Coaching toddlers

  THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND MY LESSON PLAN FOR A GROUP OF EIGHT TODDLERS My lesson plans are a tool to help the kids and me to have a good day.  When children are busy developing their skills, they are happy and so am I.  It should never be something to stress about.  I made it clear to myself years ago, the children under my care here and now are my priority at all time.  I plan during nap but nap is not always quiet.  If a child needs my attention I drop whatever I'm doing and give attention to him or her.  If they are quiet during the day I might start to sit at the table and plan or prepare an art project but if the atmosphere of the classroom gets hectic I invite them to cut with me at the table or draw with me,  or dropping everything and march with them instead of running, whatever I think that might help to channel their energy and engage them with me. If I didn't  have time to make a lesson plan, I improvise or do again what worked yeste...

  SAILBOAT  easy craft for toddlers I demonstrated how a circle becomes a semi circle when cut in the middle and how a big triangle becomes 2, for a little geometry lesson.  I gave my students one of each with some white glue, a cotton swab and a toothpick.  When they were done spreading the glue I added the other triangle and semi circle.  Then I gave them their beach art project for them to add.  https://coachingtoddlers.blogspot.com/2022/06/beach-art-for-toddlers.html I like to make one to show the idea then I toss it to avoid comparison.  Here some of the children's one: They look like a storm don't they? I love them!

RESCuING FROZEN ARCTIC ANIMALS Science activity for toddlers Supplies : - One Arcric animal per child - One dropper per child  - Blue food coloring (optional)  - one tray per child (optional but very convenient)  The preparation:  The day before or at least three hours in advance, place as many Arctic animals in separate bowls with a little bit of water and a drop of blue food coloring. The set up : Announce you have a special activity for them at the table.  Explain that a bunch of Artic animals got stuck in ice on a very cold night and they need our help.   We will delivered them from the ice by dropping warm water on them. Demonstrate to each child how to get water with the dropper then dropping it on the animal before giving them those supplies.     

  FIVE LITTLE PUMPKINS  Craft for toddlers All my "kids" were sleeping so I traced a witch from the book "Five little pumpkins" by Dan Yaccarino, cut it out, trace more using the cut out, colored them with markers then cut them all out one by one.  Two per kids so 16 witches.  I did it in the kitchen and each time a teacher would come in I was  saying :  "I'm crazy".  I know how to get my self in a too big project.  Anyway the children enjoyed it and it was a good fine motor activity for me (at my age it is not for development, it is to not let arthritis getting my fingers too stiff and weak 😀). Some children had a lot of fun playing with the glue stick... that's fine.  We made it over a week, adding one element each day.  The goal was Art some days, others it was Engagement in Learning by discovering the glue and the purpose of it.  I traced the ghost and the witch from the book.  I'm not an artist.   I like how each one...

APPLE PRINTING craft for toddlers  My first attempt was an half apple then I decided that it makes more sense for toddlers to keep them whole.  We did the prints first, let dry then add the craft sticks as a basket.