Friday Fun: Autumn Fun in April
- SproutEd Team
- Mar 27, 2023
- 7 min read
The seasons are changing (although, it's a bit hard to tell here in Queensland, it's still as hot and humid as ever!) and the end of this week takes us into a new month; so we thought we'd share some fun things happening in April so you can get geared up to learn, play and grow throughout the coming month and season!
Get inspired and explore something new, but most importantly, have lots of Friday Fun!
Our Top Picks for Fun in April
We've chosen 18 fabulous days to get you exploring topics from food and animals, to history, geology and space!
You're sure to find something that interests you in this collection!
Poetic Earth Month
All of April
Poetic Earth Month is all about promoting earth care - using poetry, story, and art to help connect everyone with each other and our planet. It is a month for every person to be inspired to look after the world around us.
Geologists Day
April 2, 2023
Geology...we wouldn't know how the Earth was formed without it and yet it is an underappreciated science. Geologists’ Day gives us the opportunity to learn about geologists and the important work they do to help further our understanding of how the world works & get inspired to support their important work or even become one!
International Carrot Day
April 4
Ahhh, carrots - a root vegetable staple around the world. Full of vitamins & minerals - this tasty, nutritious snack is not just a favourite of rabbits. But did you know that carrots are not just orange? Or that orange isn't even the most common carrot colour? International Carrot Day is the perfect opportunity to learn little gems like this & more about carrots of all kinds (& what tasty treats they can make)!
World Rat Day
April 4
Do you have rats as pets? Then you might already be privy to a little secret: despite all the myths and misconceptions, these animals are in fact friendly, loyal, intelligent and very endearing. Rats notoriously receive bad press, World Rat Day hopes to dispel the stigma surrounding these creatures and celebrate them instead!
World Health Day
April 7
World Health Day gets celebrated every year on the anniversary of the founding day of the World Health Organisation. It is a day to focus on and raise awareness around health issues that affect people all over the globe. This year is the 75th anniversary and as always, the World Health Organisation is campaigning for Health for All.
Easter
April 9, 2023
Easter has its roots in the ancient traditions of the Jewish people, linked to the Jewish holidays of Passover. Those of the Christian faith believe that Jesus was crucified and buried during the celebration of Passover, and his resurrection on the third day after his death is seen as the fulfillment of the promise of salvation that is central to the Christian faith. Over time though, Easter has evolved and taken on various forms in different cultures and regions. In many countries, Easter is marked with the exchange of Easter eggs & a visit from the Easter Bunny - secular traditions.
Yuri's Night
April 12
Space, the final frontier during the 20th century! Space exploration included sending humans into space, putting men on the moon, and eventually creating space shuttles and space stations. One of the most significant accomplishments of this “space race” was when astronaut, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to enter into space. This is what the celebration of Yuri’s Night is all about!
International Micro-Volunteering Day
April 15
Micro-Volunteering is for anyone who might be feeling the urge to do something worthwhile or give back to the community but just can’t quite seem to get around to starting! The idea of Micro-Volunteering is simple: people take convenient, bite-sized actions to support good causes and even perform their activities or service from their homes! You might be wondering what sort of volunteering you can do from home; learn more about International Micro-Volunteering Day to find out!
Titanic Remembrance Day
April 15
A day that has been remembered for more than 100 years, the sinking of the Titanic! It was a shock to the world when this gorgeous ocean liner sank on its maiden voyage, losing more than 1500 lives in the process. Titanic Remembrance Day is dedicated to the memory of the lives that were lost on that fateful day when the RMS Titanic was shipwrecked after hitting an iceberg. Although, not officially declared, tradition has been that this tragedy, the ship and the people aboard it are remembered on the anniversary of the disaster.
Save the Elephant Day
April 16
Elephants are a keystone species - their size and strength allow them to shape the habitats they live in (e.g., digging new watering holes), and they are vital for spreading seeds, facilitating the reproduction of various plant and tree species. Throughout history they have been revered and essential contributors to the human way of life - featuring in architecture, religion, used for transport & construction. But despite our affinity for these beautiful giants; our treatment of them and their habitats has led to a decline in numbers and a proliferation of abused and exploited elephants. Save The Elephant Day aims to change this by educating people about elephants and the plights they face, encouraging everyone to do their bit and help save them from extinction.
