Weekly Lesson Plan Ideas for Toddlers

Weekly lesson plans for toddlers should include a collection of topics, projects and ideas that all focus on a specific theme. If multiple approaches are used to teach the main concept, it will attract all types of learners while covering all the basic subject areas. Using an essential set of key ideas within a diverse set of activities ensures that the weekly concept gets through to the children in more ways than one.

  1. Standard Curricular Goals

    • Key objectives for toddler lesson plans should include the most essential skills for children of that age. Language development, cognitive ability and artistic expression are all relevant weekly goals for toddlers.

      While children certainly enjoy being read to, story time should not be the only element of language instruction. Asking toddlers to identify basic objects using word cards addresses memory and language skills. All visual cards should include simple words such as "cat" or "ball" paired with an image of the object. The game can be extended by asking the children go on a hunt for a similar item in the room.

      Numbers up to ten, simple shapes, colors and sizes are all suitable for the rudimentary math portion of weekly lesson plans. Connecting something such as shape identification to a specific day of the week helps toddlers to also learn calendar days. Practice shapes on Mondays, then practice counting on Tuesdays. Assign a certain topic for each day of the week. It will become part of the routine that children look forward to and expect. Arts and crafts should also be a weekly, if not daily, part of toddler lesson plans.

    Supplemental Subject Areas

    • Science, nature and social science studies are just as valuable to the weekly lesson plan as the integral subjects are. Expanding the weekly program of study to include more diverse topics will help to create well-rounded children.

      Exploring plants is a superb way to introduce science and nature to toddlers. Growing plants from seeds and caring for them starts a lifelong study of science and nature. The difference between living and non-living items is learned at the toddler age. It is easily taught using plants. Plants also help to teach kids about the elements (water and air), sunlight and minerals.

      Social science extends the traditional lesson to contain activities that assist with the development of identity. Learning words in Spanish or sign language imparts an understanding of similarities between different people. Role playing and dressing up offers dramatic exercise as a strategy for expression of ideas.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Pre-Writing Activities for Toddlers With Shape Themes
      Pre-writing activities help to strengthen children’s visual and fine motor skills in anticipation of learning to write. These types of activities help to prepare children for writing by getting them used to scribbling, drawing and using their h
    • Three to Six Years: Dietary and Developmental Highlights
      Three to Six Years: Dietary and Developmental HighlightsAround three, children become increasingly social, more independent, and even more fun to be with than they were before. Preschoolers are particularly playful people who can be quite jovial and
    • How to Teach Toddlers About Emotions
      Toddlers are extremely emotional beings. They can go from seeming devastatingly crushed to joyously buoyant in a matter of seconds. Their feelings can be hurt by the smallest slight, and they can become distraught when the emotions they feel aren