Days, Months & Dates in Primary French

Days, Months & Dates in Primary French

Looking for simple, engaging ways to teach days, months and dates in French in your primary or elementary classroom?

Learning this topic gives children daily, real-life opportunities to use French in meaningful contexts.

It connects perfectly with classroom routines, birthdays, the weather and cultural events — helping children see French as a language for everyday life, not just lessons.

But one of the biggest challenges teachers face is this:

👉 Where does this fit into progression, and how do I teach it step by step?

Read on for practical ideas, progression guidance and easy-to-use Primary French activities.

French Days, Months and Dates Progression in Primary School

Many teachers tell us that understanding progression in Primary French can feel unclear — especially when learners are starting at different stages.

At Lingobox, we build progression through our 20–12 framework: 20 lessons and 12 clear outcomes per stage, helping teachers know exactly what to teach and when to teach it.

Days, months and dates are revisited and developed over time, moving from songs and simple sequences to asking, saying and writing the full date confidently.

Here’s a quick overview of how children typically progress with this topic:

Stage	Age / Phase	French Days, Months and Dates Progression
Early Level / EYFS	Ages 4–6	Songs, chants, joining in with sequences of days and months
First Level / KS1	Ages 6–9	Saying the day and month, beginning to ask and answer simple questions
Second Level / KS2	Ages 9–12	Saying, asking and writing full dates confidently in French

👉 This progression is all mapped out for you inside Lingobox.

Get the Full French Days, Months and Dates Progression Guide

Download your free guide for a clearer overview of how to teach this topic across stages.

✔ Clear progression by age and stage

✔ Classroom-ready activity ideas
✔ Linked directly to your wider Primary French teaching programme

Best Ways to Teach Days, Months and Dates in Primary French

So what does this look like in practice? Here are our recommended step-by-step activities for teaching days, months and dates in Primary French.

1. Start with French Days and Months Songs, Sequences and Games

Primary French days months and dates activity — Primary French Days Months and Dates

Begin by helping children hear and internalise the rhythm and order of the days and months.

Use our Days of the Week and Months of the Year songs to teach the pattern through repetition, melody and actions. Children quickly start singing along — even beginners.

Our French days and months songs are two of our most popular on YouTube. Listen to the months song below:

2. Teach “What Day Is It?” and “What Month Is It?” in French

Teaching days and months in primary French — Primary French Days Months and Dates

Once pupils know the sequence, start asking simple questions such as:

On est quel jour ? — What day is it today?
On est en quel mois ? — What month are we in?

Our Lingobox year-on-year teaching programmes introduce this learning through a series of step-by-step lessons. Everything is supported by teacher-modelled audio and video, so you have everything you need to teach French confidently — regardless of your own knowledge of the language.

2b. Use French Days and Months in Daily Classroom Routines

French classroom calendar for days and months — Primary French Days Months and Dates

Link this language to your daily classroom routines, just as you would in English. For younger learners, pair the English and French together at first to build confidence.

🪄 Tip: Use a French visual classroom calendar like our Lingobox Daily Calendar so that children see and say the language every day.

3. Teach French Numbers 1–31 Before Introducing Dates

Primary French numbers 1 to 31 — Primary French Numbers 1 to 31

Before introducing dates, revisit or teach numbers 1–31 in French so children can say any date confidently.

Try number games such as:

Active Numbers Dance — we love learning numbers through movement, rhythm and music
Bingo / Lotto
Counting songs or movement games
Digital number games in your Lingobox

These activities also help children practise tricky numbers like vingt et un and trente et un.

4. Teach Children to Say the Date in French Orally

When children are secure with days, months and numbers, start forming full dates orally:

C’est le quinze mars.
Aujourd’hui, c’est le vingt-sept janvier.

Use call-and-response to model the structure, then add the date to your daily routine.

Encourage a different pupil each day to lead the date in French — it builds ownership, confidence and repetition over time.

5. Teach Children to Write the Date in French

Once pupils can say the date confidently, begin introducing writing the date in French in their jotters or digital notebooks.

Encourage classes to keep a French learning jotter where children:

Primary French months of the year game — Primary French Months of the Year Game

Write the date in French each lesson
Note new vocabulary
Record phrases or mini reflections on progress

This simple routine reinforces accuracy and creates a lovely record of progress over time.

6. Use Dates in French Writing, Postcards and Cross-Curricular Projects

Dates are perfect for creative writing and cross-curricular links.

