Making your own calendar is a fun craft project for kids and adults alike. Your calendar can be as simple or professional-looking as you want, made with plain paper and glue, or with online templates and computer programs. Calendars can be special personal gifts for your parents, teachers, and friends, whether for Christmas or throughout the year. Use one of the following methods to start creating your own calendar today!
Step
Method 1 of 4: Creating a Monthly Calendar
Step 1. Take a sheet of A4 size white or colored cardboard
Cardboard is stronger than paper and will make your calendar more durable.
Step 2. Use a ruler to draw seven vertical columns and five horizontal rows
Do this on twelve separate pieces of cardboard, one for each month.
- Make sure all rows and columns are evenly spaced and that there are no crooked lines.
- Use a pencil first, then you can overwrite the pencil with a permanent marker once you're sure that all the lines are straight and evenly spaced.
Step 3. Write down the names of the months
At the top of each piece of cardboard, write the name of one of the twelve months of the year. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December. Write in large letters with colored pens, pencils or markers.
Make sure the month is spelled correctly and starts with a capital letter
Step 4. Write down the names of the days of the week
At the top of each vertical column, fill in the names of the days of the week, Monday to Sunday.
Step 5. Fill in the date
Fill in the date of each month, write the number at the top right of each box. Use last year's calendar to find the beginning of the day of the year. For example, if the last day of December is Wednesday, then the first day of January is Thursday.
- Make sure you write down the exact number of days for each month, as different months have different numbers of days.
- To remember how many days are in each month, use this rhyme: Thirty days in September, April, June and November. The remaining thirty-one days, except for February, which has twenty-eight days, and twenty-nine days in every leap year.
Step 6. Decorate your calendar
Decorate each page of your calendar any way you like. Use colored pens, pencils, markers and crayons. Use stickers, beads, and glossy glue. Use your imagination!
Step 7. Mark important dates
Mark all important dates of the year on your calendar. Days like your birthday, Christmas, first day of school, etc. An interesting way to do this is to cut out the images relating to each special day and paste them on the exact date.
- For example, if your sister's birthday is May 6, cut out a photo of her face and paste it on that date.
- Use a Christmas tree to mark December 25, a cartoon witch or ghost for Halloween and a fluffy bunny to mark Easter.
Step 8. Hang up your calendar
Make two holes on each sheet of cardboard, making sure all the holes are aligned. Take a long piece of string, yarn or wool and tie each end through the pair of holes as a hanger for your calendar.
- Hang the calendar on hooks or nails in your room, kitchen, classroom, or anywhere you like!
- Don't forget to put an "X" on each day that goes by!
Method 2 of 4: Creating a Daily Calendar
Step 1. Cut a square of paper with a size of 10 cm x 10 cm
You'll need 365 pieces of paper, so try cutting several sheets at the same time to speed up the process. It will be very helpful if you have a paper cutter! If not, cut a piece of cardboard following this size and use it as a guide. Place them on top of several sheets of paper and cut them with scissors.
Step 2. Make two holes at the top of each page to hang the calendar
Do it for several pages at a time. Every time you punch a new pile of paper, remember to use one sheet that you punched earlier to make sure all the holes are aligned. If the holes aren't in the exact same place, your calendar will look sloppy.
Step 3. Bind all calendar pages together
Thread two pieces of wire or rope through the holes on each side of the square. Tie the wire or thread in a strong knot that will hold the weight of the calendar once you hang it.
Step 4. Fill the paper with all the dates
Starting with January 1, write the date in the lower right corner of each page. Use a shiny marker to mark important dates. This will allow you to quickly flip through the calendar to find important dates. Remember to add an extra day February 29 in a leap year!
Step 5. Decorate your calendar
You can decorate the calendar using colored pens and markers or by adding cutouts or stickers to each page. Try looking at calendars sold in stores for inspiration. Remember that this calendar is yours to decorate as you wish, so use your imagination!
Method 3 of 4: Creating a Photo Calendar
Step 1. Use a website that offers a custom photo calendar
There are many sites on the internet that offer blank calendar templates where you can upload your own personal photos. All you have to do is choose a calendar template (there are plenty of options), upload the photos of your choosing, and assign each photo to a specific month. This is a great choice if you want a personal calendar that looks professional and is done to perfection.
- Some sites give you the option of printing each calendar page and putting it together yourself, while others will have it professionally printed, assembled and delivered right to your door.
- When you print yourself, some sites will charge a small fee for using their templates, while others offer free templates. When you order a photo calendar to be printed and delivered by a company, you can spend between 150 thousand to 300 thousand rupiah.
- Sites like Shutterfly, Snapfish and Lulu offer a wide variety of options.
Step 2. Create a simple photo calendar with calendar snippets
You can make simple arts and crafts using a regular calendar, which is a small annual calendar that you can buy at most stores or online. To create this calendar:
- Take a piece of colored cardboard, hold it vertically, and paste your chosen photo on top using glue.
- Then stick the calendar pieces on the bottom, also using glue.
- Then you can decorate the empty space on the cardboard with pictures, beads, feathers, glitter, etc.
- This is an easy craft project for younger children to do.
Method 4 of 4: Other Calendar Types
Step 1. Make a fabric calendar
Fabric calendars are a great choice for people skilled with sewing machines. You can make them as small or as large as you like, and use hand stitches to create delicate motifs and embroidery. The end result will be a beautiful wall hanging that you can admire all year round!
Step 2. Create a diary calendar
The diary calendar has two functions in that you can use it to mark important upcoming events, as well as to remind you of happy times that have passed. Use each page to separate the dates and paste photos, concert and movie tickets, candy wrappers, strands of hair, and anything else you want to remember!
Step 3. Create a Roman calendar
This project allows you to turn a regular calendar into a Romanesque calendar, marking every Roman celebration and festival. Great project for history fanatics!
Step 4. Create a fictional calendar
Creating a fictional calendar is a fun project, as you can choose names for the days and months as you wish. You can also decide that there should be 14 days in one month, and 52 days in the following month, and that there should be 17 months in a year! Be as imaginative as you want to be!
Step 5. Create a calendar using Microsoft Excel
If you have Microsoft Excel installed on your computer, you can use it to create a neat and organized calendar that you can print at home. Microsoft provides many free templates that you can use to get started.
Step 6. Create a calendar using PowerPoint
PowerPoint is a great computer program, usually used to create slideshows. But it can also be used to create printable calendars, where you can add your own photos and mark special dates.
Step 7. Create an advent calendar
The Advent calendar is a fun Christmas tradition that kids and adults everywhere enjoy. Every day in December a panel opens, revealing a small surprise within. You can easily create your own calendar, hide chocolates or love messages behind each panel. The advent calendar is a special Christmas craft project for children.
Tips
- Make sure to mark as many important dates as you can on your calendar, that's what it does! Think about birthdays, holiday dates, doctor and dentist appointments, etc.
- Don't forget the holidays.
- You can also add birthdays of famous people like One Direction, Ariana Grande, Leonardo DiCaprio, etc.
