit a local public garden or botanical garden if you can, or simply spend some time outdoors observing plants in your yard or neighborhood. Let your kids sketch what they see or choose a favorite plant to learn more about—it’s an easy way to slow down and enjoy nature together.
• 5/9 International Migratory Bird Day – Explore how and why birds migrate—some travel thousands of miles each year! Head outside to observe local birds, then look up where they migrate and map their routes. It’s a great way to combine science, geography, and real-world observation.

May Holidays – Week 3

• 5/10 National Clean Your Room Day – “because I said so!” For real though, having a clean room reduces stress, and makes one happy.
• 5/11 National Eat What You Want Day – Turn mealtime into a fun life skills activity by letting kids plan or help choose the menu. They can practice decision-making, budgeting, or helping prepare a favorite meal—all while celebrating a fun day together.
• 5/12 National Limerick Day – Limericks are believed to have originated in the Irish town of Limerick (hence the name) in the 18th century. Edward Lear, a famous English poet, popularized the Limerick in the 19th century with his book, A Book of Nonsense. Celebrate by trying your hand at writing a few limericks together—it’s a fun way to play with language, rhythm, and a little bit of silliness!
• 5/13 – National Frog Jumping Day – Head outside and have a little fun with frog-inspired movement! Try seeing who can make the longest “frog jump,” hop through an obstacle course, or even time different jumping challenges. It’s a simple way to add movement and laughter to your day.
• 5/14 Stars and Stripes Forever Day – Celebrate one of America’s most famous marches, Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa. Written in 1896, it quickly became known as “The National March of the United States.”
• 5/15 Endangered Species Day – Explore an endangered animal together—find out where it lives, what it eats, and why it’s at risk. Kids can draw the animal, create a fact card, or map out where it lives in the world. It’s a simple way to build awareness and curiosity about wildlife.
• 5/16 National Love a Tree Day – Head outside and let each child pick a favorite tree to observe. Notice the details—bark texture, leaf shape, height, and anything living nearby. Kids can sketch their tree or describe what makes it unique.

May Holidays – Week 4

• 5/17 National Mushroom Hunting Day – Take a walk and see what mushrooms you can find! Observe their shapes and colors, and snap a few photos to look up later (I use Seek by iNaturalist on my phone). It’s a simple way to explore the fascinating world of fungi.
• 5/18 International Museum Day – Museums are packed with learning opportunities, and scavenger hunts make it even more fun. Use a museum’s printable or create your own—cityHUNT is a great place to start.
• 5/19 International Dinosaur Day – Take some time to explore dinosaurs in whatever way your kids enjoy—books, videos, or fun facts. Then let them create something inspired by their favorite dinosaur.
• 5/20 World Bee Day – Bees are so fascinating! If you know a beekeeper, consider taking a field trip to learn more about how hives work. You can also explore a bee-themed unit study from The Homeschool Scientist for a deeper dive.
• 5/21 National Notebook Day – For centuries, notebooks have been used to capture ideas, sketches, and discoveries—by scientists, artists, and writers alike. Have each child start their own notebook to record thoughts, drawings, or interesting facts. (And if you prefer digital, I’ve been loving my Kindle Scribe for jotting things down – I keep notebooks within notebooks!)
• 5/22 National Road Trip Day – Boy, do I love a road trip! I also love to play games on a road trip! I’ve got a list of technology-free game ideas on my Freebies Page! Download your free copy and hit the road!
• 5/23 World Turtle Day – Spend a little time learning about turtles and tortoises—watch a short video, read a few fun facts, or draw your favorite species. It’s an easy, low-pressure way to explore wildlife.

May Holidays – Week 5

• 5/24 National Scavenger Hunt Day – Most everyone loves a scavenger hunt! Make up your own, or check out Hip Homeschool Moms for some freebies and ideas. Doing a little Amazon shopping? Check out these awesome picture cards, or go head to head with your kiddos in this Family Scavenger Hunt game!
• 5/25 Memorial Day – Check out this FREE unit study for your highschooler! (Start planning a bit early, there is a lot here).
• 5/26 National Paper Airplane Day – One of my favorites (and a top seller in my book biz) is Paper Airplanes to Fold and Fly! It comes with a complete set of easy instructions to get flying in no time, plus there are several different folding techniques included. My kids and I have had a lot of fun with this book! Take it a step further by turning your flights into simple STEM challenges—test designs, measure distance, and see what flies best!
• 5/27 Cellophane Tape Day – Try a simple tape-resist art project—place strips of tape on paper, paint over it, then peel it off to reveal fun designs. It’s an easy, hands-on way to mix creativity with a little surprise.
• 5/28 International Hamburger Day – The hamburger traces back to German “Hamburg steak,” which became popular in the United States in the early 1900’s as a convenient, handheld meal. Celebrate by making it a build-your-own burger night.
• 5/29 National Paper Clip Day – Take a look at the “fasten”ating history of paperclips!
• 5/30 National Creativity Day – Make everyday Creativity Day with these fantastic journal-type books from PaperPie! With seven titles in the series, there’s something to suit everyone’s creativity!
• 5/31 National Smile Day – I’ll close out the month of May with the best advice I have ever received from my dad….”keep a smile”. That’s how we ended every note, and every phone call for most of my life….right up to the very last note I wrote to him after he left this earth for heaven.

May Birthdays

Birthdays are worth celebrating—even for people who lived long ago. This month offers a fun mix of notable figures to explore. I love the Who Was series, and the Lives Of series to learn more about a notable person, and of course the local library to learn more about historical figures.

You might listen to Johannes Brahms or Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, revisit The Wizard of Oz for L. Frank Baum, or get out art supplies inspired by Henri Rousseau and Mary Cassatt.