Category: Preschool

Let’s Wash – 2.2 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 2

Let’s Wash

Developmental Focus: Social Skills / Basic Chores

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more…

Muscle Moving

Wall Wash

Large up and down arm motions strengthen core muscles that are a precursor to bring able to write well.

Supplies:

  • Clean sponges – one per child and one for you. Alternatively, use a baby wipe or clean cloth.
    (Do not give your child a Magic Eraser sponge as these contain many chemicals that should not be consumed.)

Time to Play:

  • Model how to pretend to clean the walls or an empty bookshelf using the clean sponge.
  • Invite your child to join in. Be encouraging and thank your child for helping clean.
  • (If using damp baby wipes, your child can truly help clean, but be sure they don’t try to clean surfaces that are sensitive to moisture.)

Brain Boosting

Dish Wash

Supplies:

  • One tub such as a plastic 15L container. A large bowl could work, but might tip over.
  • Water
  • Several small containers (such as clean yogurt containers) or bath toys to wash
  • A cloth or sponge to wash with
  • A water friendly area (Consider using a bathtub or doing this activity outside. Alternatively, place a large towel beneath the tub of water to catch spills.)
  • Optional: dish soap or bubble bath

Prep:

  • Fill the tub with 3-5 inches (5-15 cm) of water.
  • Optional: Add a drop of dish soap or bubble bath for added bubbly fun
  • Place the cloth and containers in the tub
  • Place the tub in a water friendly area

Note: Adult Supervision Required – As with any activity involving water at this age, supervision is required due to risk of drowning.

Time to Play:

  • Invite your child to sit down and wash some dishes for you. If needed, join in the washing fun to set an example.
  • Expect your child and the surrounding area to get a bit wet. Don’t be anxious about this. It is part of the learning experience. If needed, help them change their clothes afterwards.
  • Thank your child for washing the dishes.

Let’s Sing

Top and Bottom

Let’s Read

Curious George: Wash Your Hands

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Naaman Song

Let’s Read

Bible Story

Naaman
2 Kings 5:1-15

Beginner’s Bible Chapter:
Naaman Is Healed
Page 230

Zoom – 2.1 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 1

Zoom!

Developmental Focus: Fast vs. Slow

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more…

Muscle Moving

Run, Run, Run

Prep:

  • Clear an area for running. Ideally find an area that allows for continuous running in a circle. Otherwise, a hallway or the length of a room will do.
    (The more children you have, the more valuable having a circle to run in can be. This helps decrease incidents of children running into each other.)

Time to Play:

  • Run with your child in the space you have cleared for at least a minute or two. Be encouraging as you run.
  • Encourage your child to continue running.
  • After giving your child some time to burn through some of their energy, join in again, but this time moving very slowly. Encourage your child to move slowly with you.
  • Continue moving, alternating between fast and slow.
  • For more advanced children, consider adding other movements such as hopping, taking big steps, taking little steps, and walking backwards.
  • (When teaching 2 year olds, I love to begin or end each gym time with having the whole class run in a circle. It amazes me how much their endurance increases after only a few days of running.)

Brain Boosting

Ramp

STEM – experimenting with friction and gravity

Supplies:

  • One large but relatively flat cardboard box, or one wide board
  • Something to prop the box on, ideally about the shoulder height of your child. This could be your couch, a chair, or a half-height bookshelf.
  • Toys that roll well – cars or balls
  • Toys that slide slowly rather than rolling – stuffed animals, bean bags

Prep:

  • Prop the box or board against the chair, or whatever you are using.
  • Experiment a few times to figure out what angle works well by rolling a ball or car down the ramp.

Time to Play:

  • Invite your child to join in the fun by rolling balls and cars down the ramp.
  • Talk about how the balls and cars go fast!
  • Encourage your child to try sliding other things down the ramp like a stuffed animal.
  • Talk about how the stuffed animal goes slow because it is rubbing on the ramp rather than rolling – that’s called friction.

Let’s Sing

Clap Fast and Slow

Let’s Read

Llama Llama Zippity-Zoom
Anna Dewdney

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Peter and John Went to Pray (Silver and Gold)

Let’s Read

Bible Story

Peter and John Went to Pray
Acts 3:1-10

Beginner’s Bible Chapter:
The Lame Man
Page 484

Parent / Teacher Guide – Add A Little Curriculum – 2 Year Old

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Intro

Parent / Teacher Guide

 

Intro

Why name a curriculum “Add A Little”? Because that’s exactly what this curriculum is designed to do – add a little enhancement to your child’s development by providing ideas and activities for you to do with them. This light curriculum was developed with the busy parent or caretaker in mind.

