A comprehensive, highly detailed 6-week curriculum specifically designed for 17-month-old toddlers. Features theme-aligned daily schedules, Bible verses (NIRV/ICB), songs, sensory play, and centers tailored for this developmental stage.
Place painters tape on floor. Guide blocks along lines.
Daily Center: Felt Scrap Dig
Keepsake Craft: Carton House Stick felt roofs on cardboard cartons.
Thursday Felt Brick Dig
Hide blocks in soft felt scraps bin. Uncover!
Daily Center: Plush Ring Nest
Keepsake Craft: Handprint Tower Pre-cut handprints stacked on a card.
Friday Mega Tower
Collaborative build with all 5 toddlers! 1-2-3 crash!
Daily Center: All-Play Choice
Keepsake Craft: City Collage Press square papers onto big posters.
Themed Centers Reference (Continuous Play)
Dry Sensory
Felt Scrap Dig: Deep plastic tub filled with oversized colorful felt squares, nested plastic stacking cups, and 6 large plastic blocks. Zero dust or spill mess.
Fine Motor Center
Cardboard Drop: Large shoebox with rectangular slots cut in lid. Provide toddlers with thick plastic cards to slip through the slots.
Blocks & Building
Mega Grid: Blue painter's tape square grids taped on carpet. Toddlers match giant plastic Mega blocks into grid squares.
Quiet Corner
Plush Nesting: Soft carpet space with plush colorful stacking rings, felt fabric blocks, and board books about shapes.
Theme-Based Activity Cards (Cut & Keep on Ring)
Card A
Lego Builders • Circle Time
Verse & Song
Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God created..." (Use stacking motions).
Focus Song: "Stack the red blocks, build them high... Watch the big blocks tumble down!" (Tune: London Bridge)
Card B
Lego Builders • Centers
Sensory & Stacking
Felt Scrap Dig: Dig Mega blocks from thick soft felt sheets. Practice saying "In! Out! Found it!"
Mega Grid: Line up blocks on colorful floor tape. Develops alignment & spatial judgment.
Card C
Lego Builders • Fine Motor
Paper Plate Brick
Materials: Rectangular paper plates, cardstock circles, safe peel-and-stick dots.
Goal: Toddlers press pre-cut circles onto paper plates to make 3D bricks. Replaces messy paint, building stellar wrist rotation and parent keepsakes.
Card D
Lego Builders • Pacing Tips
Pacing & Transitions
11:00 transition: Sing the transition song 3 times. Move handwashers in pairs.
12:00 nap prep: Soften the lights, sit on blue floor rugs, stack plush ring cones quietly.
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 1 Page 2 of 2
Interactive Book Routine
"Mister Seahorse" by Eric Carle
Engagement: Point at the bright colors. Point at the hidden fish behind the camouflage overlays. Guide toddlers to blow gentle bubbles "Puff, puff!" with their cheeks as you turn each page.
Theme-Aligned Morning Snack Guide
Serve toddler Goldfish crackers and small slices of blue-dyed cream cheese spread on bread triangles (representing blue water). Practice making a "fishy face" with puckered lips before taking a bite!
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 2 Page 1 of 2
Weekly Activities & Centers
Core Lessons (10:00 - 11:00 AM) & Daily Center Rotations
Wave dry satin blue scarves over shoulders to rhythmic music.
Daily Center: Starfish Match
Keepsake Craft: Tissue Sea Jelly Stuff blue paper in cups with ribbon tentacles.
Themed Centers Reference (Continuous Play)
Dry Sensory
Shredded Ocean: Muted blue shred paper in plastic bins with giant seashells and toy lobsters. Toddlers listen to seashell echoes.
Fine Motor Center
Lid Twist Shells: Large plastic storage jars with big screw-on lids containing toy starfish inside. Guide wrist twist movements.
Blocks & Building
Blue Coral Blocks: Stack blue foam blocks and marine-colored plastic cups. Let's make "blue coral towers" and count them.
Quiet Corner
Starfish Sorting: Muted ocean felt play mats with large blue and gray sea stars to match by color in a soft, cozy environment.
Theme-Based Activity Cards (Cut & Keep on Ring)
Card A
Deep Blue Ocean • Circle Time
Verse & Song
Genesis 1:21: "God created the great creatures..." (Praise hands & swim motions).
