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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Community Helpers theme for toddlers: a week of activities

A community helpers theme lesson plan for toddlers: what a day looks like, then the week's circle time (two or three minutes, on laps), books, craft, song, snack, letter and outside time, each with what changes at this age.

Plan this week for toddlersThe whole community helpers week

A day of the community helpers theme with toddlers

  1. Arrival and free play on the floor.
  2. Sing “The Muffin Man” with actions; repeat it while you change and feed.
  3. Hold and pass something real for the week (helper), and say its name.
  4. Snack: a toddler-safe version of english muffin pizzas (check the recipe's lines for under-4s).
  5. Outside: a short walk looking for bus.
  6. Read The Red Bus on laps, pointing and naming.
  7. Nap, then the song once more at pick-up.

Community Helpers circle time

  1. Hello song: sing hello to each child by name.
  2. Look out of the window together: sun, rain or clouds?
  3. Show the theme: hold up something real and name it.
  4. Sing: The Muffin Man.
  5. Read: The Red Bus (level 1).

Infants and toddlers: two or three minutes, on laps.

Community Helpers theme 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.

Infants and toddlers: one book, read every day; point and name.

Community Helpers 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.

Infants and toddlers: let them touch and hold the materials while you make it; nothing small enough to swallow.

Community Helpers 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.

Community Helpers snack

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

Letter H activities

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

Infants and toddlers: skip the trace page; show the picture page and say the word.

Outside activity: Mail carrier

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

Community Helpers theme for 2 year oldsCommunity Helpers theme for 3 and 4 year oldsCommunity Helpers theme, all ages

Checked 2026-10-30