Approaches to Learning: Children express initiative, children solve problems encountered in exploration

and play, and children do things for themselves

Name of Activity: Classroom Preparation
Originating Idea: Need for children to begin expressing initiative
Curriculum Area: Approaches to Learning
Materials: Toy kitchen gadgets, such as toy brooms, dustpans, mops, empty spray bottles, and small
rags
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Lead children to where imitation cleaning materials are placed on the group
work table
Middle of Activity:
Early Developmental Stage: Children will observe caregivers and other children pretending with
the cleaning materials
Middle Developmental Stage: Children will explore the imitation cleaning materials with their
hands and mouths
Later Developmental Stage: Children will pretend to do specific cleaning activities, such as
dusting
End of Activity: Sing The Cleanup Song while putting away imitation cleaning supplies in a new bin
which will be kept in the play kitchen area, which students are explicitly shown
Follow up Ideas: During future play in the kitchen area, prompt toddlers to incorporate the imitation
cleaning materials into their pretending
Name of Activity: Deliberate Doll Dressing
Originating Idea: Need for children to learn how to do things themselves
Curriculum Area: Approaches to Learning
Materials: A bin filled with dolls, a bin filled with doll shirts, a bin filled with doll pants/skirts, a bin filled
with doll accessories such as hats and backpacks
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Teacher will read a story about children getting dressed and then lead children
to the table with the clothing bins and dolls laid out
Middle of Activity:
Early Development Stage: Children will explore the clothing and dolls with their eyes, mouth, and
hands
Middle Development Stage: Children will attempt putting the various clothing items on the dolls
Later Development Stage: Children will dress the dolls themselves and with scaffolding, will be
able to associate the different outfits with their intended activity, for instance that in pajamas we
go night night
End of Activity: Prompt the undressing of the dolls, which is another final task to engage the children
in
Follow up Ideas: In future experiences undressing and dressing the toddlers, give them more
responsibility in their own dressing, for instance asking them to unzip their own pants, at the same time
verbally reminding them of the doll activity
Name of Activity: Towel Pulling
Originating Idea: Need for children to develop problem solving skills
Curriculum Area: Approaches to Learning
Materials: various medium sized towels and various small toys
Appropriate Age Group: Infants
Beginning of Activity: Line the infants up sitting on the floor with the towels about a foot away from
them. Place a toy on the far end of each towel. Then prompt the infants to pull the towel towards them
in order to drag the toy over too.
Middle of Activity:
Early Development Stage: Children will sit and observe the situation set up in front of them
Middle Development Stage: Children may try crawling over to the toy, understanding it is too far
for them to reach
Later Development Stage: Children will pull the towel and watch the toy move with it, observing
the cause and effect relationship

End of Activity: Caregivers themselves will demonstrate pulling different objects over with the use of
the towel
Follow up Ideas: Incorporate more cause and effect problem solving activities into future lesson plans

