#2.

3 – My Classroom Community

Here are some big ideas about toddlers that you can help them explore:

 I am a part of a center and classroom community.

 I am beginning to make friends with other children in my classroom.

Big Ideas
 My friends and I do things together in my classroom.

 The people in my center have names.

Featured Books

Note: See Book List section, for books to read from the previous two Toddler Topics.

Storytelling Figures
• Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the Mother Goose Rhyme, Jack and Jill
Materials to Books to Make
Collect and Friend, Friend, Who Do You See? (See Attachment: Friend, Friend, Who Do You See?)
Make
We Are Friends

Note: This is the same book that was introduced in Toddler Topic #1.4 – Feelings and
Emotions

Materials
• Photo album
• 3 Ring binder
• Circular objects for printing
• Pictures of trains
• Hoop and beanbags

Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman

Ask Mr. Bear by Marjorie Flack

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

Goodnight, My Duckling by Nancy Tafuri

Book List
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram

Have You Seen My Duckling? By Nancy Fafuri

In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest, illustrated by Jill Barton

Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer

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 Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest, illustrated by Anita Jeram

The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

Ring Around a Rosie by Annie Kubler

Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Annie Kubler

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

The Three Bears by Paul Galdone

The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone

Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer

Where’s My Hug (originally published as Don’t You Feel Well, Sam?) by Amy Hest, illustrated
by Anita Jeram

Note: Review the section in Curriculum Tips and Techniques on Reading Books with
Children, for suggestions on how to use books with children.

Benchmarks: 1.1.C Feels valued and attached to others

1.2.C Becomes aware of self as a unique individual
4.4.C Communicates through language
4.5.C Shows enjoyment of books and stories

Reading Planned Experience: We Are Friends (YT & OT)

Books with Materials: We Are Friends Book
Toddlers
How to begin:
• Take a photo of each child in your group as he or she is engaged in an activity.
• Put the photos into a small, one-photo-per-page album.
• Label the album, We Are Friends.
• Sit on the floor and say, “I’m looking at this book about friends. I see a picture of Jamie
playing with the cars. Here’s a picture of Manuel eating his lunch.”
• Invite children to join you in looking at the book.
• Turn the pages and describe what each child is doing. Be sure to include the child’s
name.
• Turn the pages and invite children to name the child on each page. Invite older
toddlers to describe what each child is doing.

Extension:
• Place the book in the Library Area so children can look at it on their own.
• Join a child who is looking at the book and involve him or her in naming the children
and describing the activity.
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 • Take photos of children playing side-by-side and put them in an album. When sharing
this album with children make comments such as, “Randall and James are both looking
at books.”

Planned Experience: Friend, Friend, Who Do You See? (YT & OT)

Materials: Friend, Friend, Who Do You See? (See Attachment: Friend, Friend, Who Do You
See?)

How to begin:
• Take a photo of each child in your group.
• Copy the pages of the book. You will need multiple copies of the third page so there is
a page for each child.
• Attach a photo for each child and complete the page with his or her name.
• Laminate the pages or put into clear page protectors.
• Bind with metal rings or place in a three ring binder.
• Say to children, “I’m going to the book area and read a book about our friends.”
• Show the cover of the book and say the title.
• Turn the pages and read the book making sure the children can see and name their
friends.
• Invite older toddlers to join in saying the language pattern of the words.

Extension:
• Place the book in the Library Area so children can look at it on their own.
• Join a child who is looking at the book and involve him or her in naming the children
and saying the language pattern.

Note: When you invite a child to join you in an activity, make sure the child is not actively
engaged in something interesting.

Benchmark: 4.5.C Shows enjoyment of books and stories

Planned Experience: Storytelling, Mother Goose Rhyme (YT & OT)

Jack and Jill

How to begin:
• Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the rhyme.
Language • Read the rhyme from a Mother Goose book with children several times so that they are
and familiar with the characters and the order of events.
Cognitive
Materials Jack and Jill
and
Jack and Jill
Experiences Went up the hill,
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down,
And broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.

• Use the storytelling figures to say the rhyme.

