• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Printables Terms of Use
  • Subscribe!
  • Home Activities
  • Printables
  • Preschool
  • Toddlers
  • Lesson Plans
    • Preschool Lesson Plans
    • Toddler Lesson Plans
You are here: Home / Connecting with Students During School Closures (Preschool Virtual Teaching)

Connecting with Students During School Closures (Preschool Virtual Teaching)

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

This post might contain affiliate links. CLICK HERE for more information. Thanks for visiting!

This post might contain affiliate links. CLICK HERE for more information. Thanks for visiting!

Inside: I’ve put together all the toddler and preschool virtual learning activities and printables that I’ve done since school closures. A great resource for educators who are teaching online!

If you are in the position of preschool virtual teaching, as I am, you need resources!

When I started this online teaching journey in spring 2020, I had no idea where to begin.

Yes, I’d been a teacher in the classroom for over 20 years.

But online?

No experience whatsoever.

I got no training.

I literally was told we would be moving from in-person teaching due to the pandemic to online teaching.

I had to learn along the way.

I decided to share my online teaching journey with all of you – from my mistakes to my victories.

Scroll down to find what I’ve been doing!

As I create more Zoom meetings with my students I will update this page.

connecting with students during school closures (virtual teaching)

 

 

Table of Contents

  • Connecting with Students During School Closures – Winter 2021
    • Video Set Up
    • January 2021
    • Take Home Packets 
    • Week #1 – Snow and Ice – Tuesday
    • Week #1 – Snow and Ice – Thursday
    • Week #2 – Snow and Snowmen – Tuesday
    • Week #2 – Snow and Snowmen – Thursday
    • Week #3 – Winter Clothing – Tuesday
    • Week #3 – Winter Clothing – Thursday
    • Week #4 – Winter Bears – Tuesday
    • Week #4 – Winter Bears – Thursday
    • February 2021
      • Valentines Day and Transportation
    • Week #1 – Valentines – Tuesday
    • Week #1 – Valentines – Thursday
    • Week #2 – Valentines – Tuesday
    • Week #2 – Valentines – Thursday
    • Week #3 – Transportation – Tuesday
    • Week #3 – Transportation – Thursday
    • Week #4 – Transportation – Tuesday
    • Week #4 – Transportation – Thursday
    • March 2021
    • Week #1 – Rainbows – Tuesday
    • Week #1 – Rainbows – Thursday
    • Week #2 – Rainbows/St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday
    • Week #2 – Rainbows/St. Patrick’s Day – Thursday
    • Week #4 – St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday
    • Week #4 – St. Patrick’s Day – Thursday
    • Toddler and Preschool Lesson Plans

Connecting with Students During School Closures – Winter 2021

By now I’ve been doing online teaching for many months.

This page will be dedicated to 2021 online classes.

If you’d like to see what I did in 2020, check out these pages:

Spring 2020 Virtual Teaching Resources

Fall 2020 Virtual Teaching Resources (including Christmas)

 

Zoom Meetings – A Few Tidbits

Do not be afraid to use the mute button! This is especially true while reading books. While I want to hear each child, sometimes the feedback is too distracting not just for me, but for the children as well. I tell our families that if there is excessive noise in their house, feel free to hit the mute button.

  • We email the families a link to get into the Zoom meetings and the children wait in the “waiting room” so we can invite them in one at a time.
  • Once all of the children have arrived (or when you feel it’s time to start), we move into the meeting.
  • I do not rush these meetings. I take my time, pausing to look directly at them with a warm smile.
  • As soon as the children arrive, I welcome them all and let them know how good it is to see them!
  • Then, we begin.
  • These meetings are about 25-35 minutes long and I do not rush it. I cannot emphasize enough that you do not need to rush through your meeting.

At the start of each week, I send an email home to our families outlining what we will be doing that week, letting them know which props their children will need.

If children have a hard time sitting, some families have found that sitting their children at the kitchen table with a snack really helps.

I told the families that if their children just weren’t into it, I completely understood if they needed to leave the meeting.

However, I also tell them that it’s okay if their children want to move around during the meeting.

This is a young age group (2 and young 3 year olds) and their attention spans are much shorter than preschoolers.

Video Set Up

I keep my set-up rather simple.

I have my laptop, my bluetooth speaker, my schedule, and my props ready to go.

See how I set up my simple virtual teaching area here:

January 2021

Outline:

  • Week #1 – Snow and Ice
  • Week #2 – Snowmen
  • Week #3 – Winter Clothing
  • Week #4 – Winter Bears

January Music Playlist

Preschool Songs for January

⭐️ See my January playlist here!

Take Home Packets 

Every 2 weeks we put together a packet that includes props they can hold during our meetings, as well as activities they can do on their own time.