Social and Emotional Development: Children distinguish themselves from others, children form an
attachment to a primary caregiver, children build a relationship with other adults and peers, children
express emotions, children show empathy toward the feelings and needs of others, children play with
others, and children participate in group routines
Name of Activity: Snack time picnic with Baby doll
Originating Idea: Need for the development of empathy
Curriculum Area: Social and Emotional Development
Materials: A baby doll for each student in the class, picnic blanket, snack and utensils, doll cribs
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Lead toddlers to the baby doll that they will each be caring for and explain that
they will be joining us in our snack outside
Middle of Activity
Early Developmental Stage: the child will not pay any attention to the baby doll, it will not try to
feed it a snack or have it sit on their lap
Middle Developmental Stage: the child will have the baby doll close to them but will not pretend
to share the snack with it
Later Developmental Stage: The child will coddle the baby, pretend to feed it, and ask it if it
needs anything
End of Activity: Ask the children to clean up for each baby doll
Follow up Ideas: When back inside the classroom, have children tuck their baby doll in for a nap in the
cribs the dolls are kept in
Name of Activity: Emotional Development Story Time and Conversation
Originating Idea: To reduce the many quarrels that erupt between students in the classroom
Curriculum Area: Social and Emotional Development
Materials: The book, My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: While toddlers are sitting quietly in a circle, the caretaker will read the book,
My Many Colored Days, by Dr. Seuss
Middle of Activity
Early Developmental Stage: After the story is read and students are still in a circle, the caregiver
will individually ask students how they feel today or feel about different people, activities, food,
etc. The child may not verbalize anything at all but may use facial expressions or body motions
Middle Developmental Stage: when asked how they feel about things, as explained above, the
child will verbally spell out his or her feelings
Later Developmental Stage: when asked how they feel about things, as explained above, the
child will verbally spell out his or her feelings and also ask the caregiver how they feel, tell a
related story, or draw up another example of something that makes them feel that way
End of Activity: Have all the children sitting in the circle hold hands
Follow up Ideas: Ask children intermittently in the future how they are feeling when expressing
intense emotion in order to help them verbalize their feelings
Name of Activity: Row, Row, Row your Boat
Originating Idea: To help children build a relationship with other adults and peers
Curriculum Area: Social and Emotional Development
Materials: The Row, Row, Row your Boat sound track with a CD player
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers

Beginning of Activity: Play the Row, Row, Row your Boat song on the CD player encouraging
children to sing along. Then guide the children to sit on the floor across from a partner, holding hands
and rocking forward and backward like a boat while singing the song
Middle of Activity
Early Developmental Stage: Children will move their bodies spontaneously to the song but
without joining a partner
Middle Developmental Stage: Children will rock back and forth to the song while holding a
partners hands
Later Developmental Stage: Children will go from partner to partner, singing and rocking with as
many other children as they can
End of Activity: Five minute warning given to the class
Follow up Idea: Use the Row, Row, Row song and partner movement as a future transition activity,
reward, or morning wake up routine
Physical Development and Health: Children move parts of their body, children move their whole body,
children move with objects, and children experience steady beat
Name of Activity: Box Exploration
Originating Idea: Assisting the child in developing movement of their whole body
Curriculum Area: Physical Development and Health
Materials: Various sizes of empty boxes, from moving boxes to shoe boxes
Appropriate Age Group: Infants
Beginning of Activity: Lead children to area in the classroom with the various boxes spread out
Middle of Activity:
Early Developmental Stage: Children will observe, touch, and mouth parts of the boxes
Middle Developmental Stage: Children will move the boxes
Later Developmental Stage: Children will go inside of, underneath, and on top of the boxes
End of Activity: Have the children close all of the boxes and put their tops on and them stack them
each inside of one another
Follow up Ideas: Keep the boxes in the free play area of the classroom for the children to continue to
explore at their own pace and time in the future
Name of Activity: Bosu Exercise ball play
Originating Idea: To help children develop their balance abilities
Curriculum Area: Physical Development and Health
Materials: Enough Bosu Balls for each child in the class
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity:
Middle of Activity:
Early Developmental Stage: Child will sit next to the Bosu ball and explore it with their eyes and
hands
Middle Developmental Stage: Child will crawl on the Bosu ball
Later Developmental Stage: Child will try to stand and jump on the Bosu ball
End of Activity: Five minute warning
Follow up Ideas: At the end of the school year, bring back out the Bosu balls and try to flip them over
so that the bouncy part is on the floor. See if toddlers have developed enough to be able to balance on
the flat side
Name of Activity: Outdoor Tummy time
Originating Idea: To develop infants muscle growth, strength, and flexibility
Curriculum Area: Physical Development and Health
Materials: Shiny toys such as mirrors that will reflect the sunlight and a blanket
Appropriate Age Group: Infants
Beginning of Activity: Let infants have the first bit of time to crawl and roll around on the blanket set
on the grass
Middle of Activity
Early Developmental Stage: The child will not make any acknowledgement of the reflective
object

