Category: Add A Little Curriculum

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

Buildings – 1.8 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 1 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 8

Buildings

Vocabulary: Tent, Blanket, Build, Knock Over

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

Blanket Tent

Supplies:

  • Large, but not heavy blankets
  • Soft blankets
  • Pillows
  • Furniture that can move but won’t tip, such as a side table, couch or chair.

Prep:

  • Create tent or fort using what you have available.
    • Consider pulling your couch a foot or two away from a chair and draping a blanket over both.
    • Consider pulling a side table to the middle of the room and draping a blanket over it.
    • If you have two couches, consider moving them back to back leaving a crawl space between.
  • Optional: use pillows or a small blanket to create a bed for stuffed animals inside the tent.
  • Test your tent to be sure nothing heavy will fall on your child.
  • Be sure to supervise your child to ensure the blanket does not smother them.

Time to Play:

  • Show your child the tent and encourage them to try going inside. 
  • If needed model by crawling inside yourself.

Let’s Explore

Tower Tumble

Supplies:

  • Blocks – try to use something other than what your child typically uses.
    • Alternatives to standard blocks could include:
      • Small cardboard boxes
      • Small unopened cans
      • Other clean containers

Time to Play:

  • Model how to build a tower with the blocks.
  • Encourage your child to help.
  • Talk about the colours and shapes on the blocks as you build.
  • Invite your child to knock over the tower.
  • Celebrate when they fall down.
  • Work together to build the tower again.
  • Consider counting how many blocks you’ve used.

Let’s Sing

London Bridge is Falling Down

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock

Let’s Read

Biscuit Visits the Big City

Author: Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Illustrator: Pat Schories

Note: This is not a board book, but the simply told story is excellent for 1 year olds.

My House – 1.7 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 1 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 7

My House

Vocabulary: Kitchen, Bathroom, Run, Puzzle

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 You Find…

Prep:

  • If needed, clear your hallway so that it is safe for you and your child to run through.

Time to Play:

  • Tell your child you are going to play a game. Be excited.
  • Explain that you will tell them which room to find and then they need to run and find it.
  • Start with the easy rooms such as:
    • “Can you find the bathroom?”
    • “Run to the kitchen!”
  • As your child catches onto the game, choose rooms or furniture they have to think about to find.
    • “Can you find the white bookshelf? It’s somewhere upstairs.”
    • “Run to the big couch.”
  • Optional: For more advanced children, add to the fun by including movement instructions.
    • “Can you crawl to the bedroom?”
    • “Now take big steps to the living room.”

Let’s Explore

Home-Made Puzzle

Supplies:

  • A file folder, or a sheet of cardboard, cardstock or other stiff paper.
  • A marker or pen
  • Several familiar household items or small toys. Be sure they have unique shapes. Consider:
    • A tablespoon
    • A soup ladle
    • A clothes pin
    • A measuring cup
    • A role of masking tape
    • A block
    • A toy car
    • A toy animal
    • A teething toy
    • A rattle
    • A plastic chain link

Prep:

  • Lay the sheet of paper flat. Position several items/toys on top of it. Once satisfied with their positions, trace each item creating outlines.
  • Place the items/toys nearby.

Time to Play:

  • Show your child the sheet of paper with all the outlines on it.
  • Model how to match an item to its outline.
  • Encourage your child to try. Be excited when they match an item correctly.

Let’s Sing

Welcome to My House

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Zacchaeus

For lyrics and actions, click here.

Let’s Read

I Love My Home

By Sebastien Braun