Lesson Guide Planning Form

Name of Activity:
Originating Idea: Improving Fine Motor Skills, Sorting, and size differentiation
Materials:
Different variety of clean recyclable containers with lids/tops that come off and on easily
(Milk jugs, food storage containers, old film containers, puffs containers, Pringles cans etc)
Curriculum Content:
Approaches to Learning #2 Problem Solving
Beginning:
Take all the lids off and tell the children a story about how you were carrying them to be recycled and
dropped them by accident. Ask I wonder if you can help me find which lid fits to the containers?
Middle:
Most children will try the different lids over and over until they find the right match.
Extensions:
Easier- some children may not be able to find a match easily and enjoy playing with the different
containers (by stacking them or using them to make noises)
Harder- Some children may not need to use trial and error, but rather measure up big and small to
decide which lids will go on the different bottles.
End:
Once the children have found all the lids, have them place the containers in the recycling bin and take a
trip to drop them off for recycling.
Follow-up Ideas:
Try doing the same idea with lids that screw on. This will get children using even more problem solving
skills to figure out how to get the lids on and off.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Jump Up and Down
Originating Idea:
Children enjoy singing and dancing together
Materials:
Small exercise trampoline
Curriculum Content:
Social Emotional Development
#7 Relationships with Peers, #10 Playing with Others, #11 Group Participation
Beginning:
Bring out the trampoline, when children begin to jump start singing the song.
Middle:
Most children will wait their turn and clap while their friends have a turn
Extensions:
Easier- some children may not want to wait their turn and jump in place on the ground. Others may
need to hold hands with an adult to keep balance while jumping on the trampoline.
Harder- some children will sing along and clap while jumping for their own name, as well as sing and clap
for others having a turn.
End:
Give children a warning about who is the last to jump, and that once the song is over the trampoline will
be put away.
Follow-up Ideas:
Trying doing this activity without the trampoline as a group. Also try having children give suggestions as
to who should have the next turn.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Obstacle Course
Originating Idea:
May of the children in class are enrolled in gymnastics class and have been acting it out in the classroom
Materials:
Foam balance beam
Carpet Squares
Tunnel
Riding Toys
Padded Mats
Curriculum Content:
Physical Development and Health #13 Moving the Whole Body #14Moving with Objects
Beginning:
Set up an obstacle course for the children, ask them I wonder if you guys can teach a gymnastics class?
Middle:
Most children may play on the course and take turns using the different areas, walking the balance
beam or crawling through the tunnel.
Extensions:
Earlier- some children may watch their friends a few times to see how they are used. They may start by
using one foot on the balance beam or walking from one carpet square to the next. They may also stay
in one area the entire time.
Harder- Some children may follow the course and do the different obstacles in order. They may hop or
roll between carpet squares and do summersaults on the mats.
End:
Set up stop watch and tell the children that when 5 minutes is over it is time to put everything away and
wash hands for snack.
Follow-up Ideas:
Set up an outdoor course for bikes and peddle cars. Use traffic cones and jump ropes to make paths and
obstacles. It will get children to move their bodies in different ways to avoid traffic blocks.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Bear Hunt
Originating Idea:
Camping Theme for the week, children have been interested in bears
Materials:
Bear Hunt Song (CD)
Curriculum Content:
Communication and Language #16 Listening and Responding
Beginning:
Tell the children they will be going on a bear hunt, discuss that you will need to pack. Once ready, sing
the bear hunt song and do the motions together.
Middle:
Most children will echo the words back and pat their knees, tap their toes, etc along with the song
Extensions:
Easier- some children may echo a few familiar words back, but focus on acting out the motions the song
mentions
Harder- Some children may help in leading the song and movements
End:
Once the song is over have the children relive what they did/saw on their bear hunt.
Follow-up Ideas:
Discuss where you might fund a bear? What would you do if you caught it? What would a bear eat?
What else would it need?









Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Ocean Sensory Bottles
Originating Idea:
Ocean Week Theme and children are interested in the water movement
Materials:
Clean Empty Clear Plastic Bottles
Sand
Oil
Water
Small Shells and Pebbles
Glitter
Blue Food Coloring
Curriculum Content:
Cognitive Development #22 Exploring Objects
Beginning:
Give each child a bottle and let them explore the materials and choose what to put into their bottle.
Middle:
Most children will fill their bottles with sand rocks and pebbles, pour in water and oil and shake them
up. They may observe the way things sink to the bottom or the way the oil or dye acts in the water.
Extensions:
Easier- some children may play with and discover the items by themselves without putting them in the
bottles.
Harder- some children may want to finish their bottles and sit at the table to shake them, and watch
them move inside. They might describe what they see inside their bottles.
End:
Give the children a 5 minute warning to finish up their bottles. Try to have them sort the different
materials while cleaning up.
Follow-up Ideas:
Place the bottles on a light table for children to view them in a different way. Allow them time to
explore their bottles with the light shining through them.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Painting Tools
Originating Idea:
Children have been getting bored with the same paint brushes and dotters
Materials:
Smocks
Paints
Paper
Whisks, Sponges, Paper Tubes, Popsicle Sticks, Cookie Cutters, Bubble Wrap, Spatulas
Plates (to put paint on)
Curriculum Content:
Creative Arts #37 Exploring Art Materials
Beginning:
Set up an inviting paint area with different materials to paint with, let children explore and make choices
on what to use.
Middle:
Most children will choose a material to paint a picture with.
Extensions:
Easier- some children may choose to paint with their hands, they may also chose to use the other
materials to stir around in the paint.
Harder- some children will use a variety of materials to paint with, they may even describe the different
patters each one makes.
End:
Give children a 5 minutes clean up warning. Once the warning is up, have each child bring their painting
utensil to the sink to be cleaned off.
Follow-up Ideas:
Once projects are dry, encourage children to discuss and identify any shapes their print has made. Help
point out any patters found in the art.
Also, laminate the painting and place them in the kitchen area, that way the children can try to go back
and find the object that they painted with and match it to the prints it made.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Color Egg Hunt
Originating Idea:
Children are starting to develop sorting skills, it will be a good way to branch out on their color
recognition.
Materials:
Plastic Eggs in a variety of colors
Baskets (one for each child)
Cut out laminated pictures of ducks, each one a different color
Curriculum Content:
Cognitive Development #24 Exploring Same and Different #28 Locating Objects
Beginning:
Tape up each laminated duck with the corresponding colored basket underneath. Place the colored
plastic eggs all around the room, make some easy to find and other more hidden. Tell the children a
story about how all the eggs got mixed up and need helping finding their way back to the right colored
mommy ducks.
Middle:
Most children will find the eggs and bring them back to the same color basket
Extensions:
Easier- some children may find the eggs, and know the colors but need some guidance to sort them into
the right basket.
Harder- Other children may find the eggs and place them in the correct basket, they will even find the
eggs that are more difficulty hidden than the others.
End:
Give the children a 5 minutes warning to wrap up. Have them meet on the group time run.
Follow-up Ideas:
Go through as a class and count the eggs in each basket. If any our missing, try again to find them.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Washing Babies
Originating Idea:
Children enjoy playing with babies in the dramatic play area
Materials:
Baby Dolls
Sensory Table filled with water
Bubble Bath
Wash Rags/sponges
Dry Towels
Bath toys/ Cups
Curriculum Content:
Creative Arts #36 Imitating and Pretending
Beginning:
Tell the children a story about how the babies got all messy, and allow them to explore the provided
materials.
Middle:
Most children will use the materials to wash the babies
Extensions:
Easier- Some children may splash and dump the water
Harder- Some children may wash the babies and then wrap them in towels to take them to get dressing
in the dramatic play area.
End:
Pull the drain on the sensory tub, let children know when the water is empty it is time to clean up.
Follow-up Ideas:
After the bath, ask children what they usually do after bath time, allow them to act out their routine
with the babies (brush hair/teeth, read bedtime story, get tucked in, etc)



Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Toy in a Bottle
Originating Idea:
Children have been enjoying filling and dumping their toy baskets.
Materials:
Small table toys/blocks
Clean, plastic jars and containers w/ lids (peanut butter jar, puffs container)
Curriculum Content:
Approaches to Learning #2 Problem Solving, #3 Self Help
Beginning:
Give the child an interesting toy to play with. Then take the toy and place it inside of a clear plastic
mason jar.
Middle:
Most children will tip the jar and shake it, or try to reach their hand inside to pull the desired toy out.
Extensions:
Easier- Use a bucket or other container with a larger opening. Make sure its deep enough for the child to
have to reach inside or dump it over to get the toy.
Harder- Gently screw the jars lid in place to allow the child to work at turning the lid in order to open the
jar to get the toy out.
End:
Let the child play with the toy and explore putting it back in and taking it out of the container.
Follow-up Ideas:
Place the toys under or inside of opaque containers. Children will have to work a little harder to figure
out where the toy went and how to get it back. Also try a few bigger toys that may not fall out as easily
when the container is dumped over.
Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Simple Puzzles
Originating Idea:
Children have had trouble hanging onto toys and dropping them frequently.
Materials:
Thick pieces of cardboard
Marker
Plastic Cookie Cutter
Scissors
Curriculum Content:
Approaches to Learning #2 Problem Solving #3 Self Help
Physical Development and Health #12 Moving Parts of the Body
Beginning:
Trace cookie cutters on cardboard and cut out shapes. Place the cookie cutter inside the empty spot in
the cardboard puzzle and lay them out for children to explore. Begin with only one or two pieces per
puzzle.
Middle:
Most children will take the puzzle pieces out and work to place them back inside by turning them to be
in the correct position to fit in place.
Extensions:
Easier- Use a simple shape such as a basic circle or square that will easily fit back into the empty space.
Harder- Try adding more challenging shapes like stars and hearts, or animal cut outs.
End:
Give the children time to complete their puzzles and encourage them to put them on the self to clean
up.
Follow-up Ideas:
Instead of using the actual cookie cutters, try using the cut-out shapes. This gives the child less to grip
onto and causes them to manipulate the pieces more. Also increase the number of pieces per puzzle.



Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Lets see whos here today!
Originating Idea:
The children are starting to respond to their own names, as well as looking for other children when they
are being called/talked to.
Materials
Laminated photos of each child
Stick-on Velcro
Large poster board (20x30)
Curriculum Content:
Social Emotional Development
#4 Distinguishing Self and Others
Beginning:
During circle time, ask children I wonder who is here today?Lets find out!
Put out photos for children to look through
Middle:
Most children will find their own photo and stick it onto the Here Today board.
Extensions:
Easier- Put out only the photos of the children who are there, ask the children Where is ________? to
help them find the pictures of the children in attendance.
Harder- Put out pictures of the entire class, even those not there for the day. Work on having children
say their own names and their friends names when choosing the pictures.
End:
Have children post their own pictures on the board and end by singing a name song for everyone who is
there for the day. Put the board up for the children to look at throughout the day.

