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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Family theme for toddlers: a week of activities

A family 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 family week

A day of the family theme with toddlers

  1. Arrival and free play on the floor.
  2. Sing “Hush, Little Baby” with actions; repeat it while you change and feed.
  3. Hold and pass something real for the week (family), and say its name.
  4. Snack: a toddler-safe version of fruit dip (check the recipe's lines for under-4s).
  5. Outside: a short walk looking for home.
  6. Read Pat, Pat, Pat on laps, pointing and naming.
  7. Nap, then the song once more at pick-up.

Family 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: Hush, Little Baby.
  5. Read: Pat, Pat, Pat (level 0).

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

Family theme books

  • Pat, Pat, Pat (level 0, free on peabody.kids): A family's small kindnesses.
  • Dad Naps (level 0, free on peabody.kids): A family moment in a pattern.
  • Get Up, Gus! (level 1, free on peabody.kids): A family morning.
  • A Boo for Bea (read aloud, level 4): A read-aloud: a big sibling and a baby.

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

Family craft: Family house

You need (4): a paper house shape, crayons, paper window flaps, glue stick.

  1. Glue on window flaps.
  2. Under each flap, draw someone in your family (pets too).
  3. Open the flaps and tell a friend who lives there.

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.

Family song: Hush, Little Baby

The words

Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke, Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat.

Traditional (Southern US); public domain. From Top 20 lullabies with lyrics.

Family snack

Fruit Dip from the Peabody Kitchen: picture steps, allergy swaps and safety lines on the recipe.

Letter F activities

FfF is for family. 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: Family game

Play a game families play: follow the leader, with a new leader each time.

Family theme for 2 year oldsFamily theme for 3 and 4 year oldsFamily theme, all ages

Checked 2026-10-30