Try using them in:

Letters or postcards (Cher ami, le 14 juillet…)
Birthday activities (Mon anniversaire est le…)
History or culture links, such as important French events or famous birthdays

These make excellent assessment opportunities because children are using language in context.

7. Revisit and Assess French Days, Months and Dates Across Primary Stages

Primary French days dates and months star tracker — Primary French Days Dates & Months Star Tracker

Days, months and dates in French make an excellent long-term target for Primary French learning.

By the end of P7 or KS2, learners should be able to confidently:

Say and understand the days of the week
Name and recognise the months of the year
Say and write today’s date in French
Talk about their birthday

These are clear, tangible goals that children can understand, achieve, share and feel proud of.

At Lingobox, we focus on long-term progression — building language gradually through regular repetition and meaningful use.

This philosophy underpins our Lingobox Star Trackers. These visual, child-friendly assessment tools help pupils celebrate progress: each time they master a new skill or phrase, they colour a star and see their language journey come to life.

The Lingobox Primary French Approach

Primary 2 KS1 French programme — Primary 2 KS1 French Programme

At Lingobox, we take the guesswork out of teaching Primary French with our:

Click & Teach approach
20 lessons and 12 clear outcomes per stage
Fully planned, progressive teaching programme

That means:

You always know what to teach
You know when to teach it
And you have everything ready to go — no planning required

Ready to Teach French Days, Months and Dates with Confidence?

👉 No planning. No stress. Just teach.

Get the complete Primary French teaching programme with:

Fully planned lessons
Songs, games and videos
Clear progression across every stage

👉 Start your Lingobox Free Trial

Start Your Free Lingobox Trial and Access the Full Primary French Programme

✔ Fully planned, progressive lessons (no prep required)
✔ 20 lessons + 12 clear outcomes per stage
✔ 50+ topic units covering the full curriculum
✔ 400+ songs, games and classroom-ready resources

Choose your free trial below and start teaching today! ✨

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Frequently Asked Questions About Teaching Days, Months and Dates in Primary French

How do you teach days, months and dates in Primary French?
Start with songs, chants and daily routines so children hear and repeat the language often. Then build up to asking simple questions, using numbers 1–31, saying the full date orally and finally writing it confidently in French.

When should children learn days, months and dates in French?
Children can begin learning days and months from Early Level / EYFS through songs and repetition. As they move through First Level / KS1 and into Second Level / KS2, they can begin asking, saying and writing full dates with increasing confidence.

Do I need to be fluent in French to teach this topic?
Not at all. Lingobox includes teacher-modelled audio, video and clear step-by-step guidance, so you can teach confidently even if you are new to French yourself.

How do you make learning French days and months fun?
Movement, music, games and daily classroom routines all help make this topic engaging. Children love learning through songs, active games, calendar activities and creative challenges linked to real life.

What is included in a Lingobox subscription?
Subscribers get instant access to 50 thematic Lingoboxes and 400+ songs, games, soundboards, Active Language Learning videos and classroom activities across major Primary French topics.

Which curriculum does Lingobox support?
Lingobox aligns with Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland and the KS1/KS2 National Curriculum in England and Wales. It also fits naturally with CEFR A1–A2 level for wider international use.

How do I get started with Lingobox?
You can begin with a free Lingobox trial — choose a 7-day Individual Trial or a 6-week School Trial and explore the full Primary French programme.

“Our children LOVE Lingobox! It has brought so much positive energy to our classrooms!”

✨ Join thousands of teachers using Lingobox Learning to make Primary French active, musical and fun — whether you’re teaching in Scotland, England or anywhere in the world.

Days, Months & Dates in Primary French

Days, Months & Dates in Primary French

Looking for simple, engaging ways to teach days, months and dates in French in your primary or elementary classroom?

Learning this topic gives children daily, real-life opportunities to use French in meaningful contexts.

It connects perfectly with classroom routines, birthdays, the weather and cultural events — helping children see French as a language for everyday life, not just lessons.

But one of the biggest challenges teachers face is this:

👉 Where does this fit into progression, and how do I teach it step by step?

Read on for practical ideas, progression guidance and easy-to-use Primary French activities.

Many teachers tell us that understanding progression in Primary French can feel unclear — especially when learners are starting at different stages.

At Lingobox, we build progression through our 20–12 framework: 20 lessons and 12 clear outcomes per stage, helping teachers know exactly what to teach and when to teach it.