Focus Song: "Slippery fish, slippery fish... Gulp, gulp, gulp!" (Tune: Charlotte Diamond Original)
Card B
Deep Blue Ocean • Centers
Sensory & Stacking
Dry Ocean Sensory: Move sea creatures through shredded blue paper. Listen to real dry seashells.
Blue Foam Blocks: Build "coral" towers, practice pointing, saying "Up, up, up!"
Winding Down: Dim lights at 11:30 AM. Read "Mister Seahorse" softly.
Scarves transition: Use dry satin wave scarves to guide children quietly toward the cot area.
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 2 Page 2 of 2
100% Mess-Free Activities
Core Daily Activities & Center Schedule
Monday Parade March
Introduce marching with soft toy drums and flags.
Daily Center: Soft Cotton Bin
Keepsake Craft: Plate USA Flag Stick red paper strips on paper plates.
Tuesday Star Sorting
Sort large felt star shapes into colored bowls.
Daily Center: Peg-a-Star Board
Keepsake Craft: Handprint Eagle Pre-cut handprints on cardboard bodies.
Wednesday Patriotic Bin
Fill dry sensory bin with colored plastic stars.
Daily Center: Red-Blue Blocks
Keepsake Craft: Star Shaker Bottle Drop star sequins in dry sealed bottles.
Thursday Star Stickers
Peel and stick large star stickers onto poster sheets.
Daily Center: Star Match Mats
Keepsake Craft: USA Crown Band Stick star stickers on pre-cut crowns.
Friday Flag Collage
Stick colorful paper strips onto sticky board sheets.
Daily Center: All-Play Choice
Keepsake Craft: Paper Plate Shaker Fold plate over dry rice & tape with stars.
Themed Centers Reference (Continuous Play)
Dry Sensory
Soft Cotton Stars: Large bin of fluffy white cotton balls, soft red/blue pom-poms, and scoop cups. Supervised fine grasp play.
Fine Motor Center
Peg-a-Star: Sturdy wooden peg boards with oversized chunky red and blue pegs. Encourages deep focus and pincher finger exercises.
Blocks & Building
Red-Blue Castle: Wooden blocks to build patriotic arches. Focus on horizontal lining.
Quiet Corner
Star Match Mats: Soft red and blue felt sheets with velcro-backed star shapes. Peeling Velcro makes engaging sound trigger.
Theme-Based Activity Cards (Cut & Keep on Ring)
Card A
Patriot Stars • Circle Time
Verse & Song
Psalm 33:12: "Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord." (Finger smiles & point up).
Focus Song: "You're a grand old flag... Red, white, and blue, we love you!" (Tune: Grand Old Flag March)
Card B
Patriot Stars • Centers
Sensory & Stacking
Dry Cotton Bin: Scoop red/blue pom-poms from fluffy white cotton cloud bases. Practice fine pincher grasp.
Star Match Mats: Pull velcro stars off felt sheets. Velcro noises trigger sound curiosity!
Card C
Patriot Stars • Fine Motor
Star Sticker Collage
Materials: Large easy-to-peel red, white, and blue star stickers.
Goal: Toddlers peel star stickers and press them onto blue poster sheets. Replaces messy paint, building stellar finger isolation, hand strength, and pincher focus.
Card D
Patriot Stars • Transitions
Pacing & Transitions
Marching Clean Up: Sing "Left foot, right foot, marching in a line..." while transitioning toddlers to wash hands in buddy pairs. Keep energy rhythmic and organized.
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 3 Page 2 of 2
Theme-Aligned Morning Snack Guide
Serve hard-boiled egg quarters (representing "dinosaur eggs") and small cucumber rounds. Explain to the toddlers: "These are safe dino eggs! Let's tap them gently with our fingers before we eat!" Focus word: "Egg!"
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 4 Page 1 of 2
Weekly Activities & Centers
Core Lessons (10:00 - 11:00 AM) & Daily Center Rotations
100% Mess-Free Activities
Core Daily Activities & Center Schedule
Monday Dino Tracks
Press plastic dino feet into clean modeling clay to make flat fossils.
Daily Center: Giant Foot Blocks
Keepsake Craft: Plate Triceratops Stick cardboard horns onto green paper plates.
Tuesday The Bone Dig
Fill dry bin with pre-cut cardboard bones. Hide plastic dinosaurs.
Daily Center: Cardboard Bone Dig
Keepsake Craft: Handprint Spikes Pre-cut handprints glued as dino scales.
