December preschool curriculum
December in the free preschool curriculum: 3 theme weeks (winter and snow, gingerbread, night and day), each on one sheet with its parts, the skills they work on, box-free materials and open-ended ways in.
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- Week 14: Winter and snow, the full plan
- Week 15: Gingerbread, the full plan
- Week 16: Night and day, the full plan
A winter week for twos to fours: snow and ice, mittens and coats, and what happens when ice melts.
| Part | This week | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| Circle time | What happens to snow when it gets warm? | Language, Social and emotional |
| Books | Lou and the Snow Dad; Pim and the Mitten; Where Is Ned's Hat?; Dad Naps | Early literacy, Language |
| Craft | Cotton-ball snowman: Glue cotton balls in three circles, small on top. Glue on the hat and the scarf. Draw the face and the buttons. | Moving, Thinking and exploring |
| Song | Mary Had a Little Lamb | Language, Moving |
| Snack | Frozen Yogurt Bark | Social and emotional, Early math |
| Letter pack | W is for winter | Early literacy |
| Outside | Melt race: Put an ice cube in the sun and one in the shade. Check after snack: which melted first? | Moving, Social and emotional |
Box-free materials
Craft: blue card, cotton balls, glue stick, a paper hat and scarf, crayons.
Snack: yogurt, maple syrup, blueberries, granola, dried cranberries.
All week: paper, crayons, a ball or a scarf for the outside game.
Words for the wall
snow · ice · mitten · cold
Open-ended ways in
- Process art: put out blue card, cotton balls, glue stick and a paper hat and scarf with no finished sample to copy, and let each child make their own winter and snow picture.
- Invitation to play: the four words (snow, ice, mitten, cold) on cards in the reading corner with this week's books, paper and crayons.
- Wonder wall: ask “What happens to snow when it gets warm?” on Monday and again on Friday, and write both answers up.
- Twos: a grown-up pours the paint and holds the glue.
- Mixed ages: the twos do the craft with help; the fours help the twos.
Ask at pick-up
Ask about which ice cube melted first. Ask about how they kept warm outside.
A gingerbread week for twos to fours: the old tale of the running cookie, smelling spices and a pretend bakery.
| Part | This week | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| Circle time | Why did the gingerbread man run away? | Language, Social and emotional |
| Books | The Gingerbread Man; Fox and the Hen; A Bun for Fran | Early literacy, Language |
| Craft | Gingerbread person: Draw the face. Glue on buttons or stickers. Give your gingerbread person a name. | Moving, Thinking and exploring |
| Song | Pat-a-Cake | Language, Moving |
| Snack | Banana Oat Cookies | Social and emotional, Early math |
| Letter pack | G is for gingerbread | Early literacy |
| Outside | Run, run, as fast as you can: A chasing game: the gingerbread runners run to the fence; the fox (a grown-up) walks slowly after them. | Moving, Social and emotional |
Box-free materials
Craft: a brown card person (grown-up cuts), crayons, buttons or stickers, glue stick.
Snack: very ripe bananas (brown spots), rolled oats, cinnamon, chocolate chips.
All week: paper, crayons, a ball or a scarf for the outside game.
Words for the wall
gingerbread · run · fox · bake
Open-ended ways in
- Process art: put out a brown card person (grown-up cuts), crayons, buttons or stickers and glue stick with no finished sample to copy, and let each child make their own gingerbread picture.
- Invitation to play: the four words (gingerbread, run, fox, bake) on cards in the reading corner with this week's books, paper and crayons.
- Wonder wall: ask “Why did the gingerbread man run away?” on Monday and again on Friday, and write both answers up.
- Twos: a grown-up pours the paint and holds the glue.
- Mixed ages: the twos do the craft with help; the fours help the twos.
Ask at pick-up
Ask about how the gingerbread tale ends. Ask about what their gingerbread person is called.
A night-and-day week for twos to fours: the sun and the moon, who is awake at night, and bedtime.
| Part | This week | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| Circle time | Which animals are awake at night? | Language, Social and emotional |
| Books | Not Yet, Ted; Sit, Tap, Nap; Dad Naps; The Moon Follows Me | Early literacy, Language |
| Craft | Day and night plate: Color one half yellow with a sun. Color the other half dark with a moon. Add stars to the night side. | Moving, Thinking and exploring |
| Song | Brahms' Lullaby | Language, Moving |
| Snack | Owl Toast | Social and emotional, Early math |
| Letter pack | N is for night | Early literacy |
| Outside | Night and day: Call "Day!" and everyone runs and plays; call "Night!" and everyone lies down still, eyes closed. | Moving, Social and emotional |
Box-free materials
Craft: paper plate, yellow crayon, dark blue crayon, star stickers.
Snack: bread, peanut butter, bananas, an apple, blueberries, clementines.
All week: paper, crayons, a ball or a scarf for the outside game.
Words for the wall
night · day · moon · owl
Open-ended ways in
- Process art: put out paper plate, yellow crayon, dark blue crayon and star stickers with no finished sample to copy, and let each child make their own night and day picture.
- Invitation to play: the four words (night, day, moon, owl) on cards in the reading corner with this week's books, paper and crayons.
- Wonder wall: ask “Which animals are awake at night?” on Monday and again on Friday, and write both answers up.
- Twos: a grown-up pours the paint and holds the glue.
- Mixed ages: the twos do the craft with help; the fours help the twos.
Ask at pick-up
Ask about which animals are awake at night. Ask about what is on the night side of their plate.