Coming Soon: Toddler Class!

Note to Parents
Planning for the Fall Semester

There seems to be an interest in a toddler class for the fall. This would be for children under 3. I am thinking one three hour class once a week. My charge for this class would probably be $75 a month. It will be held either on Monday or Wednesday mornings. Daycare parents, if you are interested there would of course be no daycare charge the morning of the class, but $75 would be added to your bill at the end of the month. I will let you know within the next month if this class will be taking place. If you are not interested, obviously, I will be unable to do daycare that morning. Please let me know if you are interested. I have 5 spaces available, since my own son would benefit greatly from this sort of organized play and learning. My thoughts for this age group’s curriculum will most likely be focused on the following:

Colors and Shapes
Letter and number recognition
Counting
Nursery Rhymes
Music and Movement
Lots of stories-using flannelboards and puppets to engage their attention
A different pretend center each week-dr.’s office, spaceship, farm, etc.-to encourage organized play
Learning about feelings and how to be a good friend (behavior)

Please see www.grasshoppergarden.blogspot.com for 1 sample lesson plan.

Sample themes:

September- Us-Our Bodies and Taking Care of them
Week 1- Our Eyes and Ears
Week 2- Eating food with our mouths
Week 3- Hands feel different textures and Noses Smell
Week 4- Taking care of ourselves-brushing teeth and hair
Washing hands, Getting dressed-zippers, snaps, buttons, etc.

October- Our Feelings
Week 1-When we are happy
Week 2- When we are mad and frustrated
Week 3- When we are sad or scared
Week 4- Manners-“Excuse Me”, sharing, “Sorry”, following rules
Week 5- Pumpkins and Halloween festivities

November- The Great Outdoors
Week 1- Leaves on our trees
Week 2- What is in our garden?
Week 3- Class on Monday-turkeys and Thanksgiving
Week 4- What is our weather? Sunshine, Wind, Rain and Snow

December- Winter
Week 1- Snow and snow activities
Week 2- The Mitten
Week 3- Christmas activities
Week 4- Off for Christmas!
Week 5- Off

January- The World Around Us
Week 1- Our community- the grocery store
Week 2- Our community- the library
Week 3- Our community-the restaurant
Week 4- Our community-the post office and mailmen

February- Our Community Heroes
Week 1- Firefighters and fire trucks
Week 2- Policemen and police cars
Week 3- Visiting the doctor and dentist
Week 4- Construction workers and trucks

March- Our Animal Friends
Week 1- Pets
Week 2- Farm Animals
Week 3- Birds
Week 4- Fish

April- Wild Animals
Week 1- Jungle Animals
Week 2- Off-Spring Break
Week 3- Ocean Animals
Week 4- Forest Animals
Week 5- Reptiles

May- Our Sky
Week 1- The Sun and daytime activities
Week 2- The Moon and Stars and sleeping
Week 3- Clouds
Week 4- Rainbows and class party

Each class will have correlating literature, simple games, pretend centers, music and movement. We will have numbers and alphabet review every class. My hope for toddlers is for them to improve social behaviors, learn classroom manners and that they gain an early love for learning!


Schedule Plan for Fall toddler class
9:00-9:30 free play- make animal puppet for each letter
9:30-9:45 Circle Time- stories and short lesson focus
9:45-10:00 Game to help introduce weekly theme
10:00-10:30 Organized free play-play as a group to accomplish a task- dramatic play
10:30-10:45 Snack time
10:45-11:00 Story time and short lesson focus
11:00-11:15 Music and Movement
11:15-11:30 File folder games, puzzles,
11:30-12:00 Craft, coloring, prewriting practice, and free play

Sample lesson plan for toddler class- September Week #1

9:00-9:30 Free Play- Put together alphabet puppet-alligator
9:30-9:45 Circle Time Our Eyes
Song: Who has blue eyes?
Who has brown?
Book: Brown Bear Brown Bear-flannelboard picts
Going on a Bear Hunt
Discussion: Different things our eyes can see…
In the classroom…
Outside
In the car…
At the zoo..
When I am looking at you…
9:45-10:00 Toilet paper roll binoculars and we go on a bear hunt
10:00-10:30 Organized free play – using our eyes to be pretend artists- finger paint-continue bear hunting
10:30-10:45 Snack time-Listen and watch it pop
10:45-11:00 Storytime- our Ears
Guess that sound
Book: Polar Bear Polar Bear What do you hear? Flannel board
The Ear Book
11:00-11:15 Music and Movement
Old McDonald Had a Farm… (animal sounds)
Sing a song loud and soft
Introduce instruments for children to play
11:15-11:30 File folder games, the Letter A recognition- color all the A’s
And apples with the color red
Matching
11:30-12:00 Craft- Sound shakers with red A’s on them