Opposites theme for toddlers: a week of activities
A opposites 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.
A day of the opposites theme with toddlers
- Arrival and free play on the floor.
- Sing “The Grand Old Duke of York” with actions; repeat it while you change and feed.
- Hold and pass something real for the week (big), and say its name.
- Snack: a toddler-safe version of banana sushi (check the recipe's lines for under-4s).
- Outside: a short walk looking for little.
- Read Go, Snail, Go! on laps, pointing and naming.
- Nap, then the song once more at pick-up.
Opposites circle time
- Hello song: sing hello to each child by name.
- Look out of the window together: sun, rain or clouds?
- Show the theme: hold up something real and name it.
- Sing: The Grand Old Duke of York.
- Read: Go, Snail, Go! (level 3).
Infants and toddlers: two or three minutes, on laps.
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.
Infants and toddlers: one book, read every day; point and name.
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.
Infants and toddlers: let them touch and hold the materials while you make it; nothing small enough to swallow.
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).
Infants and toddlers: skip the trace page; show the picture page 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 2 year oldsOpposites theme for 3 and 4 year oldsOpposites theme, all ages
Checked 2026-10-30