The Rolling Calendar was developed in an early childhood classroom by educator Susan Mock, who has a Masters in Early Childhood Education, an American Montessori Society Diploma (Primary) and thirty years of teaching in early childhood classrooms.

This scrolling calendar was invented to meet the needs of children ages 3 to 8 for a developmentally appropriate way to keep track of the passage of time.

• Shows time as a continuum. The roll of paper moves from the present to the past; the future is always blank.
• Demonstrates that time is recordable in a sequential way.
• Reinforces the concept that time passes in equal successive intervals.
• Presents the pattern of the days of the week repeated week after week.
• Strengthens the children's awareness of the duration of 24 hours (when done at same time each day).
• Serves as an aid to memory retrieval.

How It Works

A roll of four inch paper is scrolled between two vertical spindles on a hardwood base (about three feet in length). It is designed so that the spindles turn easily and the paper between them stays flat; this can be divided into seven squares, using a marker with the sliding guide and the preset marks.

Each day, a child removes the calendar from the secure wall bracket and writes in the name of the day at the top, the date at the bottom and in between any special events, weather or memorable happenings. At the end of each week, the paper is rolled onto the "past" spindle, exposing fresh paper from the "future" spindle.

At the end of a year, the calendar can be unrolled for an individual or classroom diary. This makes a fascinating time line when displayed on walls. A roll of paper lasts for fourteen months when marked weekly as shown.

Rolling Calendar Ideas

• To record stories.
• To record temperatures using a graph format.
• As time line for units of study.
• As a record of thematic activities throughout the year.