Days, months and dates are revisited and developed over time, moving from songs and simple sequences to asking, saying and writing the full date confidently.

Here’s a quick overview of how children typically progress with this topic:

👉 This progression is all mapped out for you inside Lingobox.

Get the Full French Days, Months and Dates Progression Guide

Download your free guide for a clearer overview of how to teach this topic across stages.

✔ Clear progression by age and stage

✔ Classroom-ready activity ideas

✔ Linked directly to your wider Primary French teaching programme

Best Ways to Teach Days, Months and Dates in Primary French

So what does this look like in practice? Here are our recommended step-by-step activities for teaching days, months and dates in Primary French.

1. Start with French Days and Months Songs, Sequences and Games

2. Teach “What Day Is It?” and “What Month Is It?” in French

Once pupils know the sequence, start asking simple questions such as:

On est quel jour ? — What day is it today? On est en quel mois ? — What month are we in?

Our Lingobox year-on-year teaching programmes introduce this learning through a series of step-by-step lessons. Everything is supported by teacher-modelled audio and video, so you have everything you need to teach French confidently — regardless of your own knowledge of the language.

2b. Use French Days and Months in Daily Classroom Routines

Link this language to your daily classroom routines, just as you would in English. For younger learners, pair the English and French together at first to build confidence.

🪄 Tip: Use a French visual classroom calendar like our Lingobox Daily Calendar so that children see and say the language every day.

3. Teach French Numbers 1–31 Before Introducing Dates

Before introducing dates, revisit or teach numbers 1–31 in French so children can say any date confidently.

Try number games such as:

Active Numbers Dance — we love learning numbers through movement, rhythm and music

Bingo / Lotto

Counting songs or movement games

Digital number games in your Lingobox

These activities also help children practise tricky numbers like vingt et un and trente et un.

4. Teach Children to Say the Date in French Orally

When children are secure with days, months and numbers, start forming full dates orally:

C’est le quinze mars. Aujourd’hui, c’est le vingt-sept janvier.

Use call-and-response to model the structure, then add the date to your daily routine.

Encourage a different pupil each day to lead the date in French — it builds ownership, confidence and repetition over time.

5. Teach Children to Write the Date in French

Once pupils can say the date confidently, begin introducing writing the date in French in their jotters or digital notebooks.

Encourage classes to keep a French learning jotter where children:

Write the date in French each lesson

Note new vocabulary

Record phrases or mini reflections on progress

This simple routine reinforces accuracy and creates a lovely record of progress over time.

6. Use Dates in French Writing, Postcards and Cross-Curricular Projects

Dates are perfect for creative writing and cross-curricular links.

Try using them in:

Letters or postcards (Cher ami, le 14 juillet…)

Birthday activities (Mon anniversaire est le…)

History or culture links, such as important French events or famous birthdays

These make excellent assessment opportunities because children are using language in context.

7. Revisit and Assess French Days, Months and Dates Across Primary Stages

Days, months and dates in French make an excellent long-term target for Primary French learning.

By the end of P7 or KS2, learners should be able to confidently:

Say and understand the days of the week

Name and recognise the months of the year

Say and write today’s date in French

Talk about their birthday

These are clear, tangible goals that children can understand, achieve, share and feel proud of.

At Lingobox, we focus on long-term progression — building language gradually through regular repetition and meaningful use.

This philosophy underpins our Lingobox Star Trackers. These visual, child-friendly assessment tools help pupils celebrate progress: each time they master a new skill or phrase, they colour a star and see their language journey come to life.

The Lingobox Primary French Approach

At Lingobox, we take the guesswork out of teaching Primary French with our:

Click & Teach approach

20 lessons and 12 clear outcomes per stage

Fully planned, progressive teaching programme

That means:

You always know what to teach

You know when to teach it

And you have everything ready to go — no planning required

Ready to Teach French Days, Months and Dates with Confidence?

👉 No planning. No stress. Just teach.

Get the complete Primary French teaching programme with:

Fully planned lessons

Songs, games and videos

Clear progression across every stage

On est quel jour ? — What day is it today?
On est en quel mois ? — What month are we in?

C’est le quinze mars.
Aujourd’hui, c’est le vingt-sept janvier.

✔ Fully planned, progressive lessons (no prep required)
✔ 20 lessons + 12 clear outcomes per stage
✔ 50+ topic units covering the full curriculum
✔ 400+ songs, games and classroom-ready resources