Resources for July Observances
Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them.
Here is a list of resources for July observances:
Month-Long Observances
National Parks and Recreation Month
City of Pittsburgh Department of Parks & Recreation, CitiParks
Summer Program Guide, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Top Green Spaces and Public Parks in Pittsburgh, Visit Pittsburgh
Rocking and Rolling. Fresh Air, Fun, and Exploration: Why Outdoor Play Is Essential for Healthy Development, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature, Child Mind Institute
Free Worksheet: Thank a Park Ranger Card, Education.com
Become a Junior Ranger, National Park Service
Five Fun Activities for Teaching Kids About Conservation, National Recreation and Park Association
Allegheny County Shares Summer Safety Guidance, Trying Together
National Make a Difference to Children Month
5 Pittsburgh Organizations supporting Our Most Vulnerable Children–and Inspiring Us to Help, Kidsburgh
Most Popular Pittsburgh Children & Youth Nonprofits and Charities, Great Nonprofits
Positive Parenting, National Institute of Health
The Power of Positive Parenting, UC Davis Health
8 Ways to Strengthen a Parent-Child Relationship, Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin
Bonding with Stepchildren: 7 Tips for Building a Strong Relationship, Care.com
Three Principles to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families, Harvard University Center on the Developing Child
Strategies to Support Black Students, Teachers, and Communities in Schools, Education Northwest
12 Powerful Statistics That Prove Why Teachers Matter, We Are Teachers
Family Engagement, Office of Head Start and Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
Raise Child Care, Start Strong PA
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Prioritizing Minority Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
BIPOC Mental Health, Mental Health America
Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations, American Psychiatric Association
Contextualizing BIPOC Youth Mental Health, National Black Women’s Justice Institute
Mental Illness Doesn’t Discriminate, so Why Do BIPOC Communities Have Difficulty Accessing Care?, Jefferson Center for Mental Health
Erasing Mental Health Stigma in the Black Community, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
BIPOC/AAPI Mental Health Resources, NAMI New Hampshire
Where to Find Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents in Pittsburgh, The University of Pittsburgh: Youth and Family Research Program
Anti-Racism Resources for Families, Trying Together
Multilingual Trauma Resources, The Child Mind Institute
Days of Recognition
July 4 is Independence Day
Ways to Celebrate Independence Day in Pittsburgh in 2023, VisitPittsburgh
23 Crafts and Activities for Independence Day, WeAreTeachers
The History of Independence Day, History Channel
A Nation's Story: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC)
The Fourth of July is a Black American Holiday, The Washington Post
19 Children's Books to Inspire Courage and Activism, HarperCollins Publishers
July 14 is International Non-Binary People’s Day
Gender Identity Development in Early Childhood, Trying Together
Resource List: LGBTQ+ Organizations, Trying Together
A Guide to Gender Identity Terms, NPR & WESA
Understanding Nonbinary People: How to Be Respectful and Supportive, National Center for Transgender Equality
10 Ways to Step Up as an Ally to Non-Binary People, Stonewall
20 Picture Books to Help You Raise Kind, Tolerant Kids, Today
Early Childhood Book List: Learning About Gender Diversity, Social Justice Books
July 24 is National Parents’ Day
Caring for the Caregiver, Trying Together
Positive Parenting Tips, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series, Trying Together
Outside Gender Norms: Father’s Day and Mother’s Day Aren’t Easy First for LGBTQ Families, The Standard-Times
Parenting Resources for Foster Parents, Child Welfare Information Gateway
Being a Step-Parent and Raising Your Partner’s Child, Raising Children
Resources to Share with Expectant Families, Office of Head Start
Find Child Care, ELRC Region 5
July 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day
Drowning Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Drowning Prevention & Facts, American Red Cross
Water Safety at Home, Safe Kids Worldwide
Water Safety Tips for Families, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Toddler Water Safety: 14 Ways to Keep Safer, Stop Drowning Now
Water Safety for Your Special Needs Child, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Resources: Learn to Swim, Allegheny County
4 Places To Get FREE Summer Swim Lessons For Kids In The 'Burgh, Macaroni Kid
How to Perform Child and Baby CPR, American Red Cross
Trying Together and ELRC Region 5 Partnering to Offer First Aid & CPR Training, ELRC Region 5
July 26 is National Disability Independence Day
Guide to Disability Rights Laws, U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division
Ideas for Celebrating the ADA, ADAAnniversary.org
Disability and Autism Supports, Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Disability Resources in the Community, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
16 Shelf-Worthy Children’s Books About Disabilities for All Students, WeAreTeachers
Representation Matters: Kids Books That Embrace Disability and Difference, New York Public Library
Service Dogs 101—Everything You Need to Know, American Kennel Club
Assistive Devices for Children: Walking and Mobility, KidsHealth