Wednesday Dino Roll
Roll tennis balls in bumpy green socks across the carpet floor.
Lay paper footprints. Toddlers step on them to music rhythm.
Daily Center: All-Play Choice
Keepsake Craft: Dino Belt Tail Stick green felt scale triangles on paper tails.
Themed Centers Reference (Continuous Play)
Dry Sensory
Cardboard Bone Dig: Fill deep tub with thick cardboard bone cutouts and soft forest-colored fabric strips. Zero dust, zero crumb mess.
Fine Motor Center
Dino Egg Squeeze: Guide toddlers to squeeze and pull apart plastic easter eggs filled with soft green felt scraps.
Blocks & Building
Giant Foot Blocks: Stack brown cardboard blocks to build "dinosaur mountains" for the plastic dinosaurs to climb.
Quiet Corner
Earthy felt boards: Sage-green felt boards with brown felt dinosaur outlines. Soft tactile peeling and matching.
Theme-Based Activity Cards (Cut & Keep on Ring)
Card A
Tiny Dino Dig • Circle Time
Verse & Song
Psalm 104:24: "Lord, you have made many kinds of things..." (Point up and look around).
Focus Song: "If you're a dinosaur, stomp your feet! Stomp Stomp!" (Tune: If You're Happy)
Card B
Tiny Dino Dig • Centers
Sensory & Stacking
Cardboard Bone Dig: Dig plastic dinos from clean thick cardboard bone cutouts. Focuses wrist turning & finger grasping without crumb mess.
Cardboard Blocks: Stack big brown bricks to make high "dinosaur hills".
Card C
Tiny Dino Dig • Fine Motor
Dino Tracks
Materials: Non-toxic modeling clay, plastic dinosaurs.
Goal: Toddlers press dinosaur feet into clay disks. Avoids messy paints entirely, while teaching cause-and-effect and physical force.
Card D
Tiny Dino Dig • Pacing Tips
Pacing & Transitions
Quiet Transition: At 11:30 AM, walk on tiptoes like "quiet mini dinosaurs" to story mats. Sing "Little Dino Steps" chant softly in a whisper voice to lower active energy levels.
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 4 Page 2 of 2
Theme-Aligned Morning Snack Guide
Serve "campfire treats"! Spread non-toxic almond butter or sunflower seed butter on a round rice cake. Stack small pretzel sticks in a small cross on top to look like campfire logs. Practice saying "Hot, hot, blow!" before eating.
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 5 Page 1 of 2
Weekly Activities & Centers
Core Lessons (10:00 - 11:00 AM) & Daily Center Rotations
100% Mess-Free Activities
Core Daily Activities & Center Schedule
Monday Cardboard Canoe
Sit in a shallow box. Gently rock side-to-side with toy spoons.
Daily Center: Cozy Tent Corner
Keepsake Craft: Plate Campfire Stick brown logs & tissue paper flames on a plate.
Tuesday Binocular Search
Peer through toilet tubes. Point to hidden forest animals.
Daily Center: Pretzel Log Sort
Keepsake Craft: Handprint Fire Pre-cut handprints over cardboard roll logs.
Wednesday Felt Campfire
Stack soft felt logs and orange flame felt shapes on carpet.
Daily Center: Campfire Logs Build
Keepsake Craft: Cardboard Binoculars Tape two paper rolls with colorful tape.
Thursday Starlight Search
Use soft toddler flashlights to spot star stickers in a dim space.
Daily Center: Felt Star Boards
Keepsake Craft: Paper Bag Bear Stick felt ears/eyes on paper bags.
Friday Tent Roll In
Set up a popup tent. Crawl in, sit with plush forest animals.
Daily Center: All-Play Choice
Keepsake Craft: Camp Lantern Wrap yellow paper on cylinders with handles.
Themed Centers Reference (Continuous Play)
Dry Sensory
Felt Star Boards: Deep dark blue felt boards with large yellow and gray felt star cutouts to press and sort. 100% mess-free and dry.
Fine Motor Center
Pretzel Log Sorting: Large bowl of thick wooden sticks to sort and place into matching cardboard campfire cup slots.
Blocks & Building
Campfire Logs: Stack thick round cardboard carpet rolls (cut to 6 inches) to build rustic log cabins or low stepping logs.
Quiet Corner
Cozy Tent Haven: Safe fabric popup tent with soft flannel blankets, forest plush animals, and nature sound buttons (whisper setting).
