National Crayon Day

 Events
Mar 312026
 

National Crayon Day is today! The concept of crayons, using beeswax, has been around for thousands of years. Today’s crayons are made by melting paraffin wax and adding pigment. Although at one time around 300 companies produced crayons, only a few companies remain. Now Crayola is the biggest producer of crayons. So what can children do today? They could make a poster (using crayons) celebrating National Crayon Day. They could advocate for a new crayon color. You could gently melt old crayons and make crayon blocks that produce multihued effects.

Is there anything better than a new box of crayons?

Virgin Islands Celebrate Transfer Day

 Events
Mar 312026
 

Flag of Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands celebrate Transfer Day. The United States bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million. Located in the Caribbean Sea, the islands are about twice the size of Washington, DC. Many of the 100,000 inhabitants depend on tourism for income. Charlotte Amalie is the capital. Children could learn more at: Virgin Islands.

Birthdays

 Birthdays
Mar 312026
 

Robert Wilhelm Bunsen (born Gottingen, Germany, 1811; died Heidelberg, Germany, August 16, 1899) was a professor of chemistry. He found an antidote to arsenic poisoning, and he discovered how geysers operate. He invented the Bunsen burner. However, he never applied for patents for any of his discoveries. Children can learn more at: Robert Bunsen.

Harvesting Hope: A biography of Cesar Chavez, a Pura Belpre Medal Book

Cesar Estrada Chavez (born Yuma, Arizona, 1927; died San Luis, Arizona, April 23, 1993) was a leader of the migrant workers. He founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962 to improve migrant workers’ working and living conditions. Children could read Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. Morales received a 2004 Pura Belpré Illustration Honor Award. Children could also visit: Cesar Chavez.

Rene Descartes (born La Haye, Touraine, France, 1596; died Stockholm, Sweden, February 11, 1650) was a mathematician and a philosopher. He is famous for saying, “I think, therefore I am.” Idea: Children could read about his philosophies. Do they agree with him?

Albert Gore (born Washington, DC, 1948) was the forty-fifth vice president of the United States. After he lost to George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential race, he turned his attention to the environment. He received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize (with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) for his concern over global warming. Children could learn more at: Al Gore.

Franz Josef Haydn (born Rohrau, Austria-Hungary, 1732; died Vienna, Austria, May 31, 1809) was a composer. He composed over one hundred symphonies, twelve operas, and hundreds of other pieces of music.

Steve Jenkins (born Hickory, North Carolina, 1952; died Boulder, Colorado, December 26, 2021) wrote and/or illustrated at least 80 books for children. He co-authored some books with his wife, Robin Page. Their book What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? received a 2004 Caldecott Honor Award. Children can visit his website at: Steve Jenkins.

Beni Montresor (born Bussolengo, Italy, 1926; died Verona, Italy, October 11, 2001) was a film designer, artist, and children’s book illustrator. He illustrated at least twenty books. He received the 1965 Caldecott Medal for May I Bring a Friend?  Children can learn more at: Beni Montresor.

Passover Begins This Evening

 Events
Apr 012026
 

matzah

Passover begins at sundown tonight and ends at sundown on April 20. Passover (Pesach) celebrates the freedom of Jews from Egyptian slavery. During Passover, Jews cannot eat any leavened bread, but they can eat unleavened bread called matzah. Children could read the chapter about Passover from Celebrate! Stories of the Jewish Holidays, written by Gilda Berger and illustrated by Peter Catalanotto.

April Fool’s Day!

 Events
Apr 012026
 

April Fool’s Day is today! The custom of April Fool’s Day may have begun in France in the 1500’s. Before then, New Year’s started on March 25th and ended April 1st. People gave gifts on April 1st to mark the beginning of the new year. Then New Year was moved to January 1st, but some people still gave gifts on April 1st as jokes. The custom spread to Britain in the eighteenth century and then to other countries.

John Morton Died in 1777

 Events
Apr 012026
 

John Morton died in 1777. His date of birth is unknown. Active in politics, he was elected from Pennsylvania to serve in both the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress. He signed the Declaration of Independence, and he was part of the committee that wrote the Articles of Confederation. He was the first Declaration of Independence signer to die. Children could learn more at: John Morton.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Was Established in 1983

 Events
Apr 012026
 
San Antonio Missions

San Antonio Missions

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park was established in 1983. Five Spanish missions were created around 1690 to 1720 in what is now San Antonio, Texas. Today four of the missions are part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The sites include Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and Mission Espada. The fifth mission is the Alamo, administered by the Texas General Land Office. On July 5, 2015, the five missions became a UNESCO World Heritage site. Children can learn more at: http://www.nps.gov/saan/index.htm.

Birthdays

 Birthdays
Apr 012026
 

William Harvey (born Folkestone, Kent, England, 1578; died London, England, June 3, 1657) discovered how blood circulated in mammals. Prior to his work, many scientists believed the liver changed food to blood and the body consumed that blood. Through experiments and observations, he found that the heart acts like a pump and that blood moves through veins and arteries, forming a closed system of circulation.

Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai (born Ihithe Village, Kenya, 1940; died Niarobi, Kenya, September 25, 2011) started the Green Belt Movement in Kenya in the 1970’s. This group taught women how to plant trees. These trees then provided them with income. Often in conflict with Kenya’s government, she began to gain the world’s attention. In 2004 she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She was elected to Kenya’s Parliament and served as assistant minister to President Mwai Kibaki. Children coud read Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya, written by Donna Jo Napoli and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Anne McCaffrey (born Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1926; died Wicklow, Ireland, November 21, 2011) wrote science fiction books for children. She is perhaps best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series.

Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (born Semyonovo, Russia, 1873; died Beverly Hills, California, March 28, 1943) was a Russian composer, conductor and pianist. He composed at least 45 major works. He moved to the United States in order to escape the Bolshevik Revolution and eventually became an American citizen. Experts state his compositions reflect a romantic style influenced by his Russian heritage. Idea: Russians celebrate birthdays by making one-crust pies. Make a birthday pie. Eat pieces of the pie and listen to Rachmaninoff’s music.

Jagjivan Ram (born Chandwa, Bihar, India, 1908; died New Delhi, India, July 6, 1986) worked closely with Gandhi and Nehru to gain India’s independence from Great Britain. Ram, born into the “untouchable” caste, was one of the first “untouchables” to graduate from college. He labored to eliminate the caste system and served in various cabinet positions in the new Indian government.

Libby Riddles (born Madison, Wisconsin, 1956) in 1985 was the first woman to win the 1,135-mile Iditerod. Children can read about her activities at: Libby Riddles.

Jan Boyer Wahl (born Columbus, Ohio, 1933; died Toledo, Ohio, January 29, 2019) wrote over 120 books for children. His books include Jamie’s Tiger and Grandmother Told Me.

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