Creating a lesson plan for the week allows for the opportunity to have some structured playtime while we teach some important developmental and Pre-K concepts at home.
Learning should only be done a few minutes a day and only when your little one is in the mood. Never force learning time and always do it through play.
The lessons shared here are part of the One Year Old Curriculum called My First School or inspired by some of the activities there.
The activities are meant to be simple and reduce the amount of set up and materials.
Areas of Development for this week:
- Gross Motor Skills
- Fine Motor Skills
- Language Development
Activities for This Week
Objective: Gross Motor Skills | Practice and develop gross motor skills
Supplies for this activity: Soccer ball (or any ball)
Your tabby is more active than ever. He is using every new skill he is learning and keeping you on your toes. This week, head outside to your backyard or go to the local park and bring out a soccer ball. Actually, any ball will work.
Let practice how to kick the ball, chase it and kick it again. Sounds easy? Maybe! Some Tabbies are used to holding the balls with their hands and kicking is a new skill and way to play with a ball.
Objective: Fine motor skills | Learning and practicing the life skill to scoop and pour
Supplies for this activity: Large shower curtain, large container, smaller containers, cereal, scoops, spoons, measuring cups, etc.
One thing is true about One Year Olds! they love to transfer things from one place to the other.
To help with this important skill- because one day we want them to serve themselves a glass of milk or orange juice without making a huge mess- we will work on practicing this skill. First, with dry materials and eventually with wet ones.
Set up a scoop and transfer cereal sensory bin and let your little one play as he masters the art of scooping and transferring.
Objective: language development – Letter sound recognition: Letter B
Supplies for this activity: Different color balls.
Gather a few balls of different colors.
Play with the balls and every time you hold a ball say “B-B-B Ball” repeat several times.
When he has the ball repeat “B-B-B Ball”
Ask him to say B-B-B ball. Eventually, he will say it.
Watch: Quick video of us practicing this activity >>
Notes:
Remember that learning happens on a daily basis doing small simple activities like this each day. You can pick one activity a day (like I used to do) and find play and learn opportunities.
Objective: Practice following directions and gross motor skills.
Supplies: Two baskets, balls
Place two baskets far away from each other.
Fill up one basket with balls and the other leave empty.
Show your toddler how to transfer one ball at a time from one basket to the other.
Objective: Eye-hand coordination, cause and effect
Materials: Cardboard box, construction paper, scissors, balls
Cut up holes into a cardboard box big enough that the ball can fit.
Cut out another hole on the side to get the balls out.
Provide a basket of balls or any other small object that will fit in the hole.
Optional: Design the box like we did on the photo to “feed the monkey”
Show your toddler how to grab one ball at a time and insert it into the box.
Now, let your toddler try it!