Free Printable Year 2 Calendars, Dates and Days Between Events Worksheets

About This Year 2 Maths Topic

In this unit, children identify dates and determine the number of days between events using calendars.

Children learn to use the structure of a calendar to:

• locate a specific date;
• identify the day of the week for a date;
• find dates before or after another date;
• recognise that one week contains 7 days;
• find a date 2 weeks before or after a given date;
• count the number of days between events;
• record birthdays, school activities and community events;
• calculate days remaining in a month or year;
• locate school, national, cultural and religious events.

Calendar activities help children connect number, addition, patterns, days, weeks and months with real events in their everyday lives.

These activities support Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 content descriptor AC9M2M03 and its associated elaborations.

The Big Idea for Parents

Important calendar relationships include:

• 1 week contains 7 days;
• 2 weeks contain 14 days;
• the days of the week repeat in the same order;
• moving down one row on a monthly calendar usually adds 7 days;
• moving up one row usually subtracts 7 days;
• months contain different numbers of days;
• events may occur within one month or across several months.

Children should use an accurate calendar for the selected year, as the day of the week for a date changes from year to year.

Learning Intentions

Children will learn to:

• recognise the main features of a calendar;
• name the days of the week in order;
• name the months of the year in order;
• locate a specific date on a monthly calendar;
• identify the day of the week for a given date;
• move forwards and backwards on a calendar;
• find a date one week before or after;
• find a date two weeks before or after;
• count days between events;
• decide whether to include or exclude the starting day;
• create and update a class or family calendar;
• record important events using dates and labels;
• count days remaining in a month;
• add days across several months;
• locate school, national, cultural and religious events;
• explain calendar calculations clearly.

Student Success Criteria

Key Vocabulary

Teacher Guide for Parents

Teachers build calendar understanding by connecting dates with familiar events and using real monthly and yearly calendars.

At home, follow this sequence: locate the month, find the date, identify the day, move forwards or backwards, count and explain.

1. Identify the Main Parts of a Calendar

Begin with a monthly calendar and identify:

• the name of the month;
• the year;
• the days of the week;
• the numbered dates;
• rows representing weeks;
• columns representing the same day of the week.

2. Review the Days of the Week

Practise saying the days in order:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Ask children to identify:

• the day before a given day;
• the day after a given day;
• weekdays;
• weekend days.

3. Review the Months of the Year

Practise saying the months in order:

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.

Ask:

• Which month comes before July?
• Which month comes after September?
• What is the first month of the year?
• What is the final month of the year?

4. Locate a Specific Date

Ask your child to locate a date such as 18 March.

1. Find the correct month.
2. Scan the numbered dates.
3. Locate 18.
4. Trace upwards to identify the day of the week.

Encourage children to state the complete result:

“The event is on Tuesday 18 March.”

5. Identify the Day for a Given Date

Once the date has been located, follow its calendar column to the weekday heading.

Ask:

• What day of the week is this date?
• Is it a weekday or weekend?
• What day comes immediately before it?
• What day comes immediately after it?

6. Move One Day Forwards

To find the next date, move one square forwards.

Children should recognise that the date number increases by one.

At the end of a row, continue at the beginning of the next row.

At the end of a month, continue to the first date of the next month.

7. Move One Day Backwards

To find the previous date, move one square backwards.

The date number decreases by one unless the movement crosses into the previous month.

Use a two-month calendar when practising dates that cross a month boundary.

8. Find One Week Before or After

One week contains 7 days.

On most monthly calendars:

• move down one row to find one week later;
• move up one row to find one week earlier.

The weekday remains the same.

For example, if an event is on a Wednesday, one week later will also be a Wednesday.

9. Find Two Weeks Before or After

Two weeks contain 14 days.

Children can:

• move two calendar rows;
• count forwards or backwards by 14 days;
• add or subtract 14 from the date when the month structure allows;
• continue into the next or previous month when necessary.

10. Count Days Between Events

Mark the starting event and ending event on the calendar.

