We all have calendars on our phones and computers. Do you use them? Or do you prefer paper calendars? Or perhaps you are like me and want both. When Hazel was younger, we had a "family" calendar hanging in a common room so we could keep track of everyone's appointments, meetings and Hazel's classes. This allowed us to figure out care and rides for Hazel. I had fun with that calendar, and some years even did photo calendars with pictures of Hazel from the past year or photos from a big trip like Hazel's first trip to Disney World. Other times I just picked a special calendar that I liked the pictures, messages and had big enough squares for us to write the appointments on. Now I use my phone calendar to keep track of my appointments and meetings as well as Hazel's appointments. We still hang a calendar in the same spot but don't write on it as much! Steve actually hangs a calendar in just about every room in our house. He takes all the ones companies send us and place them around just in case we wonder the date or perhaps to decorate the room. To be honest I hardly ever see the one hanging on the back of my bedroom door. However, I have found as a teacher and a blogger I need different types of calendars for different reasons. When Workman Calendars asked me to review some, I was very excited! They have different types as well as so many different themes! There is truly something for everyone! My uses for these calendars vary from at home and at school. I will review them by type starting with wall calendars.
I picked out two wall calendars. One for my sewing room/blog and the other for my classroom. I always have a calendar hanging by my desk so I can check dates as well as write in staff meetings, open houses, plays, etc. I also keep one in my sewing room where I write down dates for specific book reviews or posts. For example, when I hosted Read Your World (formerly Multicultural Children's Book Day) I would write down when the link party would be posted. Either way I want a calendar where I love the pictures as I am looking at them every day and that have good squares to write my plans on. I looked at the available wall calendars and picked out two that I loved. (I didn't see Giraffe Manor as an option, or I would have definitely gotten it. I love giraffes!) I picked my other passion, birds and found a cute sloth one. The first one is Audubon Birds in the Garden Wall Calendar 2026: Use Native Plants to Attract Birds and Pollinators to Your Backyard. The small photos on the back of wall calendars make great photos for dollhouses too!!
About the Calendar:
- FAMILIAR FRIENDS: Celebrate the birds you know and love with beautiful close-up photos of a variety of birds in their natural habitats.
- GARDEN JOY: Full of detailed information and advice for cultivating native plants and attracting pollinators to your garden, this calendar will help you create a space full of delight for you and the birds.
- GORGEOUS GIFT: The birders and gardeners in your life will adore this year-long ode to native plants and the birds who love them.
- NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Workman wall calendars are completely plastic-free! Now printed with an extended paper flap closed with a fully recyclable seal—no more shrink-wrap!
From Me:
As you can see from the back of the calendar (above) there are twelve beautiful photographs of birds. However, when you open the seal on the calendar, there is so much more inside. On the inside cover is information about the National Audubon Society and how to join and/or get involved with protecting birds and just watching them. Then there are four small month calendars for September through December 2025. After this introduction the monthly calendar begins with its big picture, the monthly grid and information about birds, gardening, mindfulness and so much more. The words to the side explain different things about the bird in the photograph as well as connections between humans and birds, plants and birds and ways for people to help birds in different times of the year. There is also a quote about birds as well as a smaller photograph of a garden creature--bird, butterfly, plant, and more!
The various holidays around the world are marked on the days. It has most religious holidays as well as national holidays in the United States, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and others. Then there are things like the Great Backyard Bird Count start date and Rachel Carson's birthday labeled. It also has historical dates marked like when various Acts in the United States got signed into law. For example, on July 3, 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was signed. I love the spacious grid to record what needs to be recorded and love the colorful and beautiful photography in this calendar! Plus, it is full of fun little facts and information! It is a perfect gift for the bird watchers and bird lovers in your life! I could see gardeners also enjoying it!
The other wall calendar is The Original Sloths 2026 Calendar: The Ultimate Experts at Slowing Down by Lucy Cooke. I picked this one out of sheer cuteness!!I haven't decided which I will use in my classroom but was thinking the kids might like this one more!
About the Calendar:
- CANDID CUTENESS: Sloths captured in all their chill charm, hanging in trees, lounging in hammocks and baskets, and cozying up in snuggly little piles. Plus sloth stories and fun facts!
- EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHER: From British filmmaker and sloth expert Lucy Cooke, the founder of the Sloth Appreciation Society.
- GREAT GIFT: This bestselling calendar is perfect for the sloth lover in your life or anyone who might need a reminder to take it slow throughout the year.
- NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Workman wall calendars are completely plastic-free! Now printed with an extended paper flap closed with a fully recyclable seal—no more shrink-wrap!
From Me:
When you open the flap on this calendar you are greeted with information about the sloths photographed for the calendar. They are not pets! Some are wild and others are rescued babies in sanctuaries in Costa Rica. It also gives reason why they should not be pets and gives information about the organizations that rescue and support sloths so you can get more information. Then again are the small four months of 2025 before the regular pages begin.
