The History of July
July is the 7th month of the Gregorian Calendar, but that wasn’t always the case. Originally called Quintilis, Latin for the “fifth month,” indicating its position in the early Roman calendar. The name was later changed to July, to honor Julius Ceaser who was born in this very month and also created the Jullian Calendar.
July, like the months before and after, is full of unique holidays your kids won’t want to miss celebrating!
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As you explore the Holidays for July I hope the ideas shared here and in our resources inspire you to dig a little deeper into the holidays. I fill each holiday of the day with information to help your Happy Hive buzz with excitement!
Celebrate on or near these specific days:
July 1 – US postage stamp day
Stamps were not always required to send mail. At first, if you received a letter you had to pay! People didn’t want to pay so they would refuse the letters!
Some even developed a method of writing in code on the outside so the message could be read by the recipient, but they didn’t have to pay the fees. The trouble was – all the work of delivering had already been done!
Something had to change.
Following the system already in place in Europe – the newly formed United States began to require prepaid postage. The Post Office Department issued the first stamps on July 1, 1847. The use of stamps was made mandatory in 1855.
You can celebrate this unique holiday by
- Designing your own postage stamp – Download the FREE templates in the Happy Hive Shop
- Write and mail a letter to a friend. Take it to the post office to purchase your stamp!
- Learn more about the History of postage in this post: Study of Stamps and Postal History
This resource, The History of Stamps in the US will help your kids organize what they learn.
July 2 – World UFO Day
On July 2nd, we celebrate World UFO Day, a day dedicated to the mysteries and wonders of unidentified flying objects. 🛸✨
World UFO Day originated in 2001 to raise awareness about the existence of UFOs and to encourage governments to disclose any information they may have regarding these mysterious sightings. The date, July 2nd, was chosen to commemorate the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. Since then, World UFO Day has gained momentum and has become a day for enthusiasts and curious minds alike to come together and explore the possibilities beyond our planet.
You can celebrate easy with these fun ideas:
- Watch UFO movies or television shows, you may even come across a documentary about UFOs you find interesting.
- Study the Roswell Incident
- Visit the World UFO website and see what they have to say about THE DRAKE EQUATION This is a way to calculate to odds of intelligent life (this is high school or above level goodness)
- Today is also a GREAT day to survey friends and family to see if they believe in the existence of UFOs. You can graph your results.
- You absolutely should keep your eyes on the sky and LOOK for any sign of UFOs
- Get out your craft supplies and make your own alien spacecraft. Tag @happyhivehomeschooling with your finished products!
Whatever you do to celebrate today – make it FUN and non-judgemental. If friends or family don’t share the same opinion you do – that’s ok. It’s important to listen and allow others a chance to share their opinions too. Have fun with your holiday…as they say in the X files: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!
July 4th – Happy 4th of July
According to the National Archives- the official vote for declaring independence took place on July 2nd… It was signed on July 4th so that’s what we are celebrating, the SIGNING of the Declaration of Independence.
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe, all founding fathers & US Presidents passed away on the 4th of July.
The 4th of July Became a Federal Holiday in 1870 (Fun Fact: Christmas became a federal Holiday the same year! See July 26th below)
The US Flag is a very recognizable symbol of both the United States and Freedom. We love to dress in as much red, white, and blue on the 4th – even wearing American Flag clothing.
Did you know that wearing American Flag clothing is against the US Flag Code? This code originated from a fear of “addressing the national flag in a way that was reminiscent of the Nazis” according to Smithsonian magazine.
You don’t have to clean out your closet because the code does not contain any way to enforce or penalize when it is not followed.
I hope you enjoy your day, and that you learned something interesting about our American Holiday – the 4th of July. May your time with family and friends be blessed!
July 8 -Liberty Bell Day
Legend tells us the Liberty Bell rang on July 8, 1776. In those times it was common to ring bells to gather the townspeople for important messages. On this day the residents of Philadelphia were being gathered to listen to Colonel John Nixon read the Declaration of Independence publicly for the first time.