Take Home Packets for Weeks #1 and #2:

Snowman Prop

Snowflake Prop

Snowman Button Counting

Take Home Packets for Weeks #2 and #3:

Mitten Prop

Bear Prop

Bear Color Page

Hot Cocoa Color Page (Part of This Packet)

Week #1 – Snow and Ice – Tuesday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

What we did:

Good Morning Song

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

Book: Millions of Snowflakes

Book: Snow Kisses

Song: Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Song: I’m a Little Snowflake

Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks

  • Find the free snowflake prop printable here.

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

Goodbye Song

Week #1 – Snow and Ice – Thursday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

What we did:

Book: Ten Sparkly Snowflakes

  • You can find the snowflakes in our Winter Counting Props Pack

Book: Little Bea and the Snowy Day

Song: Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Song: I’m a Little Snowflake

Song: Open, Shut Them

Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks

  • Find the free snowflake prop printable here.

Week #2 – Snow and Snowmen – Tuesday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Book: The Itsy Bitsy Snowman

Book: Little Snowman

Song: I’m a Little Snowman

Song: Five Little Snowmen

Prop to Hold: Snowman Sticks

  • Find the free snowman prop printable here.

Rhyme: 10 Little Snowflakes

  • You can find the snowflakes in our Winter Counting Props Pack

Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks

  • Find the free snowflake prop printable here.

Week #2 – Snow and Snowmen – Thursday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Book: Biscuit’s Snowy Day

Book: Colors in the Cold

  • We used this free printable.

Song: I’m a Little Snowman

Song: Five Little Snowmen

Prop to Hold: Snowman Sticks

  • Find the free snowman prop printable here.

Song: I’m a Little Snowflake

Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks

  • Find the free snowflake prop printable here.

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Week #3 – Winter Clothing – Tuesday

.

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Book: Amy Loves the Snow

Book: Will You Wear a Blue Hat?

Prop to Hold: Mitten Sticks

  • Find the free mitten prop printable here.

Song: I Wake Up My Hands

Song: Mitten Colors

  • Prop: Colored Mittens

Song: Hot Chocolate

  • Prop: Numbered Hot Cocoa Mugs (Part of our Winter Counting Packet)

Fingerplay: I Have a Cup of Hot Cocoa

  • Prop: Hot Cocoa Mug with 5 Marshmallows

Song: Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks

  • Find the free snowflake prop printable here.

Song: Shake My Sillies Out

Week #3 – Winter Clothing – Thursday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Book: Let It Snow

Book: Red Mittens

Activity: Count 5 Mittens

  • Prop: Numbered Mittens (Part of our Winter Counting Packet)

Song: Mitten Colors

  • Prop: Colored Mittens

Song: Hot Chocolate

  • Prop: Numbered Hot Cocoa Mugs (Part of our Winter Counting Packet)

Fingerplay: I Have a Cup of Hot Cocoa

  • Prop: Hot Cocoa Mug with 5 Marshmallows

Song: Shake My Sillies Out

Week #4 – Winter Bears – Tuesday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Book: Baby Bear Sees Blue

Song: Where is Hibernating Bear?

Prop to Hold: Bear Sticks

  • Find the free bear prop printable here.

Book: Old Bear

Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Sharing: The children can bring a favorite teddy bear to our meeting.

Song: I Stamp

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

Week #4 – Winter Bears – Thursday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Book: Where, Oh Where, is Baby Bear?

Song: Where is Hibernating Bear?

Prop to Hold: Bear Sticks

  • Find the free bear prop printable here.

Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Song: The Color Song

  • Prop: Colored Mittens

Sharing: The children can bring a favorite teddy bear to our meeting.

Song: I Stamp

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

February 2021

Valentines Day and Transportation

Outline:

  • Week #1 – Valentine’s Day (Props: Heart Sticks)
  • Week #2 – Valentine’s Day (Props: Heart Sticks)
  • Week #3 – Transportation (Props: Car Sticks)
  • Week #4 – Transportation (Props: Car Sticks)

Take Home Packets for Weeks 1 and 2 (Valentines):

  • Heart Prop (Tape to Popsicle Stick)
  • Heavy Paper Cut Into Heart Shape (Using This Template) – Will provide small pieces such as pom poms and tissue paper squares that they can glue on top.
  • Matching Hearts Activity
  • Heart Mat (To Be Used As a Color Page)

Take Home Packets for Weeks 3 and 4 (Transportation):

  • Bus Prop (From This Packet)
  • Car Prop (From This Packet)

Please check back, as I will be adding details soon. Make sure to check these resources:

  • February Themes and Activities
  • Valentine’s Day Books I Will Be Reading
  • Valentine’s Day Song Playlist

preschool Valentine's Day Songs

Week #1 – Valentines – Tuesday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Props: Heart Sticks

Book: I Love You Every Day

Song: Skidamarink

Book: Where is Love, Biscuit?

