Curriculum Planning 101: Lesson Plans for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers

Creating effective lesson plans for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers requires tailoring activities to the unique developmental needs of each age group. While infants need plans focused on individual milestones like rolling or crawling, toddlers benefit from flexible exploration, and preschoolers thrive with structured, play-based learning objectives.

To write effective lesson plans for early childhood education, start by observing your children's current interests and developmental stages. Use a consistent template to organize learning objectives, materials, and procedures, and ensure your activities align with your state’s early learning framework. Finally, build in assessments to track progress and adjust your teaching strategies as needed.

Daily Lesson Plan Template

Use this template to develop effective lesson plans for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

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Tips for writing lesson plans

When planning your curriculum, you might be unsure of how many lessons to plan or if you need to include specific themes. While lesson planning is often a personal process, it helps to start with what is most relevant to your children and community.

Focus on what your children are currently interested in to narrow down your options. For example, plan engaging content for your first day of preschool to welcome children and learn about their skills. You can also start with an “All About Me” unit to help children feel comfortable and reveal topics for future deep dives.

Use a lesson plan template

Using a lesson plan template saves time and ensures consistency. Instead of starting from scratch, a template provides a clear framework for every lesson. The benefits include:

• Organization: Keeps learning objectives, materials, and assessments in one place.
• Enhanced learning: Ensures children remain on track to meet goals.
• Flexibility: Allows customization for different teaching approaches and learning styles.
• Transparency: Provides visibility into your plans for reflection and adjustment.

Make learning the foundation

Connect high-quality lesson plans to specific learning goals. Your plans should outline the "what, why, and how" of learning, focusing on:

• Key learning objectives: Define what children will know or be able to do. Learning objectives guide teaching and help track progress.
• Necessary resources: List books, toys, and materials needed to carry out activities.
• Introduction methods: Plan multiple ways to introduce concepts to accommodate different learning styles.
• Assessment: Use formal and informal assessments to monitor comprehension and outcomes.
• Engagement: Create opportunities for children to discover and implement new skills actively.

Consult your state’s early learning framework

Consult your state’s early learning framework before building your plan. This roadmap outlines expected skills and knowledge by age group. For a national example, check out the interactive tool from Head Start.

Choose your developmental assessment

Ongoing child assessment provides a complete picture of each child’s development. It allows you to meet children where they are and provides feedback on your lesson plans.

Sharing assessments with families keeps them informed about their child's progress. You might pull learning goals from a tool like the California Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) to simplify the process.

Promote positive values

Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in your curriculum. Create activities that allow children to share their cultural traditions, family types, and abilities. Use diverse books, dolls, and learning materials so all children see themselves reflected in the classroom.

Infant lesson plans

Infant lesson plans should be highly individualized and grounded in developmental milestones. Because infants develop rapidly, age differences of a few weeks can mean vastly different goals.

Rather than writing a separate plan for every infant, create a general group plan with a section for individual goals. Pick one to three milestones for each infant to focus on weekly, such as reaching for objects or sitting up.

Example activity: Tummy time with visual stimulation

Lay infants on a soft play mat for tummy time while placing high-contrast black-and-white cards or brightly colored toys just within their view. Encourage them to lift their heads, reach for objects, or track movement. This activity supports motor development and visual tracking skills.

Document these details to share with families, reinforcing your role as a trusted partner in their child's development.

Toddler lesson plans

Lesson plans for toddlers require flexibility. Toddlers may love an activity one day and reject it the next.

Capture broad ideas for exploration while leaving room for toddlers to direct the learning. Since toddlers crave repetition, you may only need two or three new activities per week. Repeat and adapt these activities daily until the children lose interest.

Example activity: Sensory bin exploration

To make a sensory bin, fill a large bin with dry rice or pasta, and add scoops, cups, and small toys for toddlers to explore. Encourage them to scoop, pour, and bury the toys while describing what they feel or see. You can adapt this activity by using water, sand, or seasonal items like leaves or snow, depending on the time of year!