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 • Change the names in the rhyme to the names of two children in your group and repeat
the rhyme with the new names.
• Repeat the rhyme with the names of other children in the group.
• Involve children in placing figures on the storyboard when you feel they can do this.

Benchmark: 4.4.C Communicates through language

Do You Know This Friend of Mine?

(Sing to tune of “The Muffin Man”)

Do you know this friend of mine,

This friend of mine,
This friend of mine?
Do you know this friend of mine?
Her name is Audra.

Yes, we know this friend of yours,

This friend of yours,
This friend of yours.
Yes, we know this friend of yours.
Her name is Audra.

Note: Include each child’s name as you sing the song. When you sing the last line in both the
first and second verses, point to a child and encourage children to say the child’s name.
____________________________________________________________________________

Where is Johnny? (OT)

(Sing to tune of “Are You Sleeping? / ”Where is Thumbkin?”)

Where is Johnny?
Where is Johnny?
There he is. There he is. (Child stands up)
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Now sit down, now sit down. (Child sits back down)

Extensions:
• Have a puppet tap the shoulder of the designated child when you sing “There he is.
There he is.”

Note: Gather a small group of children together to sing this song. Have children sitting in a
circle with you. Repeat the song with different children’s names. Children will probably not say
or sing “Here I am, here I am” and “Very well I thank you.” However, you can invite other
children to point to Johnny as you sing his name.
____________________________________________________________________________

The Children on the Bus

(Sing to tune of “Wheels on the Bus”)

The children on the bus wave to a friend (wave)

Wave to a friend, wave to a friend. (wave)
The children on the bus wave to a friend (wave)
All through the town.
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 The children on the bus say “Let’s go and play, (beckon)
Let’s go and play, let’s go and play.” (beckon)
The children on the bus say “Let’s go and play” (beckon
All through the town.

Two Little Blackbirds

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill. (hold up index finger on each hand)
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Fly away, Jack. (put one index finger behind back)
Fly away, Jill. (put other index finger behind back)
Come back, Jack. (bring one finger from behind back)
Come back, Jill. (bring other finger from behind back)

Extensions:
• Change the verse as follows:

Two little friends sitting so still.

One named Ivory and one named Megan.
Stand up Ivory, (child stands)
Stand up Megan. (child stands)
Sit down Ivory, (child sits)
Sit down Megan. (child sits)

Note: Change “Jack” and “Jill” to two of the children in your group. Repeat the verse,
including the name of each child who is in the group.
____________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation
4.5.C Shows enjoyment of books and stories

Planned Experience: Reading with a Friend (YT & OT)

Materials: Two stuffed animals and a favorite children’s book such as Goodnight Moon

How to begin:
• Go to the book area and begin reading a book to the two stuffed animals.
• Say to a child or children who join you, “I’m reading a book with my friends. Would you
like to join us? Now we have four friends.”
• Continue reading the book to the end.
• Tell the children who have joined you that you must leave the area to do something
else and encourage the children to select a book from the book shelf and continue
reading to the stuffed animals and to each other.

Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

4.1.C Expresses needs and thoughts without using words

Planned Experience: I Need a Hug (YT & OT)

Materials: doll or soft stuffed animal

How to begin:
Self, Social • Gather a small group of children together. Show them the doll or stuffed animal and
and say, “This doll has been crying because she fell down and bumped her knee. I think
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 Emotional she needs a hug.”
Experiences • Cuddle and affectionately pat the doll, then hug the doll.
• Say to children, “The doll is feeling much better now. Hugs make you feel better.”
• Invite each child to pat the doll and give it a hug. Say, “The doll really feels better now
because she got lots of hugs.”
• Invite older toddlers to discuss times they have received a hug and how it made them
feel.
Extensions:
• Use a soft puppet for this activity. Give the puppet a name such as Huggy or Huggy
Bear. Involve the children in finding a special place for the puppet so that they can give
the puppet a hug anytime they want to.
• Give hugs to children when they seem to need it; when they seen frustrated, sad, or
tired, for example.
• Role-play with a child and the doll. Talk for the doll. Talk about how the doll feels sad
or hurt. Model how to comfort the doll to make it feel better. Have the doll ask the child
if he ever feels sad and what makes him feel better when he is sad. What does he
think would make other people feel better when they are sad?
____________________________________________________________________________