Middle Developmental Stage: The child will try and lift their heads to get a better view of the
reflective object
Later Developmental Stage: The child will attempt crawling over to get the reflective object
End of Activity: The caretaker will eventually bring the reflective object over to the baby for it to
explore in the sunlight
Follow up Ideas: Try this activity again shortly after but replace the reflective objects with sounds,
notice if the infant is more or less likely to try to crawl over or look at where the music or noise is
coming from

Communication, Language, and Literacy: Children listen and respond, children communicate
nonverbally, children participate in two way communications, children speak, children explore picture
books and magazines, and children enjoy stories, rhymes, and songs
Name of Activity: The Hokey Pokey
Originating Idea: To help develop childrens ability to listen and respond
Curriculum Area: Communication, Language, and Literacy
Materials: The Hokey Pokey track on a CD and a CD player
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Play the Hokey Pokey sound track on the CD player waiting to catch childrens
attention
Middle of Activity:
Early Developmental Stage: Children will observe the other children and caretakers participating
in the Hokey Pokey motions
Middle Developmental Stage: Children will dance and move their bodies spontaneously
Later Developmental Stage: When caregivers and the CD track shout out a motion, children will
follow along by correctly imitating the motion themselves
End of Activity: Caretakers will initiate a free dance party for all the students who didnt connect with
the structured Hokey Pokey motions
Follow up Ideas: Use the Hokey Pokey song and dance as a future transition activity, reward, or
morning wake up routine
Name of Activity: Book Share
Originating Idea: To develop childrens interest in books
Curriculum Area: Communication, Language, and Literacy
Materials: Each childs favorite book brought from home
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Caregiver will give toddlers permission to go to their cubbies and bring out
their favorite book that they brought from home
Middle of Activity
Early Developmental Stage: Children will mouth their book
Middle Developmental Stage: Children will explore the book with their hands, not necessarily
looking through the pages
Later Developmental Stage: Children will independently flip through their books or ask a
caregiver to read it to them
End of Activity: 5 minute warning given ending with directions for children to return their books to
their cubbies

Follow up Ideas: Create a sign-up sheet emailed to parents for them to volunteer to read their childs
favorite book to the class
Name of Activity: The Silent Flashcard Show
Originating Idea: To develop nonverbal communication skills
Curriculum Area: Communication, Language, and Literacy
Materials: Flashcards representing age appropriate verbs, a small podium or stage for children to
pretend to perform on
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Lead children to come and gather around the stage
Middle of Activity
Early Developmental Stage: Child will observe the flashcard they are given with their eyes,
mouth, and hands
Middle Developmental Stage: Child will move their bodies spontaneously up on stage
Later Developmental Stage: Child will go up on stage and correctly act out the flashcard verb
they are shown
End of Activity: Children will be led to clap for all of the performances
Follow up Ideas: Eat popcorn as a snack to go along with the performance theme of the activity

Cognitive Development: Children explore objects with their hands feet, mouth, eyes, ears, and nose,
children discover object permanence, children explore and notice how things are the same or different,
children experience more, children experience one to one correspondence, children experience the
number of things, children explore and notice the location of objects, children fill and empty, children
take things apart and fit them together, children observe people and things from various perspectives,
children anticipate familiar events, children notice the beginning and ending of time intervals, children
experience fast and slow, and children repeat an action to make something happen again.
Name of Activity: Feet Sensation Exploration
Originating Idea: Need for this sensory activity
Curriculum Area: Cognitive Development
Materials: Bubble paper, shag carpet swatch, silk fabric, sand paper
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: take off childrens shoes and socks and then lead them to the open floor area
containing each of the sensory materials
Middle of Activity:
Early Development Stage: Children will explore the different materials with their eyes
Middle Development Stage: Children will explore the different materials with their hands
Later Development Stage: Children will crawl, walk, and jump on the different materials
End of Activity: five minute warning given to children
Follow up Ideas: Put these same materials in the sensory table for the week so children can grow
more familiar with the materials at their own pace and time
Name of Activity: Matching Game
Originating Idea: Need for children to notice how things are the same or different
Curriculum Area: Cognitive Development
Materials: Laminated cards showing different objects, animals, and foods. There should be two of each
card.
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Lead children to the group work table where there is one of each card pair face
up on the table. The caregiver will hold a stack of the second card of the pair.
Middle of Activity:

