Kangaroos Curriculum
4 - 5 Years
When developing a curriculum for preschool-aged children, it’s important to focus on a well-rounded approach that promotes cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development.
What Your Toddlers Day Can Look Like:
- Morning circle time (greeting, weather, day of the week)
- Literacy activity (storytime, letter recognition)
- Snack time
- Outdoor play or gross motor activities (running, jumping, climbing)
- Art or sensory play (painting, playdough, water play)
- 12:00-12:30: Lunch
- Science exploration (nature walk, simple experiments)
- Group activity (games, puzzles, building)
- Child-led activities
Framework for a Preschooler Childcare Curriculum
- Reading aloud: Storytime with interactive, age-appropriate books (e.g., picture books, rhyming books, and simple narratives).
- Phonemic awareness: Introduce letters and sounds through songs, rhymes, and letter recognition activities.
- Vocabulary building: Use daily conversations to introduce new words, and engage in discussions about stories.
- Writing skills: Activities like tracing, drawing, and early writing (e.g., name writing, simple letters).
- Listening skills: Practice following simple directions and engaging in group discussions.
- Counting: Counting objects, steps, or actions, up to 10 or 20.
- Number recognition: Identifying numbers and matching them to quantities.
- Shapes and patterns: Recognizing and naming shapes (circle, square, triangle) and identifying patterns.
- Comparisons: Understanding concepts like more/less, big/small, and tall/short.
- Measurement: Simple activities involving measuring (e.g., pouring, filling, comparing sizes).
- Self-regulation: Activities that promote managing emotions, such as breathing exercises, sharing, and conflict resolution.
- Empathy: Encouraging children to recognize and express emotions and understand others’ feelings.
- Cooperation: Group play, turn-taking, and collaborative projects (like building something together).
- Independence: Encouraging self-help skills, like dressing, cleaning up, and basic decision-making.
- Gross motor skills: Activities like running, jumping, climbing, and dancing to develop coordination and balance.
- Fine motor skills: Tasks like drawing, cutting with scissors, stringing beads, and building with blocks to strengthen hand-eye coordination.
- Health education: Basic lessons on hygiene (washing hands, brushing teeth), healthy eating, and exercise.
- Art: Activities that allow for exploration of colors, textures, and shapes (e.g., finger painting, coloring, playdough).
- Music: Singing songs, playing simple instruments, and learning rhythm through clapping or tapping.
- Drama: Role-playing and pretend play to build creativity and emotional expression.
- Nature exploration: Exploring plants, animals, and seasons through outdoor activities and observation.
- Simple experiments: Activities like mixing colors, watching how water moves, or observing plant growth.
- Sensory play: Activities that engage the senses, such as playing with sand, water, or textured materials.
- Diversity: Introduce children to different cultures, traditions, and family structures through books, songs, and celebrations.
- Celebrations: Learn about holidays and festivals from around the world to foster appreciation for differences.
- Simple puzzles: Activities that promote logical thinking, such as jigsaw puzzles and matching games.
- Cause and effect: Activities like building with blocks or dropping objects to see what happens.
- Storytelling: Encourage children to create their own stories, enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills.
- Morning Circle Time: Discuss the day’s schedule, the weather, and what’s coming up.
- Free play and structured activities: Balance between guided activities and free play to encourage independence and creativity.
- Snack and rest time: Ensuring there’s a balance of nourishment, rest, and time to relax.