Each month features a photograph of sloths. The sloths in the large photograph are from one of the sanctuaries and are named. There is a paragraph about the photographed sloth(s) as well as information about sloths in general. It even shares where the word sloth comes from in December! The grid has all the holidays marked including religious and various national holidays from different countries. Unlike the Audubon Birds in the Garden Calendar, it does not have the special wildlife information marked. This calendar is perfect for all the sloth lovers in your life. I know there are quite a few sloth lovers around!
The other type of calendar I like are the Page-A-Day Calendars. I love that there are so many ones that get your brain working and that can be used in class! From trivia to photographs and puzzles there is something here for everyone. This year I picked three of them. Two I think I will use in my math classroom and the other I may keep at home to help keep my brain active. I also considered 365 Days of American Trivia one to read a question to my advisory (like homeroom) each day. Instead I went with Origami Page-A-Day 2026 Calendar by Margaret Van Sicklen.
About the Calendar:
- COMPLETE ORIGAMI KIT: Discover a new model every day with beautifully patterned, full-color pages that double as folding paper. Use the downloadable Origami Key to learn basic folds, symbols, and other fundamentals. Build up your skills throughout the year!
- FUN FOLDS: Projects include a blooming tulip, an otter holding her pup, a Pteranodon, a snail made out of a dollar bill, a frog that jumps, and hundreds more, all collected by origami master Margaret Van Sicklen.
- NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Page-A-Day® Calendars are environmentally friendly! Printed on responsibly sourced paper and 100% recyclable, with sturdy cardboard backers.
From Me:
About the Calendar:
- THE BEST SUDOKU: Every puzzle in this calendar is created by Nikoli, the best Sudoku makers in the world—not a computer—to balance toughness and solvability and keep you hooked.
- TRAIN YOUR BRAIN: The week begins with the easiest puzzles and the difficulty increases day by day. Just in case you need them, solutions are printed on the back of the pages.
- NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Page-A-Day® Calendars are environmentally friendly! Printed on responsibly sourced paper and 100% recyclable, with sturdy cardboard backers.
From Me:
If the students don't do the puzzles or it is when we are off, I often give the pages to Steven. He likes the challenge but doesn't have time to do it every day. He is still working on some of the pages from 2024. I like that the puzzles are different levels and tend to challenge more than the electronic ones because you cannot check if you are right as easily. The puzzles themselves work on your visual skills as well as logic skills. It also improves memory and focus which many students these days need to improve because of growing up in the fast-moving electronic era. The puzzles can also over a bit of a brain break from the learning that goes on in school. Although they are using their brains and thinking it stops them from focusing on the front of the room or a lecture or possibly a problem they are struggling with. Sometimes this break is what they need to refocus on the given work. The calendar has a puzzle for each day but weekends are on the same page!
These puzzles however are not just for students! I know I love solving them as does Steve. I love that this calendar also has a place to record the time you spent on the puzzle. Of course, that is assuming you are timing yourself and probably working on it straight through. This calendar is great for any puzzle lover, teacher and more!
Our final Page-A-Day Calendar is Brainpower Puzzles Page-A-Day 2026 Calendar: A Year of Games to Sharpen Your Mental Fitness by Dr. Gareth Moore. I may keep this one at home to sharpen my own mental fitness. I haven't decided.
About the Calendar:
- PUZZLES TO KEEP YOUR BRAIN SHARP: Keep your new year’s resolution to keep your brain fit with a brand-new calendar that’s jam-packed with puzzles designed to strengthen concentration, short-term memory, attention to detail, and processing speed.
- ENTERTAINING TRAINING: Enjoy a variety of fun logic puzzles, number and word games, visual brainteasers, and more, including Pattern Recall, number game Futoshiki, and Change a Letter. Each day’s puzzle specifies the brain function it works out, so you’ll know why you’re playing.
- NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Page-A-Day® Calendars are environmentally friendly! Printed on responsibly sourced paper and 100% recyclable, with sturdy cardboard backers.
From Me:
As a woman in her fifties with a father with Alzheimer's disease, I feel it is important to keep my mind fit. I think this calendar will help to do just this as long as I do the puzzles each day. Each page has a puzzle, and it tells you what brain functions the puzzle helps. Like the other Page-A-Day calendars this one has one page for the weekends.
The solution to each puzzle is on back of the page. Therefore, it is easy to check your work. I love the idea and can't wait to see how I find the puzzles. I am guessing some will be easier for me than others. How do you challenge your brain? These puzzles will work great for me! I think this is a fun calendar idea that will work in my classroom or at home. I know some of the puzzles will be fun for my students to try as well.
So how do you like to use paper calendars? Do you use them for the date, decor, or challenges? So many uses and so many options. Check them out and get a head start on your holiday shopping! Calendars make perfect gifts, and the mini wall or Page-A-Day ones are good stocking stuffers!!