Preschool lesson plans

Preschool lesson plans often reflect specific educational philosophies, such as play-based learning.

Map out the day’s specifics, including circle time, small groups, and independent play. Detailed plans show intention, but always remain flexible to accommodate the unpredictability of a preschool classroom.

Example activity: Nature scavenger hunt

Take students on a short walk and give them a simple scavenger hunt list with items like a leaf, a small rock, or something yellow. Afterward, discuss what they found, encouraging observation and language skills while connecting them to the natural world.

Simplify your lesson planning and enhance learning with brightwheel's Experience Curriculum. This easy-to-implement curriculum system includes developmentally appropriate lessons for baby, toddler, and preschool age groups right in brightwheel and hands-on learning materials mailed to you each month. Save educators hours every month with daily embedded assessments to monitor each child's growth and customized daily reports that can be emailed to families.

Evaluate your lesson plan

Reflective practice helps you improve your instruction and curriculum. By teaching, self-assessing, considering new methods, and putting ideas into practice, you can ensure your curriculum evolves with your children's needs.

Identify challenges during your evaluation and ask peers for feedback. Remember to present your curriculum to families as a flexible guide rather than a rigid schedule.

Bring curriculum visibility to families

Engage families by sharing what children learn daily. While emails and notices work, childcare management software can strengthen these connections.

Brightwheel allows you to send real-time updates, weekly lesson plans, and progress reports directly to families. This visibility equips families to support their child's development at home effectively.

Common mistakes to avoid when lesson planning

Effective lesson planning is essential for creating engaging and educational experiences for children. However, even experienced childcare providers can encounter challenges. Here are some common mistakes to avoid and tips for overcoming them:

• Overloading the schedule: Avoid cramming too many activities into a single day. Over-scheduling can overwhelm both children and staff. Instead, aim for a balanced mix of structured and unstructured activities.
• Ignoring individual needs: Every child learns at their own pace. Failing to account for varying developmental stages or interests can result in disengagement. Incorporate activities that are flexible and adaptable to different abilities.
• Lack of variety: Repeating the same type of activities daily can lead to boredom. Ensure your plans include a mix of creative, physical, and cognitive tasks to keep children excited and engaged.
• Neglecting transitions: Skipping proper transition planning can lead to chaotic moments between activities. Allow time for children to adjust and use songs, cues, or calming exercises to make transitions smoother.
• Forgetting family communication: Not keeping families informed about lesson plans can weaken the home-to-school connection. Share weekly plans and updates so families can reinforce learning at home.
• Setting unrealistic expectations: Activities that are too complex or ambitious may frustrate children and staff. Set achievable goals that align with your group’s developmental level and adjust plans as needed.
• Skipping reflection and feedback: Not reviewing how a lesson went or ignoring staff input can lead to repeated mistakes. Take time to assess what worked and what didn’t to continuously improve your planning.

By avoiding these common pitfalls and focusing on intentional, adaptable planning, you can create a learning environment that fosters growth, engagement, and joy for both children and staff.

Frequently asked questions

Q: What are the 5 essential parts of a lesson plan?
A: The five essential parts of a lesson plan are the learning objectives, materials needed, procedures (step-by-step instructions), assessment methods, and reflection/evaluation.

Q: How do you differentiate lesson plans for mixed ages?
A: To differentiate for mixed ages, plan a central activity with open-ended materials, then offer "scaffolding" variations—simpler tasks for younger children and complex challenges for older ones.

Q: How often should lesson plans be updated?
A: Lesson plans should generally be updated weekly to reflect the changing interests and developmental progress of the children, though daily adjustments are often necessary based on real-time observation.

Key takeaways

The goal of any curriculum plan is to outline how your children will develop the skills they need to be successful learners today and moving forward. As you continue to build and adapt your lesson plans, you’ll ensure your children receive a well-rounded education that supports each developmental stage.