Follow-up Ideas:
Also put out staff pictures and see if children can match the pictures to who is in the room.
Also, as children begin to leave, see if they know what pictures need to come down for the day.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Bubble Wrap Mat
Originating Idea:
Some children are beginning to crawl
Materials:
Bubble wrap
Tape
A thin receiving blanket or cloth
Curriculum Content:
Physical Development and Health #13 Moving the Whole Body
Beginning:
Lay out bubble wrap and tape securely to the floor. Lay a thin blanket or cloth over top and place child
on the bubble wrap mat. Place an interesting toy just out of reach to prompt the child to move towards
it.
Middle:
Most children will push up to crawl towards the toy. This will make the bubble wrap pop and encourage
the child to move more to make the new noise happen again.
Extensions:
Easier- For children not yet beginning to crawl, place them on their back and hang an interesting toy
above to encourage them to kick their feet and move their arms, causing the bubbles to pop.
Harder- Do the same activity for children learning to walk. Place bubble wrap along an area that children
can pull up/hold on to while taking steps. The popping sound will encourage them to take more steps.
End:
Remove the bubble wrap and have children feel and explore with it until interest is lost, discard bubble
wrap and move on to a new activity.
Follow-up Ideas:
Add to the movement causing a sound concept by placing them on crinkly materials (cellophane,
tissue paper), mats with squeakers in them, or by loosely attaching bells/rattles around their wrists or
ankles.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Mocking Bird
Originating Idea:
Children are beginning to babble and try new word sounds during play
Materials:
Voices and Smiles
Curriculum Content:
Communication and Language #16 Listening and Responding
Beginning:
After hearing a child make a repetitive noise (ba-ba-ba), look at them, smile, and repeat the noise back
Middle:
Most children will pick up on the game. They may smile or laugh as you copy their sounds, and then
repeat the same noises again (ba-ba-ba)
Extensions:
Easier- If the child is not yet making repetitious sounds, make them to him/her to encourage them to
copy the sound back to you. Try clapping in the rhythm of the words to get them interested and excited.
Harder- After going back and forth with the same sound, change to a new sound and see if the child
follows your lead (da-da-da, ma-ma-ma)
End:
Hold the game for as long as possible (until the baby seems bored) and shift interest to a new activity.
Follow-up Ideas:
Sings songs with repetitive sounds, such as: Baa-Baa Black Sheep, Row Your Boat, or Apples and
Bananas. Encourage new word sounds such as uh-oh, oh-no, or buh-bye

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Hide and Seek
Originating Idea:
Children love playing peek-a-boo and are beginning to look for caregivers when they cover their faces.
Materials:
A favorite toy
A blanket
Curriculum Content:
Cognitive Development #23 Object Permanence
Beginning:
Get child interested in a desired toy. Remove the toy and play peek-a-boo with the toy and a blanket.
Then, leave the blanket on top of the toy where the child cannot see it directly.
Middle:
Most children will work to remove the blanket and laugh/take back the desired toy.
Extensions:
Easier- Leave a part of the toy semi-visible to the child to give them a hint as to it still being there.
Harder- Put the toy behind your back to see if the child moves to look around you and get the toy back.
End:
Give the child back the toy and allow them to hide it themselves and find it again. Allow this to
continue until interest is lost in order to instill a strong sense of permanence.
Follow-up Ideas:
Use several different blankets, or even buckets, to hide a single toy under. Allow the child to look under
several different objects in order to find which as the toy underneath.

Lesson Guide Planning Form
Name of Activity: Animal Sounds
Originating Idea:
The children are starting to recognize animals by the noises they make
Materials:
Picture Books of Animals
OR
Large laminated pictures of different animals
Curriculum Content:
Creative Arts #38 Identifying Visual Images, #41 Sounds
Beginning:
Help and encourage children to point out different images in a picture book. Ask questions like, I
wonder where the cow is? or what does the chicken say?
Middle:
Most children will point out different animals and make the noises of the particular animal.
Extensions:
Easier- Let the children point out an animal instead. Say the name of the animal and make the noise
yourself. Encourage them to repeat the sounds of each animal. Can you sound like a piggy too?
Harder- Allow children to point out animals on their own, see if they can still identify the animal
correctly and respond with the appropriate noise.
End:
Before putting books/pictures away, sing Old McDonald to the children while pointing to each animal
on the farm and encourage them to make the noises of each different animal
Follow-up Ideas:
Make puppets for the children and put on an animal puppet show. Include different animal noises and
let the children try out the puppets themselves.