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Thankful theme for 2 year olds: a week of activities

A thankful 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.

Plan this week for 2 year oldsThe whole thankful week

A day of the thankful theme with 2 year olds

  1. Arrival, hands washed, free play.
  2. Circle (about five minutes): hello song, then “Who would you like to say thank you to?” and sing “polly put the kettle on”.
  3. Craft with a grown-up pouring and cutting: thank-you handprint tree.
  4. Snack: Banana Oat Cookies.
  5. Outside: helper relay.
  6. Read A Bun for Fran, the same book again tomorrow.
  7. Rest, then color the letter T picture page.

Thankful circle time

  1. Good morning song, then say each name together.
  2. Calendar: the day, the date and the weather.
  3. Ask: “Who would you like to say thank you to?”
  4. Sing: Polly Put the Kettle On.
  5. Read: A Bun for Fran (level 2).

Twos: about five minutes; stand up for the song.

Thankful theme books

  • A Bun for Fran (level 2, free on peabody.kids): Sharing a bun with a friend.
  • Pat, Pat, Pat (level 0, free on peabody.kids): Small kindnesses in a family, in a pattern.
  • Ring the Bell (level 2, free on peabody.kids): A gift and a friend at the door.
  • Fish in a Dish (level 2, free on peabody.kids): Being kind to an animal that needs help.

Thankful craft: Thank-you handprint tree

You need (4): large paper, brown crayon, washable paint in fall colors, wipes.

  1. A grown-up draws a tree trunk on the paper.
  2. Each child presses a painted hand on as a leaf.
  3. Write by each hand who that child is thankful for.

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

Twos: a grown-up pours the paint and holds the glue.

Thankful song: Polly Put the Kettle On

The words

Polly put the kettle on, Polly put the kettle on, Polly put the kettle on, We'll all have tea. Sukey take it off again, Sukey take it off again, Sukey take it off again, They've all gone away.

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

Thankful snack

Banana Oat Cookies from the Peabody Kitchen: picture steps, allergy swaps and safety lines on the recipe.

Letter T activities

TtT is for thank you. Print the two pages (a trace page and a color page).

Twos: the picture page only; color it and say the word.

Outside activity: Helper relay

Pass a basket of balls down a line, saying "thank you" with each one.

Thankful theme for toddlersThankful theme for 3 and 4 year oldsThankful theme, all ages

Checked 2026-10-30