Theme-Based Activity Cards (Cut & Keep on Ring)
Card A
Happy Camper • Circle Time
Verse & Song
Genesis 1:31: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Peering brow & thumbs up).
Focus Song: "A-camping we will go... We'll sit around the cozy fire!" (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
Card B
Happy Camper • Centers
Sensory & Stacking
Felt Star Board: Press yellow felt stars onto dark blue sheets. Develops finger isolation.
Cardboard Canoe: Sit in a dry box, practice rowing hand rotation.
Card C
Happy Camper • Fine Motor
Starlight Search
Materials: Toddler flashlights, ceiling star stickers.
Goal: Shine safe toddler-safe flashlights at star stickers on the ceiling. Highly engaging, replaces wet gel bags, builds hand strength and eye coordination.
Card D
Happy Camper • Transitions
Pacing & Transitions
Cozy Nap transition: Dim lights down low at 11:30 AM. Read "Llama Llama Camping" under the popup tent canopy with low, calming whispers to settle toddlers.
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 5 Page 2 of 2
"Hop, hop, hop, says the green frog,
Plop, plop, splash, off the mossy log!
Hop so quiet on our mats,
Safe from all the forest cats!"
Interactive Book Routine
"In Small Pond" by Denise Fleming
Engagement: Make a "ribbit" sound for frogs. Point to the yellow minnows in the water. Encourage toddlers to wiggle their tongues or blow gentle "bloop, bloop" bubbles as they see fish.
Theme-Aligned Morning Snack Guide
Serve round sliced cucumbers as "green lily pads" and cheddar cheese triangles styled as "little yellow duck beaks". Practice saying "Ribbit ribbit!" before crunching on the green cucumber lily pads!
Toddler Steps Curriculum • Week 6 Page 1 of 2
Weekly Activities & Centers
Core Lessons (10:00 - 11:00 AM) & Daily Center Rotations
Mon: Water Day Only • 100% Indoor Mess-Free
Core Daily Activities & Center Schedule
Monday OUTDOOR WATER
Splash pads with floating yellow plastic ducks outdoors.
Daily Center: Outdoor Duck Splash
Keepsake Craft: Duck Pond Stamp Press plastic ducks on blue card cards.
Tuesday Lily Pad Hops
Lay out green paper sheets. Toddlers step across carpet.
Daily Center: Lily Pad Steps
Keepsake Craft: Paper Plate Frog Fold plate over red paper tongue & eye stickers.
Wednesday Pebble Sorting
Sort oversized river pebbles into small storage buckets.
Daily Center: Pebble Sensory
Keepsake Craft: Handprint Legs Glue pre-cut handprint legs on plate frogs.
Smooth Pebble Sorting: Fill deep dry tub with oversized smooth river stones, plastic green frogs, and felt lily pads. Safe grasping.
Fine Motor Center
Duck Feed Slot: Guide toddlers to push yellow wool pom-poms ("feed") into vertical slits cut inside cardboard duck canisters.
Blocks & Building
Lily Pad Steps: Stack thick green EVA foam tiles to make "creek stepping-stones" across the classroom carpet.
Quiet Corner
Ducklings Haven: Soft yellow floor rugs with plush baby ducks, green velvet turtle shell pillows, and frog picture books.
Theme-Based Activity Cards (Cut & Keep on Ring)
Card A
Little Pond • Circle Time
Verse & Song
Psalm 148:10: "Praise him, you small crawling creatures..." (Hands high & wiggle fingers).
Focus Song: "Five little ducks went out one day... Mother duck said quack!" (Tune: Five Little Ducks Melody)
Card B
Little Pond • Centers
Sensory & Stacking
Dry Pebble Bin: Pick up large smooth stones. Place on green felt lily pads. Sort and group by size.
Lily Pad Steps: Jump/step across big green foam tiles placed on carpet. Builds physical balance.
Card C
Little Pond • Monday Only
Monday Outdoor Water Day
Timing: Monday 10:00 - 11:00 AM.
Action: Float yellow rubber ducks on shallow outdoor splash plates. Pour water with plastic cups. Fully supervised outdoor splash. Keep warm towels ready!
Card D
Little Pond • Fine Motor
Duck Handprint Legs
Prep: Trace handprints on green cardstock, pre-cut them.
Goal: Toddlers stick the pre-cut green handprints as webbed legs onto folded green plate frogs. Extremely adorable keepsake, completely mess-free!
