Water theme for 3 and 4 year olds: a week of activities
A water theme lesson plan for 3 and 4 year olds: what a day looks like, then the week's circle time (ten to fifteen minutes, with a child holding the book), books, craft, song, snack, letter and outside time, each with what changes at this age.
A day of the water theme with 3 and 4 year olds
- Arrival, sign-in, and a job from the helper chart.
- Circle (ten to fifteen minutes): calendar, “Will it float or sink?”, sing “jack and jill”, then Fish in a Dish.
- Centers, with the craft at one table: float or sink chart.
- Letter W: trace it once, then hunt for W around the room.
- Snack: Fruit Kabobs, with children pouring and counting.
- Outside: paint with water.
- Rest, then a longer read-aloud: Bo and the Bath Duck.
Water circle time
- Good morning song, then say each name together.
- Calendar: the day, the date and the weather.
- Ask: “Will it float or sink?”
- Sing: Jack and Jill.
- Read: Fish in a Dish (level 2).
Threes and fours: ten to fifteen minutes; let a child hold the book.
Water theme books
- Fish in a Dish (level 2, free on peabody.kids): A fish in water.
- Pup in the Tub (level 1, free on peabody.kids): Bath water and a puppy.
- Bo and the Bath Duck (read aloud, level 4): A read-aloud: a bath duck that goes missing.
- The Crow and the Pitcher (read aloud, level 5): A read-aloud fable: how the crow raised the water.
Water craft: Float or sink chart
You need (4): card with two columns, crayons, a tub of water, small toys to test.
- Guess: will it float or sink?
- Drop it in the water and watch.
- Draw it on the right side of the chart.
With a grown-up. No heat, nothing hot.
Water song: Jack and Jill
The words
Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after.
Traditional; public domain. From Top 52 nursery rhymes with lyrics.
Water snack
Fruit Kabobs from the Peabody Kitchen: picture steps, allergy swaps and safety lines on the recipe.
Letter W activities
WwW is for water. Print the two pages (a trace page and a color page).
Threes and fours: trace W and w once, then find W in the room and in the book.
Outside activity: Paint with water
Give everyone a cup of water and a big brush. Paint the fence or the path and watch it dry.
Water theme for toddlersWater theme for 2 year oldsWater theme, all ages
Checked 2026-10-30