This easy preschool lesson plan for working parents and busy families are easy to follow but give caregivers meaningful daily activities. Lockdown is tough, and it’s getting to people, but for many of us, we know we won’t be “back to normal” anytime soon. One activity a day won’t replace a full week of preschool or your child’s day in childcare, but this isn’t meant to. My goal is to do the planning for you by giving you one idea a day that you can do, and hopefully, after a while, you have learned so many ideas you can fit more in when you have time. If you have more time or energy, do more, I have links to more ideas, but if you are struggling, do what you can.
Be gentle with your children and yourself, and focus on connection. These plans are named Lunch Break Learning because the activities can be done during your lunch break while working from home, but you can do them at night, early morning, or any time between zoom meetings too. Use this preschool lesson plan in whatever way works best for you!
For more simple ideas, check out the previous week’s plans by clicking the links below.
April 13th
April 20th
April 27th
May 4th
May 11th
May 18th
How To Use Lunch Break Learning Lesson Plan For Working Parents
- Look over this week’s plan. Take a screenshot and save it to your phone, or if you have a printer, print it out.
- Read through the activity details. Take note of the “Make it harder/ make it easier” tips.
- Prep the activities either the night before or one big prep Sunday night. This won’t take long.
- Tell yourself you can do this. It’s going to be OK if you skip a day, no biggie!
- Come back every Saturday for the next eight weeks to get your free plan.
Preschool Lesson Plan – May 25th – May 31st
PRINT HERE
Easy Lesson Plan Details
Check out all the details for the preschool lesson plan for this week below.
This list includes affiliate links.
Missing Letter Game
Being able to sing the alphabet does not translate to “knowing letters,” but this preschool alphabet game helps to use children’s existing knowledge of the alphabet song to introduce or practice a little letter recognition. Grab some paper and a marker. Write out the alphabet on a paper leaving a few letters out. You can do upper or lowercase letters with this alphabet game. Explain to your child that some letters are missing, and you need their help to find them. Sing the alphabet song while touching each letter. When you get to a blank spot, stop and ask, “Wait, what goes here?” Use the alphabet song to figure it out. Go back to a and sing, pointing to each letter. Eventually, you will be pointing at the blank space, and the child will be saying the letter in the song. “You found the letter, yes, it’s a g!” write the letter in and continue. Each time you get to a blank space, go back to a and sing to find the missing letter.
Make it easier -> Only leave out 2-3 letters.
Make it harder -> Ditch the alphabet and use family names or familiar words like sight words. Find a list of sight words here.
Shape Collage
Gather some paper, glue, and scissors. Any color, any type of paper, whatever you have on hand. Cut all but one sheet into different shapes. Give your child a full sheet of paper, glue, and shapes. Let them create! Manipulating the shapes while creating helps them to learn the properties of the shapes in a meaningful way.
Make it easier -> Cut the shapes out for the child and focus only on two shapes like circles and triangles.
Make it harder –> Give your child a building challenge like using the shapes to make a robot, house, rocket, or their favorite thing.
Make Lunch
We forget how important learning simple tasks like making lunch is. Children love learning practical things, and making a meal together teaches real-life skills while focusing on connection. Chop some fruit, make a simple sandwich, or maybe some pasta together.
Make it easier -> choose a familiar or favorite food like a PB & J and focus on just spending time together.
Make it harder -> Try a NEW recipe, or bake some cookies after a basic lunch.
Write a Thank You Note
Teaching your child to be grateful can seem abstract. How do you teach a 3-year-old to be thankful when they are naturally ( and developmentally appropriately) so self-centered? With actions. Sit down and write simple thank you notes to people who matter to you. They don’t have to be fancy. Write one to the delivery guy, or your mail carrier. Write one to a teacher or religious leader.
Make it easier -> Write the note on a post-it. The space is small and less intimidating. Or draw a picture instead!
Make it harder -> Write a postcard. You can also use this time to teach your kiddo about addressing mail properly.
Go On A Sound Safari
Go outside with your child. Close your eyes and ask your child to tell you what they hear. If you are able to go for a walk, go around your neighborhood. Keep a mental note of all the sounds heard in your neighborhood. Come back inside and draw those sounds and what was making them; birds, trucks, construction, maybe a siren, or a dog barking.
Make it easier –> you can’t really just roll with this and take some time to calmly listen and breathe.
Make it harder –> Write about the drawing after you draw them, either having your child write if they are able or dictate to you. “This is the dog I heard barking two blocks away.”
Big Project Ideas for the Weekend
Working parents may have more time during the weekend. Here are some longer projects you might like to try.
Play pretend grocery store or vet office!
Make a frog craft or go BIG and make a swamp!
Plan a family movie night
Craft something fun with my live videos.
Bed Time Reading Tips
Every week I include different ways to make your bedtime reading more focused on different skills, no matter what books you are using. This week after reading, ask your child to think about a time when they felt the same way as one of the characters.
Supplies Needed for the Preschool Activity Plan
These supplies are what is needed for the Monday-Friday activities.
Please note that weekend craft ideas have their own supply lists in the linked post. This list includes affiliate links.
Construction paper
Glue
Paper
Pencil
Envelopes
Stamps (optional)
Crayons or washable markers
Scissors
Optional Additional Preschool At Home Activities
Our Lunch Break Learning Preschool Lesson Plan for working parents is purposefully simple, made for busy parents who need simple daily activities to keep their children learning without overwhelming their day. These activities are for you to browse if you have more time.
Glitter Shells or Painting Shells
Homemade Jello Treats
DIY bird feeder/ ornament
Recycled art projects
bukola says
This page is really helpful