International Haiku Poetry Day
April 17
Haiku Day centres around the notion of poetry and beauty - tracing the origin of this beautiful and simple form of poetry. Haiku is probably remembered by most as some fun English lessons experimenting with words and poetry by cobbling together short poems in a five-seven-five pattern! Haiku Day serves as a reminder that there is so much more to this style of poetry! It’s a day to celebrate the enjoyment of limited words and limitless imagination! And of course, learn a little bit more about Haiku and its country of origin, Japan!
International Bat Appreciation Day
April 17
Would we be wrong to say that most people see bats as scary bloodsuckers that spread diseases? Bats have a terrible reputation, but according to scientists, very rarely do they spread diseases and few species drink blood (they actually love fruit)! International Bat Appreciation Day aims to teach people the importance of bats in today's world. The population of bats has been depleting, and that is a problem because they contribute to the ecosystem more so than people think. They are helping to make sure our planet has a healthier future, so this is a day you can show them some love by learning more about them.
Talk Like Shakespeare Day
April 23
William Shakespeare is the most famous and celebrated poet and playwright the world has seen! And as the name indicates, National Talk Like Shakespeare Day encourages you to talk like the literary genius himself!
Of course, speaking like Shakespeare isn't easy! However, there are a number of tricks that you can use to speak like Shakespeare; like replacing the words 'they' and 'you' with 'ye' 'thee' and 'thou'. Creative insults and rhyming couplets are also prominent in his work so you are encouraged to use these too!
Did you know that a lot of the phrases that we use today are owed to Shakespeare? Look it up!
World Penguin Day
April 25
Days of the Year gives the best description of this special day!
"Penguins are some of the most adorable, lovable and impressive creatures in the animal kingdom, so why not dedicate a day to these flightless birds?
World Penguin Day is a celebratory and educative initiative that encourages people to learn more about penguins and their environment, how important they are to our ecosystems and the threats they face.
Interested in learning more about this day?"
We are!
International Chernobyl Remembrance Day
April 26
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster has affected the lives of many people all over Europe to this day. Although the incident caused the shut-down of the plant; long-lasing, damaging consequences resulted (including radiation exposure, air pollution, lethal rain and contaminated water).
This has been noted as one of the most severe and dangerous disasters in human history.
International Chernobyl Remembrance Day was created to teach people about the history of this incident, observe the consequences of what happened, and prevent future events from happening again.
Morse Code Day
April 27
Morse Code Day pays tribute to the traditional form of communication, so named.
This incredible and concise way of transmitting information by encoding text characters in a sequence of dots and dashes is one of the most influential telecommunications breakthroughs in history.
Learn more about it and how it changed the world!
International Astronomy Day
April 29, 2023
International Astronomy Day is an opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts and professionals to share their knowledge and passion with the world!
Who can say that they're not honestly fascinated by the mysteries of outer space and astronomy? It's almost impossible to look up at the night sky and not be caught up in the wonder of the beauty and mystery of the universe.
This special day is also a way for everyone interested in space to learn more (BONUS, this special day happens twice a year, once in Autumn and again in the Spring)!
World Pinhole Photography Day
April 30, 2023
Interested in science and technology? Then step back in time to learn about an interesting example of human ingenuity.
World Pinhole Photography day
was established to celebrate the art of pinhole photography.
What is Pinhole Photography you ask? Well...we wouldn't want to spoil the journey down the rabbit hole but let's just say it all started about 2500 years ago and is still as interesting today as it was then!
Dive a Little Deeper
We've found some fabulous ways to get started learning, playing and growing this month and have included them below for each special day in our Top Picks for April!
Click on each image to visit our Zoom In for each Friday Fun theme!
Freebies
Some special freebies created for just for you for Autumn Friday Fun by our team at The Hub!
Interested in Volunteering; then head on over to our Freebies Vault to download a copy of Put Your Hand Up: Becoming a Volunteer Workbook. This simple resource will have you off to a flying start developing the skills & dispositions needed to be a fabulous volunteer!
Keen on experimenting with Haiku or developing your own creative publications; then head on over to our Freebies Vault to download a copy of Haiku - Zine: Make Your Own. This resource has everything you need to get started learning about Haiku, Zines & comes with instructions on how to develop your own!
We hope that this has given you lots of fun ideas to explore throughout the coming month and season! Friday Fun at The Hub is all about connecting homeschoolers with fun learning experiences that enrich every homeschool; and providing families with fabulous freebies to support learning, playing and growing at home!
If you've got some suggestions for other great ideas or would like to share your adventures, please visit our private group on Facebook - Little Sprouts Homeschooling and join a community of homeschoolers just like you!
Comments