One of the reasons the bell is famous in modern history is due to its large crack. Historians cannot agree on when the bell first cracked, but they do know when the bell’s crack became so large and jagged it became un-ringable.
The last time the Bell sounded was Washington’s Birthday February 22, 1846. After this ring, the crack was so large the bell was unable to be repaired.
July 10th – Let’s go on a Teddy Bear Picnic
“Teddy Bear Picnic” Day is inspired by the song that was written by the American composer John W. Bratton in 1907. Lyrics were added in 1093 by Jimmy Kennedy, a British songwriter.
The song describes a special day in the woods in which all the teddy bears gather for – you guessed it – a picnic!
A quick youtube search will give you a good variety you can listen to from classic artists such as Bing Crosby and Anne Murray. There are even animated versions you can use if you would like to introduce this song to your children! This one is my favorite: Teddy Bear Picnic – Bing Crosby
Then gather your Teddy Bears – or any of your favorite stuffed friends and have a little Picnic!
July 14 – Tape Measure Day
Tape measures can be found everywhere! They are basically easily bent tools used to measure size or distance. The first recorded use of the tape measure goes back to the Romans, utilizing marked strips of leather. They evolved as their use increased over time. Eventually, Alvin J. Fellows of New Haven, Connecticut was granted a patent for “Improvements in Tape Measures”.
On July 14, 1868, the retractable tape measure was born! This new feature allowed tape measures to be manufactured so they fit in tool boxes, and even pockets!
Here are some ways you can celebrate this unique holiday:
Read a tape measure worksheet generator
- Use a tape measure to measure items around the house, be sure to include a variety of sizes.
- If you have a soft tape measure (like one you would use for sewing) – it is great fun to measure the circumference of your head! You can always use yarn first, then lay it flat and use a standard tape measure.
- Measure how tall each family member is. We stand against a wall and mark the wall with a pencil to compare. Use a measuring tape to measure height in feet and inches! (NOTE: if you don’t want to mark the wall, a long roll of paper and the floor work too!) Record the results on your calendar and repeat next National Tape Measure day to compare!
I also have a free printable worksheet you can use to record your measurement adventures called HOW THINGS MEASURE UP . It’s a simple graphic organizer for the kids to go on a household measurement quest as well as a place to record the family’s statistics! The download also includes a simple measurement reference tool for length, area and US to metric conversions. Grab your printable in the Happy Hive Shop.
July 17 World Emoji Day
Have you ever noticed that when you use the calendar emoji on most platforms it shows up as July 17th – pretty cool right?
World Emoji Day is a fun-filled occasion dedicated to the tiny icons that have become an integral part of our digital communication. Emojis add a splash of color, emotion, and playfulness to our messages, allowing us to express ourselves in a unique and engaging way.
World Emoji Day was first established in 2014 by Jeremy Burge, the founder of Emojipedia, a popular online resource for all things emoji-related. July 17th was chosen as the date for this celebration because it is displayed on the “calendar” emoji 📅—depicting the only date with significance that is universally recognized across different platforms. Since its inception, World Emoji Day has gained widespread recognition and has become an annual event that encourages people to embrace the power of emojis.
As a child, my mom wrote me notes using pictures instead of words… Dear Sunshine would look like: 🦌🌞
Only she would draw with markers.
I love emojis for this reason because I can’t draw – but I can write cute sentences to my kids in the way my mom did to me!
I have a wonderful FREE-BEE to help you and your children celebrate this unique holiday in the Happy Hive shop
20 – MOON DAY
On July 20th, we commemorate Moon Day, a significant milestone in human history—the day when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first set foot on the lunar surface in 1969. Moon Day is a time to celebrate our achievements in space exploration, honor the courage of those who ventured beyond Earth, and inspire children to reach for the stars.
Moon Day traces its roots back to July 20, 1970, the first anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The event was organized to commemorate this historic achievement and promote space exploration and science education. Since then, Moon Day has become an annual observance celebrated by space enthusiasts, science centers, and educational institutions worldwide.