 

Activities For 2 Year Olds

2 year olds need free play. They can also be learning to follow simple instructions. You’ll find a bit of both in Add A Little (AAL). Most of the activities have been kept simple with little prep needed and using supplies you may already have on hand. With one unit each month, this curriculum is designed to add a developmental boost to your child(ren)’s life without overwhelming you.

Check out the Tips for Success below.

 

Table of Contents

Each Unit Includes:

  • Fun Theme
  • Developmental Focus
  • Muscle Moving
  • Brain Boosting
  • Let’s Sing
  • Let’s Read
  • Let’s Sing A Christian Song
  • Let’s Read A Bible Story

Supplies Needed

Tips For Success When Using Add A Little Curriculum

Disclaimer

Units

Helpful Links

Each Unit Includes:

Fun Theme

Every unit has an engaging theme selected specifically with a 2 year old’s development in mind.

 

Developmental Focus

Each unit targets an area of learning and growth.

 

Muscle Moving

Being up and active is incredibly valuable for 2 year olds. Not only will they strengthen their muscles, but studies have shown that movement is important for overall brain development as well.

 

Brain Boosting

Under this heading you will find activities engaging various areas of the brain, whether that be hand-eye coordination, using the 5 senses, or more academic and STEM related activities.

 

Let’s Sing

Singing and music are highly beneficial for overall child development. That’s why every unit includes a simple fun song for you to sing with your child(ren).

Want more songs or don’t like a suggested song? Check out this list of Simple Preschool Songs: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/big-list-of-simple-preschool-songs/

 

Let’s Read

Taking time to sit down and read with your child(ren) offers countless developmental benefits, sets them up with a lifelong love of reading, and is fun. Each unit includes a book suggestion that (mostly) lines up with the theme.

Also, check out my board, “Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers”: https://www.pinterest.ca/sjlittleauthor/books-for-preschoolers-and-toddlers/

 

Let’s Sing a Christian Song

The Christian elements of each unit are optional. They have been included since many of our subscribers appreciate them. However, you are free to skip them.

Want more Christian songs? Visit: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/7-simple-christian-songs-for-preschoolers/

 

Let’s Read a Bible Story

Developing a love for God through reading the Bible is invaluable to the Christian life. To help you begin instilling truths about who God is in your child’s heart, every month will have a suggested Bible story. More specifically, every month will include a recommended chapter from the Beginner’s Bible. The Beginner’s Bible is widely available for purchase. If you already have a different Children’s Bible, you are welcome to use it to follow along instead.

For more information visit: https://www.thebeginnersbible.com/products/

 

  

Supplies Needed

AAL curriculum strives to be low hastle. Part of this is accomplished by using supplies you likely already have on hand. That said, for the 2 Year Old Add A Little Curriculum, among other things, you will need:

  • Paper (coloured and white)
  • Washable children’s paint
  • Unused sponges
  • Masking tape or other tape that can cleanly peel off walls and floors
  • Crayons
  • Recyclables such as cardboard boxes and various sizes of washed plastic yogurt or margarine containers, etc.

 

Tips For Success When Using Add A Little Curriculum

How do I get my child to participate in the activities?

  • Engage

    • Two year olds love to play with you. If your child doesn’t immediately engage in an activity, sit down and do it yourself for a few minutes. Encourage your child to participate with you. Cheer them on when they do join in.
    • If they still don’t want to join in, don’t sweat it. Put the activity aside and assess what their reason for not engaging might be (tired, hungry, feeling too wiggly, etc.). Try the activity again in a few days.

  • Adapt

    • Every child is different. You know your circumstance and your child’s abilities and interests. Take a moment to consider the suggested activity, then adapt it to your own situation.

  • Repeat

    • 2 year olds enjoy repeating activities until they have mastered them. While the Add A Little curriculum only provides two activities in each unit, these activities can be repeated several times throughout the month, and during the following months as well.

  • Less Is More

    • Did you know that young children play better with less toys at a time? Try putting away most of their toys before attempting to engage them in a new activity. Putting most of their toys away also allows you to do toy rotation. If you haven’t tried toy rotation, read this article https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/toy-rotation/ . You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to your child’s play.

Disclaimer

All activities require adult supervision and discretion.

Every aspect of the Add A Little Curriculum is suggested with the expectation that it will be done under adult supervision. Some activities include potential hazards. You and your child(ren) participate at your own discretion.