Early Development Stage: Children will observe the cards laid out on the table with their eyes
Middle Development Stage: Children will touch and mouth the cards laid out on the table
Later Development Stage: When asked to find the matching card on the table, children will grab
for it
End of Activity: Caregivers will line up all of the matching cards along the table for the children to see
Follow up Ideas: The following week, to advance this activity, caregivers will plan a scavenger hunt
around the classroom, where children will find the matching cards
Name of Activity: Jar Fill up
Originating Idea: To develop child ability to fill and empty objects
Curriculum Area: Cognitive Development
Materials: Various sizes of jars, containers, and cans, along with small objects to go inside, such as
cotton balls, pennies, stones, and crayons
Appropriate Age Group: Infants
Beginning of Activity: Lead infants to an area on the floor where the jars and their contents are
displayed
Middle of Activity:
Early Developmental Stage: Infants will observe the jars and contents with their eyes
Middle Developmental Stage: Infants will touch and mouth the jars and contents
Later Developmental Stage: Infants will successfully fill up and empty the jars
End of Activity: Caregivers will put tops on the jars with the contents inside and shake them to
introduce the sound that each makes
Follow up Ideas: Put these same materials in the sensory table for the week so children can grow
more familiar with the materials at their own pace and time
Creative Arts: Children imitate and pretend, children explore building and art materials, children
respond to and identify pictures and photographs, children listen and respond to music, children explore
and imitate sounds, and children explore vocal pitch sounds
Name of Activity: Building clay animals
Originating Idea: Classroom interest in animals
Curriculum Area: Creative Arts
Materials: a variety of colored building clay, tablecloths, laminated pictures of animals for table
inspiration
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity: Gather children in a circle and have children repeat different animal sounds
Middle of Activity:
Early Development Stage: Children will poke at clay and explore it with their hands
Middle Development Stage: Children will associate an animal with a color of clay and make it into
a shape
Later Development Stage: Children will attempt building different animal body parts
End of Activity: Bake clay in oven and then use the animals for play and pretend
Follow up Ideas: Eat animal crackers for snack
Name of Activity: Family Photo Flip Book
Originating Idea: Need to meet the KDI of developing responses to photographs
Curriculum Area: Creative Arts
Materials: Childrens families will bring in photobooks for use in this classroom activity
Appropriate Age Group: Infants
Beginning of Activity: Teacher will read children a book about the meaning of family
Middle of Activity:
Early Development Stage: Children will quietly watch caregivers flip through their personal family
book
Middle Development Stage: Children will make facial expressions while looking at their family
pictures

Later Development Stage: Children will point at pictures in their family book and attempt to
make out words for the member of their family they are looking at
End of Activity: Sing a song about different members of families
Follow up Ideas: Put pictures of childrens family members up on classroom walls in a designated
family area
Name of Activity: Occupational Sock Puppets
Originating Idea: Classroom interest in pretending
Curriculum Area: Creative Arts
Materials: Sock puppets dressed as different occupations, such as a nurse, teacher, firefighter,
business
Appropriate Age Group: Toddlers
Beginning of Activity:
Middle of Activity:
Early Development Stage: Children will use their eyes explore the puppets
Middle Development Stage: Children will use their hands to explore the puppets
Later Development Stage: Children will imitate the activities of the occupational puppet they
have on their hand
End of Activity: Teachers will put on a play with the puppets for children to sit and watch
Follow up Ideas: Bring occupational dress up clothes into the classroom