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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Community helpers: a preschool theme week

Checked Oct 30, 2026 · Any time of year · October, February

One week on community helpers for twos to fours: a five-line circle time, 4 books (4 free to read on Peabody), one craft with 4 materials, “The Muffin Man” with its words, a snack from the Kitchen and the letter H.

Plan this weekPrint the two sheets

Circle time

  1. Good morning song, then say each name together.
  2. Calendar: the day, the date and the weather.
  3. Ask: “Who helps us in our town?”
  4. Sing: The Muffin Man.
  5. Read: The Red Bus (level 1).

Threes and fours: ten to fifteen minutes; let a child hold the book.

Books

  • The Red Bus (level 1, free on peabody.kids): A bus driver who picks everyone up.
  • Stop, Bus! (level 2, free on peabody.kids): A bus, a dog and a kind stop.
  • Dex on the Bus (level 3, free on peabody.kids): Riding the bus and going places.
  • The Big Truck (level 2, free on peabody.kids): A truck and a team who work together.

Craft: Helper hat

You need (4): paper strip headband, crayons, a paper badge shape, tape.

  1. Choose a helper: baker, driver, doctor or mail carrier.
  2. Draw that helper's picture on the badge.
  3. Tape the badge to the headband and wear it.

With a grown-up. No heat, nothing hot.

Song: The Muffin Man

The words

Oh, do you know the muffin man, The muffin man, the muffin man? Oh, do you know the muffin man Who lives on Drury Lane?

Traditional; public domain. From Top 52 nursery rhymes with lyrics.

Snack

English Muffin Pizzas from the Peabody Kitchen: picture steps, allergy swaps and safety lines on the recipe.

Letter pack

HhH is for helper. Print the two pages (a trace page and a color page).

Threes and fours: trace H and h once, then find H in the room and in the book.

Outside: Mail carrier

Give each child a paper letter to deliver to a numbered cone or a friend's cubby.

All themesOctober themesFebruary themesThe theme plannerPreschool and daycare

The books are Peabody's own open library, free with no sign-in. The song is public domain. The snack links to the Peabody Kitchen. Nothing here asks for a child's name.