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Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

Music and instruments: a preschool theme week

Checked Oct 30, 2026 · Any time of year · January, May

One week on music and instruments for twos to fours: a five-line circle time, 4 books (4 free to read on Peabody), one craft with 4 materials, “Old King Cole” with its words, a snack from the Kitchen and the letter M.

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: “What sounds can you make with your body?”
  4. Sing: Old King Cole.
  5. Read: Tim Taps (level 0).

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

Books

  • Tim Taps (level 0, free on peabody.kids): Tapping out a beat.
  • Ring the Bell (level 2, free on peabody.kids): A bell and a friend at the door.
  • Pit, Pat (level 0, free on peabody.kids): The beat of rain, to tap along.
  • Rain on the Hat (level 3, free on peabody.kids): A pattern you can drum.

Craft: Shaker

You need (4): a small bottle with a lid, dry rice or pasta, tape, stickers.

  1. Pour a little rice in the bottle (a grown-up helps).
  2. A grown-up closes it and tapes the lid shut.
  3. Decorate it and shake it loud, then soft.

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

Song: Old King Cole

The words

Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three.

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

Snack

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

Letter pack

MmM is for music. Print the two pages (a trace page and a color page).

Threes and fours: trace M and m once, then find M in the room and in the book.

Outside: Room band parade

March with shakers and pots: play loud for big steps, soft for tiptoes, stop when the leader stops.

All themesJanuary themesMay 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.