Opposites theme for 2 year olds: a week of activities
A opposites theme lesson plan for 2 year olds: what a day looks like, then the week's circle time (about five minutes, standing up for the song), books, craft, song, snack, letter and outside time, each with what changes at this age.
A day of the opposites theme with 2 year olds
- Arrival, hands washed, free play.
- Circle (about five minutes): hello song, then “What is the opposite of up?” and sing “the grand old duke of york”.
- Craft with a grown-up pouring and cutting: big and little picture.
- Snack: Banana Sushi.
- Outside: opposite moves.
- Read Go, Snail, Go!, the same book again tomorrow.
- Rest, then color the letter O picture page.
Opposites circle time
- Good morning song, then say each name together.
- Calendar: the day, the date and the weather.
- Ask: “What is the opposite of up?”
- Sing: The Grand Old Duke of York.
- Read: Go, Snail, Go! (level 3).
Twos: about five minutes; stand up for the song.
Opposites theme books
- Go, Snail, Go! (level 3, free on peabody.kids): Fast and slow.
- In My Bag (level 3, free on peabody.kids): In and out.
- Where Is the Cat? (level 3, free on peabody.kids): Hiding: in, on, under.
- Look at the Big Pig (read aloud, level 4): A read-aloud: big and little.
Opposites craft: Big and little picture
You need (4): paper, a big and a little paper circle, glue stick, crayons.
- Glue the big circle and the little circle.
- Turn them into a big and a little animal.
- Say which is big and which is little.
With a grown-up. No heat, nothing hot.
Twos: a grown-up pours the paint and holds the glue.
Opposites song: The Grand Old Duke of York
The words
Oh, the grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men; He marched them up to the top of the hill, And he marched them down again. And when they were up, they were up, And when they were down, they were down, And when they were only half-way up, They were neither up nor down.
Traditional; public domain. From Top 52 nursery rhymes with lyrics.
Opposites snack
Banana Sushi from the Peabody Kitchen: picture steps, allergy swaps and safety lines on the recipe.
Swap: Flour tortillas → corn tortillas; Peanut butter → sunflower seed butter.
Letter O activities
OoO is for opposite. Print the two pages (a trace page and a color page).
Twos: the picture page only; color it and say the word.
Outside activity: Opposite moves
Do the opposite of the leader: when they go fast, go slow; when they reach up, crouch down.
Opposites theme for toddlersOpposites theme for 3 and 4 year oldsOpposites theme, all ages
Checked 2026-10-30