Celebrate Moon Day with our Phases of the Moon set of Worksheets.
Holiday Fun Fact: July 26th
On this day – July 26th, 1870 The United States declared the Christian holiday of Christmas a federal holiday.
Public Service Announcement: You have 182 shopping days until Christmas!
July 29 is International Tiger day.
To celebrate I thought I would share some Fun Facts about Tigers with you.
How many of these do you know?
- There are 9 subspecies of tiger. Unfortunately, 3 of them are extinct.
- The Bengal tiger is the most recognizable tiger in the world. The recessive gene that causes the white Bengal tiger does not happen in the wild.
- Unlike the cat you might have at home, Tigers like water. They are good swimmers too!
- The tiger’s stripes go all the way down to their skin (little Percy, our striped house cat only has stripes on his fur – but we are not going to shave off his fur to find out!)
- Tigers are the National Animal of India
- Tigers are the largest cat species in the world
- 2022 will be the Year of the Tiger!
- There are estimated to be only about 3,890 tigers in the world today according to Animal Planet.
I created this Tiger Paper Plate craft with my niece in mind. She is currently fascinated with them! Grab it to help you celebrate International Tiger Day.
SECOND TUESDAY IN JULY – COW APPRECIATION DAY
This holiday started in 2004 by the Chicken Chain, Ckick – Fil- A. If you are not familiar with this fast food restaurant, their marketing revolves around cows who humorously tell us to: “Eat Mor Chikin”.
Read more about Cow Appreciation Day in THIS POST: Cow Appreciation Day
You can create your own adorable Cow in honor of Cow Appreciation Day, or in conjunction with any Cow-themed Literature. Our Cow Paper Plate Craft comes with Color options in both Brown or Black and White as well as Color your Own Templates!
More Holiday Activities for July
These products use each of the Holiday of the Days for Julyl
COPYWORK
In each set of July copywork you get 31 topics, in 2 font styles. The first is with guides (arrows) and the second font is a simple version of the font. The trace over copywork contains simple sentences, Manuscript and Cursive sentences are longer and more advanced, but similar so family discussions or use as Memory Verse is still possible!
July LEGO CHALLENGE
Lego Challenge Cards are great for everyday use or even on days your kids can’t go outside because of the weather (Rain, Snow, Wind, Heat). They make excellent party games or Fun Friday activities.
There are 31 building challenges for July based on the holiday of the day.
July Holiday of the Day Poke Art Pictures
10 Exciting Holidays are highlighted in the POKE ART PACK
You get both the Color and Black & White patterns for:
- US Postage Stamp Day – July 1
- Alice in Wonderland Day – July 4
- Independence Day – July 4 (1 design…want a whole set? COMING SOON)
- Video Game Day – July 9
- Teddy Bear Picnic Day – July 10
- I Love Horses Day – July 15
- World Emoji Day – July 17
- International Moon Day – July 20
- Amelia Earheart Day – July 24
- International Tiger Day – July 29
July Writing Activities
If you are looking for more June Fun I have just the thing! My friend Suzanne over at Teacher Writer has curated a fantastic set of writing prompts and activities for July surrounding the National Holidays!
BEE sure to check out the Teacher Writer blog post with tips for implementing these July Writing Prompts for the Dog Days of Summer. Your busy bees will find them especially engaging as they come with videos to help introduce the topic!
Some of the July writing prompts:
- National Delaware Day. (Learn about the great state of Delaware.)
- National Watermelon Day. (Learn how they grow and some fun trivia about them.)
- National Clerihew Day. (It’s a fun form of poetry and the students can write them, too.)
- Malala Yousafzai’s Birthday. (Learn about Malala’s life and how she fights for human rights.)
- Women’s Dive Day. (Watch a scientist talk about her job in ocean conservation.)
Thanks for checking out the many holidays for July!
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Content on Happy Hive Homeschooling is shared for educational and inspirational purposes. There’s no wrong way to homeschool. Please use your own judgment and provide appropriate supervision when adapting ideas for your family or classroom.