Move one day at a time and count each move.

For example, from Monday to Friday:

• Monday to Tuesday: 1 day;
• Tuesday to Wednesday: 2 days;
• Wednesday to Thursday: 3 days;
• Thursday to Friday: 4 days.

There are 4 days between Monday and Friday when counting elapsed days from the starting point.

11. Decide Whether to Include the Starting Day

Calendar questions may use different counting conventions.

Ask whether the problem is asking:

• how many days pass after the starting date;
• how many calendar dates are included;
• how many sleeps remain;
• how many school days occur;
• how many total days include both the start and end dates.

Children should explain what they counted rather than relying on an unexplained number.

12. Count Across a Week Boundary

Use a pointer, counter or pencil mark to move through the end of one calendar row and into the next.

Children should continue the weekday sequence without restarting the count.

13. Count Across a Month Boundary

Place two consecutive monthly calendars beside each other.

Begin at the starting date, count the remaining days in the first month and continue into the next month.

Record the calculation in parts.

For example:

• 4 days remaining in the first month;
• 6 days in the next month;
• 4 + 6 = 10 days altogether.

14. Create a Class or Family Calendar

Begin with a blank monthly calendar.

Add:

• birthdays;
• school assemblies;
• sports days;
• excursions;
• library days;
• appointments;
• family events;
• holidays.

Use short, clear labels so the calendar remains easy to read.

15. Use Symbols and a Calendar Key

Children can use symbols or colours to represent different event types.

For example:

• a star for birthdays;
• a book for library day;
• a ball for sporting events;
• a bus for excursions.

Add a simple key explaining each symbol.

16. Ask Questions About the Class Calendar

Use the completed calendar to ask:

• Which event happens first?
• Which event happens last?
• How many birthdays occur this month?
• How many days are there between the assembly and excursion?
• What day of the week is the sports carnival?
• Which events occur in the same week?

17. Count Days Remaining in a Month

Locate today’s date and identify the final date in the month.

Count the days after today to the end of the month.

Decide whether the current day is included and state the counting rule clearly.

18. Recognise Different Month Lengths

Children should notice that months do not all contain the same number of days.

Use a yearly calendar to identify:

• months with 30 days;
• months with 31 days;
• February, which has 28 days in a common year;
• February, which has 29 days in a leap year.

Use the actual calendar year shown rather than relying only on memorised rules.

19. Calculate Days Remaining in the Year

Break the problem into smaller parts.

1. Count the days remaining in the current month.
2. Record the number of days in each remaining full month.
3. Add all the amounts.
4. Check whether the current day has been included.

A table can help organise the information.

20. Use Addition to Model Calendar Problems

Calendar calculations can be represented using addition.

For example:

days remaining in the current month + days in the next month + days in later months

Children should write the separate parts before finding the total.

21. Locate School Events

Use the school calendar to locate:

• the first day of term;
• the final day of term;
• school holidays;
• sports days;
• assemblies;
• excursions;
• school celebrations.

School dates differ between states, territories and schools, so use the calendar supplied by the child’s school.

22. Locate National and Community Events

Use a current calendar to locate events such as ANZAC Day and other national or community occasions.

Ask children to identify:

• the date;
• the day of the week;
• the month;
• the number of days until the event;
• the date one or two weeks before the event.

23. Locate Cultural and Religious Events

Calendars may include cultural and religious events such as Easter, Diwali or Ramadan.

Some event dates vary from year to year, and some observances may extend over several days or weeks.

Use an accurate calendar and respectful, trusted information when discussing the event.

24. Compare Events on a Calendar

Ask children to compare two events.

• Which event occurs first?
• Which event occurs later?
• Are the events in the same week?
• Are they in the same month?
• How many days are between them?

25. Use Calendar Patterns

Calendars contain useful number patterns.

• Dates increase by 1 across each row.
• Dates increase by 7 down each column.
• The same weekday appears in the same column.
• Two weeks later is 14 days later.