Benchmarks: 3.2.C Shows interest in peers

3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

Planned Experience: Sharing Tub (YT & OT)

Materials: dish tub or other container, large pegs and two peg boards

How to begin:
• Place a tub with pegs between two peg boards on a table. Make sure there are
enough pegs so that two children can fill their peg boards.
• Invite two children to join you at the table. Say, “Kasandra, here is a peg board for you
and here is one for you, Miguel. You can share the pegs in the tub.”
• Observe to see if one child tries to hoard all of the pegs. If so, join them and say,
“There are enough pegs for both of you to share. Take one peg at a time.”

Extensions:
• Use this same technique with other materials. For example, put play dough toys
between two children playing with play dough and invite them to “share the toys.”
• Put a tub of crayons between two children who are scribbling. Invite the children to
“share the crayons.”

Note: Toddlers are not yet ready to “share” by giving up what they are playing with to someone
else or to voluntarily give another child half of their play dough, for example. Providing a
sufficient number of interesting toys and materials and duplicates of some toys minimizes
conflict over sharing, which is an unreasonable expectation for most toddlers. Use the word
“sharing” in situations such as those described in the Sharing Tub experience.

Note: When you invite a child to join you in activity, make sure the child is not actively engaged
in something of interest.

Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

5.2.C Develops fine motor skills
6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships
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 6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: Printing Circles with Friends (YT & OT)

Materials: newspaper to cover the table, large sheet of butcher paper, circular objects such as

lids from small containers, tops for spray cans, empty thread spools, paper towel
Sensory rolls cut into 2 inch sections, pie pans, washable liquid tempera paint, paint
and Art shirts/smocks, paper towels for cleanup
Materials
and How to begin:
Experiences • Assemble the circular objects and place in a basket or dish tub for children to explore.
• Cover table with newspaper.
• Pour 2 colors of paint in two separate pie pans.
• Add 2 or 3 circular objects to each color of paint.
• Cut the large piece of paper into a circle and tape it to the newspaper.
• Allow 2 or 3 children at a time to paint with the objects. Assist children in putting on
paint shirts or smocks.
• Talk with children about friends making circles together.
• Observe the children as they use the different objects and describe the circles they are
making. For example, “Raymond is making blue circles. Ashley is making a big yellow
circle.”
• Use paper towels to wipe off hands. Have children wash hands if necessary.

Extensions:
• Involve children in creating a Friends Collage.
• Have a collection of old magazines such as parenting and children’s catalogs that have
pictures of children doing things together.
• Invite toddlers to look through the magazines and find pictures of friends.
• Assist toddlers to tear out or cut the pictures from the magazines and glue them to a
large sheet of paper. Write the word Friends on the collage.

Note: If children are unable to look through the magazines and find the pictures, have a variety
of pictures precut from magazines. Invite each child to look through the pictures and find one
that he or she likes and glue it to the paper.
____________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation
5.2.C Develops fine motor skills

Planned Experience: Friendship Quilt (OT)

Materials: 10” x 10” squares of butcher paper (at least one per child), washable markers,
crayons, tape

How to begin:
• Plan for this experience to take place over several days.
• Offer children different art media for drawing on the squares of butcher paper.
• Encourage each child to draw on a square. DO NOT FORCE A CHILD TO DRAW IF
HE OR SHE DOES NOT WANT TO!
• Tape the squares together on the back side into a quilt pattern.
• Say to the children that they have made a friendship quilt.
• Display the quilt in the classroom at children’s eye level.
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 • Write on an index card “Friendship Quilt” and post the card on the wall just above the
quilt.
• Invite families to look at the friendship quilt the children have made.