Every child, family, setting, and circumstance is different. Recommended tips and/or activities in this curriculum may work well for some children but not for others. Adult discretion is required. In some cases, you will need to adapt the curriculum to fit you and your child(ren)’s specific needs.

Units 

Every month, one new unit is released. Here is a list of units that have already been released:

Unit 1 – Zoom!

Unit 2 – Let’s Wash

Want More?

Do you want to receive notification of each new unit of the Add A Little 2 Year Old Curriculum when it is released? Join S. J. Little’s preschool email list today.

 

 

Helpful Links

Smoother Transitions: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/smoother-transitions/

Choosing Excellent Books https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/choosing-excellent-books-for-preschoolers/

Big List of Simple Preschool Songs https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/big-list-of-simple-preschool-songs/

Toy Rotation https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/toy-rotation/

My Turn, Your Turn – 1.10 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 1 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 10

My Turn, Your Turn

Vocabulary: Catch, Roll, Pass, Turn

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more…

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Let’s Wiggle

Can’t Catch Me

Prep:

  • Clear your area of obstacles to enable safe running around.

Time to Play:

  • Tell your child that you are going to play the “Catch Me” game. Encourage them to run away while you run to catch them.
  • Based on your child’s interest level, run and catch them several times.
  • Then change things up. Explain that you are going to run away and it is their turn to catch you. Be sure not to run away too fast.
  • Play several rounds of them catching you.
  • For older children, once your child has caught the hang of both ways to play, consider taking turns back and forth: “First you run away, then it is my turn to run away.”

Let’s Explore

Roll the Ball

Supplies:

  • 1 medium-large light ball per two or three people
    • Alternatively consider using a bean bag or a toy car that rolls well

Prep:

  • Clear an area to sit on the floor facing each other with no obstacles in between.

Time to Play:

  • Have both you and your child sit on the floor facing each other. Sit with your legs straight in front of you spread into a “V” shape. To begin with, sit with your feet nearly touching your child’s feet.
  • Explain to your child that you are going to pass the ball to each other.
  • Gently roll the ball to your child. Encourage them to catch it.
  • Encourage your child to roll the ball back to you.
  • Continue rolling the ball back and forth from one person to the other.
  • For added challenge, increase the distance between you or consider bouncing the ball to each other.
  • This game is suited for older 1 year olds. Remember that sharing and passing are new skills for your child so laugh and make this a fun game even if your child is reluctant to pass the ball back. If it just doesn’t work, consider playing again in a few weeks.
  • In a classroom setting, pair two children per ball and encourage them to pass to each other.

Let’s Sing

Row Row Row Your Boat

This can be a great partner song. Sit cross-legged facing your child. Hold hands. “Row” your boat by leaning backward and forward together. Consider singing the song again faster.

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Who Did Swallow Jonah

For lyrics and actions, click here.

Let’s Read

I Share

Author: Cheri J Meiners
Illustrator: Penny Weber

Clean Up – 1.9 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 1 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 9

Clean Up

Vocabulary: Find, Pick Up, Container, Put In

Tent, Blanket, Build, Knock Over

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more…

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Let’s Wiggle

Pick Them Up Game

Supplies:

  • A set of 8-15 small to medium toys. Could be almost anything. Consider:
    • Bean bags
    • Balls
    • Pompoms
    • Cars
    • Stuffies
  • A basket or box that holds all the toys

Time to Play:

  • Show your child the basket of toys and explain that you are going to play a pick them up game.
  • Dump the toys on the floor. Work together to pick up all the toys.
  • Consider singing the Clean Up Song while you pick them up (see video below).
  • Optional: for children who have a solid grasp of colours, consider challenging them to pick up the toys by colour: “Can you pick up all the yellow ones?” “Now pick up the red ones.”

Let’s Explore

Toy Insert

Supplies:

  • 10-20 small items. Consider:
    • Plastic chain links
    • Q-tips
    • Standard playing cards
    • Washable markers (if your child cannot open them yet)
  • A container to hold the items. Consider:
    • A yogurt container (clean)
    • A cardboard box

Prep:

  • Cut a slot in lid of the container that is a bit bigger than the items you are using.
  • If your cardboard box has a handle hole, consider using that as your slot by setting the box on its side.

Time to Play:

  • Model for your child how to insert the items into the container.
  • Encourage them to try.
  • Optional: Extend the fun by setting the container at one end of a hallway while you stand at the other end with the items. Hand one item to your child at a time. Encourage them to run to the container to insert the item.

Let’s Sing

The Clean Up Song

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Jesus Loves Me

Let’s Read

Clean-Up Time

Author: Elizabeth Verdick
Illustrator: Marieka Heinlen