Ask children to use these patterns rather than counting every square from the beginning.

26. Solve Missing-Date Problems

Cover several dates on a calendar and ask children to determine the missing numbers.

They can use:

• one more or one less across a row;
• seven more or seven less down a column;
• nearby known dates;
• the month’s starting weekday.

27. Check Calendar Answers

Encourage children to verify their answers by:

• counting again using a different direction;
• checking the weekday column;
• moving calendar rows for complete weeks;
• using addition or subtraction;
• checking month lengths;
• confirming the correct year is being used.

28. Record Complete Calendar Answers

A complete answer should usually include the day, date and month when these details are requested.

Instead of writing:

14

write:

“Two weeks after Monday 3 June is Monday 17 June.”

Recommended Teaching Sequence at Home

1. Identify the month and year.
2. Review the days of the week.
3. Locate specific numbered dates.
4. Identify the weekday for each date.
5. Move one day before and after.
6. Move one week before and after.
7. Move two weeks before and after.
8. Count days between events in one month.
9. Count days across two months.
10. Create a class or family events calendar.
11. Count days remaining in a month.
12. Add days across remaining months.
13. Locate school, national, cultural and religious events.
14. Explain and check calendar calculations.

Common Misconceptions and How Parents Can Help

Simple Home Calendar Activities

Questions Parents Can Ask

• What month and year are shown?
• What day of the week is this date?
• What date is today?
• What was yesterday’s date?
• What will tomorrow’s date be?
• What date is one week later?
• What date is one week earlier?
• What date is two weeks later?
• What date is two weeks earlier?
• How many days are between these events?
• Did you include the starting date?
• Did you include the ending date?
• Which event happens first?
• Which event happens later?
• Are the events in the same week?
• How many days remain in this month?
• How many days remain in the year?
• Which months still need to be included?
• How can the calendar pattern help?
• How can you check your answer?

Mathematical Sentence Starters

Supporting Different Learners at Home

Children Who Need More Support

• use one monthly calendar at a time;
• highlight today’s date;
• colour-code the weekday columns;
• use a counter to move one day at a time;
• begin with dates in the same calendar row;
• practise one week before introducing two weeks;
• use events familiar to the child;
• write the counting sequence beside the calendar;
• use consecutive monthly calendars for boundary questions;
• allow oral explanations before written responses.

Children Ready for Extension

• count days across several months;
• compare inclusive and exclusive counting methods;
• calculate days remaining in a term;
• solve missing-date calendar puzzles;
• create multi-step event-planning problems;
• compare calendars from two different years;
• investigate leap years using actual calendars;
• calculate the duration of a holiday period;
• create and analyse a yearly events calendar;
• design calendar questions for another learner.

Quick Parent Check

Use these questions with an accurate calendar to check whether your child understands the main ideas.

1. Locate a specific date and identify its weekday.
2. Find the date one week after a selected date.
3. Find the date two weeks before a selected date.
4. Count the number of days between two events.
5. Explain whether the starting date was included.
6. Record a birthday or school event on a calendar.
7. Identify the event that occurs first.
8. Count the days remaining in the current month.
9. Explain how to calculate the days left in the year.
10. Locate one school, national, cultural or religious event.

A child shows secure understanding when they can locate dates, move accurately through weeks and months, count days between events and explain their calendar calculations.

Quick Exit Ticket

1. Find the date 2 weeks after a given date.
2. Count the days between two marked events.
3. Identify one important event on the calendar.

Printable Teacher, Parent and Student Resources

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Home Learning Summary

Calendar understanding develops when children use real dates and familiar events to move forwards and backwards through days, weeks and months.

Use this simple routine:

1. identify the correct month and year;
2. locate the starting date;
3. identify its weekday;
4. move forwards or backwards carefully;
5. count complete weeks when possible;
6. continue across month boundaries;
7. record the complete date;
8. explain and check the result.

Related Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 Maths Topics

Children who need additional support can revisit these earlier days, routines, time, number and addition topics.