Extensions:
• Gather paper of different textures: butcher, construction, grocery bag, newspaper, old
posters, wall paper, wrapping paper, newsprint.
• Cut the paper into squares of the same size.
• Tape the squares together on the back side into a quilt pattern.
• Pour two or three colors of tempera paint into pie pans.
• Provide brushes for painting.
• Invite children to paint on the quilt. Allow children to paint anywhere on the quilt they
choose, using any color they choose.
• Observe to see if children notice how the paint looks different on different types of
paper.
• Say to children that they have made a friendship quilt.
• Display the quilt in the classroom at children’s eye level.
• Print on an index card “Friendship Quilt” and post the card on the wall just above the
quilt.
• Invite families to look at the friendship quilt the children have made.

Note: Have children wear paint shirts or smocks when they are painting. Have wet paper
towels handy for wiping off hands.

Note: It is not necessary to write children’s names on the quilt squares, especially if families
are invited to look at the quilts. You do not want families comparing children’s art efforts or
noticing that their child did not make a square.
____________________________________________________________________________
Benchmark: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

Planned Experience: Friends on the Train (OT)

Materials: pictures of trains, 4 or 5 children’s chairs

How to begin:
• Show children pictures of trains. Identify the engine, the cars and the caboose.
• Introduce “train” language to the children: choo-choo, chug, chug, woo, woo, and “All
aboard.” Invite children to make the train noises with you.
• Line up 4 or 5 children’s chairs in a row.
• Say, “All aboard the friends train”, sit in one of the chairs and invite children to join you.
• Sing a song such as “Down at the Station” or “Little Red Caboose.” Add to the song
the train noises you and the children have been practicing.

Extension:
• Suggest that children be “train friends.” Model what this means with one child by
having the child be the caboose and you be the engine. Shout “All aboard” and have
the child stand behind you and hold on to you as you move about the room.
• Invite children to pair up to be “train friends.” Make the train noises as the children
move about the room. Have the engines and cabooses switch places and repeat the
activity.
• Play recorded train songs such as “The Little Red Caboose” as the children move
about the room in pairs.

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 • Consider doing this activity outdoors where there is more room to safely move about.

Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: Ring around the Roses (YT & OT)

Materials: None for first experience – hoop for Extensions

Movement,
How to begin:
Music and
• Invite 2 or 3 children to join you and form a circle by holding hands.
Gross
• Sing the following song:
Motor
Experiences

Ring around the Roses

Ring around the roses,

A pocket full of posies;
Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down.

• Fall down with children on the last line.

Extensions:
• Introduce a hoop and help each child hold onto the hoop with one hand, all facing the
same direction. Help children space themselves around the hoop.
• Sing the song as you all move in a circle and all fall down together.
____________________________________________________________________________

Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

4.3.C Responds to verbal and non-verbal communication
5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: Hokey Pokey (YT & OT)

Materials: None

How to begin:
• Gather a small group of children, no more than 4 or 5. Help them position themselves
a safe distance from each other so they have plenty of space to move.
• Begin by saying, “We’re going to sing a song and you’re going to do what the song
says to do. Put your arms out to your side. If you touch your friends, move so that
everyone has enough space.”
• Sing the following song and do the motions:

Hokey Pokey

You put your hand in (put hand in circle)

You put your hand out (put hand out of the circle)
You put your hand in and you shake it all about.(put hand in circle and shake it)
You do the hokey pokey (twist body)

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 And you turn yourself around. (turn around in circle)
That’s what it’s all about. (clap to beat)

Note: Add other body parts as children are ready for this; foot, elbow, head, and whole body
(whole self) for example.

Note: Do not be concerned about right and left. This is a concept that toddlers cannot
understand. Knowing body parts and following directions are the important things that are
happening with this experience.

Note: The Hokey Pokey song is available on many children’s CDs and tapes. However, the
tempo is often so fast that toddlers are unable to follow the directions. Also, the song usually
includes “right” and “left” and caregivers sometimes get caught up in this concept, rather than
the body parts and following directions experience.

Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

4.3.C Responds to verbal and non-verbal communication

Planned Experience: Pass the Beanbag (OT)

Materials: 2 or 3 identical beanbags

How to begin:
• Place the beanbags on the floor in an area that is out of the flow of traffic.
• Pick up one of the beanbags and say, “I wonder what we can do with these beanbags.”
• Allow children who join you to explore the beanbags. Encourage them to say and
demonstrate what they can do with beanbags.
• Collect the beanbags and say, “We’re going to play a game with just one of the
beanbags” and put the other beanbags out of sight.
• Invite the children to form a circle with you by holding hands, then ask children to drop
hands.
• Say, “I’m going to pass the beanbag to John. John, you pass the beanbag to Audrey,
and Audrey will pass the beanbag to Leandra.”
• Guide the children through the process of passing the beanbag to each other as you
say or sing, “Pass the beanbag to your friend, Audrey. Pass the beanbag to your friend
Leandra. Pass the beanbag to your friend, Ms. Brown.”

Extensions:
• Vary the game by adding the words “Stop” and “Go.” Say to the children, “When I say
‘Stop’, hold the beanbag until I say ‘Go’.” Make sure each child has a turn holding the
beanbag when you say “Stop.”
• Add variety by playing music as you pass the beanbag to each other.
____________________________________________________________________________

Benchmark: 5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: Roll the Ball (YT)

Materials: ball

How to begin:

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 • Sit on the floor with a young toddler.
• Roll the ball to the child, chanting the following: “I’m rolling the ball to Marcy.”
• Encourage the child to roll the ball back to you and chant the following: “Marcy is
rolling the ball to Mr. Jones.”
____________________________________________________________________________

Benchmarks: 3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: Let’s Go Back and Forth (YT & OT)

Materials: None

How to begin:
• Talk with a toddler about a game the two of you will play; a game called “Back and
Forth.”
• Sit on the floor, facing a toddler, with legs apart.
• Hold the child’s hand and lean backwards as the child leans forward.
• Lean forward as your child leans backward.
• Try to get a rhythm to your rocking as you say “back and forth, back and forth.”

Extensions:
• Add variety to the game by singing a song as you go back and forth.

Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

Note: Avoid pulling on a child’s arms to bring him forward.

____________________________________________________________________________

Benchmarks: 4.2.C Identifies with a home language

4.3.C Responds to verbal and non-verbal communication
4.4.C Communicates through language
5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: Movement and Music (YT & OT)

Materials: CD or cassette player and CDs or cassette tapes

How to begin:
• Include in your daily schedule a specific time to involve children in moving to music.
• Collect CDs or cassette tapes that include a variety of musical experiences for the
children. See Resources located in Focus Area #2, Introduction and Preparation
for a suggested list.
• Review the CDs in advance and select the songs that you think your children will enjoy.
• Vary the songs you use each day. Include some of children’s favorites and add a new
one.
• Conclude the movement and music time with a song that will help children calm down
from being so active.

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 Note: Include songs with words from a child’s home language that is not English.

Note: Include movement and music throughout the day, not just at the schedule time.

Where is Susie?
(Sing to tune of “Are You Sleeping? / “Where is Thumbkin?”)

Where is Susie?
Where is Susie?
There she is. There she is.
Go and wash your hands.
Transition Go and wash your hands.
Times Wash your hands. Wash your hands.

The Children on the Bus

(Sing to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus”)

The children on the bus walk to the playground.

Walk to the playground. Walk to the playground.
The children on the bus walk to the playground.
Its time to go outside.
___________________________________________________________________________

Two Little Friends

Two little friends
Sitting so still.
One named Ivory
And one named Megan.
Walk to the table, Ivory.
Walk to the table, Megan.
Sit right down. Sit right down.

Note: These transitions are adapted from finger plays listed earlier. Adapt other finger plays
previously listed in other curriculum plans as transitions to move children from one activity or
place to another.

Send home the following activity sheet from Infant and Toddler Family Connection

 Activity #30 – “Having Fun with a Friend” (See Attachment: Having Fun with a
Friend)

Family Include a Family Response sheet. (See Attachment: Family Response Sheet)
Experiences

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