Song: Valentines Are Made to Share

  • Prop: I cut out the yellow, blue and red hearts from this printable.)

Song: Five Valentines to Give Away

  • Prop: Numbered Valentine Hearts (Get the free printable here.)

Song: If You Love Me and You Know It

Song: Monkeys on the Bed

  • Using the Five Little Monkeys Prop (from our Song & Rhyme Props Packet)

Week #1 – Valentines – Thursday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Props: Heart Sticks

Book: I Love You, Spot

Book: Ten Little Kisses

  • Prop: Numbered Valentine Hearts (Get the free printable here.)

Song: Valentines Are Made to Share

Song: Five Valentines to Give Away

  • Prop: Numbered Valentine Hearts (Get the free printable here.)

Song: Everybody Clap

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

Week #2 – Valentines – Tuesday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Props: Heart Sticks

Book: Biscuit’s Valentine’s Day

Book: Where Is Baby’s Valentine?

Song: Five Valentines to Give Away

  • Prop: Numbered Valentine Hearts (Get the free printable here.)

Song: Five Little Hearts

  • Prop: Numbered Valentine Hearts (Get the free printable here.)

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

  • Using Props From Our Song & Rhymes Packet
  • Talk About Feelings Using This Feelings Printable

Kindness Elves

Week #2 – Valentines – Thursday

Props: Heart Sticks

Book: Llama Llama I Love You

Book: Peppa’s Valentine’s Day

Song: Five Little Hearts

  • Prop: Numbered Valentine Hearts (Get the free printable here.)

Song: Skidamarink

Activity: Valentine Hearts Matching (Using this free printable.)

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

  • Using Props From Our Song & Rhymes Packet
  • Talk About Feelings Using This Feelings Printable

Song: If You Love Me and You Know It

Week #3 – Transportation – Tuesday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Car Prop and Numbered Cars (From This Packet)

Book: Vroom, Vroom, Trucks!

Book: Pop-Up Peekaboo! Things That Go

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

  • Bus Prop (From This Packet)

Song: Driving Around In My Little Car

  • Using Plain Color Cars From This Packet

Song: Five Little Cars

  • Using Numbered Cars From This Packet

Song: I’m Driving In My Car

preschool playlist transportation

Week #3 – Transportation – Thursday

Watch the video here! (This video includes snippets of our actual meeting.)

Car Prop and Numbered Cars (From This Packet)

Book: Vroom

Book: Planes

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

  • Bus Prop (From This Packet)

Song: Driving Around In My Little Car

  • Using Plain Color Cars From This Packet

Song: I’m Driving In My Car

Song: Let’s Be Planes!

Song: Five Little Airplanes

  • Using These Planes Taped to Popsicle Sticks

Week #4 – Transportation – Tuesday

Car Prop and Numbered Cars (From This Packet)

Book: Machines at Work

Book: Little Blue Boat

Song: 10 Little Sailboats

  • Prop: Ten Sailboats Attached to a Magnetic Board (From This Printable)

Song: Let’s Be Planes!

Song: Five Little Airplanes

  • Using These Planes Taped to Popsicle Sticks

Song: Fire Truck

Week #4 – Transportation – Thursday

Car Prop and Numbered Cars (From This Packet)

Book: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Car

Book: I Love Trains!

Song: The Wheels on the Bus

  • Bus Prop (From This Packet)

Song: Here’s a Little Choo Choo Train 

Song: Driving Around In My Little Car

  • Using Plain Color Cars From This Packet

Song: Five Little Cars

  • Using Numbered Cars From This Packet

Song: I’m Driving In My Car

March 2021

Outline:

  • Week #1 – Rainbows
  • Week #2 – Rainbows/St. Patrick’s Day
  • Week #3 – St. Patrick’s Day
  • Week #4 – Spring Break for My Preschool
  • Week #5 – Easter

St. Patrick’s Day and Rainbows Song Playlist

Preschool St. Patrick's Day Rainbows Playlist

Week #1 – Rainbows – Tuesday

Book: My Rainbow Surprise

Song: I Can Sing a Rainbow

Song: Colors of the Rainbow

Week #1 – Rainbows – Thursday

Book: Hello, Rainbow

Song: I Can Sing a Rainbow

Song: Colors of the Rainbow

Week #2 – Rainbows/St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday

Prop: Shamrock Sticks

Book: Pop-Up Peekaboo! Unicorn

Song: A Rainbow Cheer

Week #2 – Rainbows/St. Patrick’s Day – Thursday

Prop: Shamrock Sticks

Book: The Itsy Bitsy Leprechaun

Song: Five Little Leprechauns Jumping on the Bed

Song: Shamrock Shake

Week #4 – St. Patrick’s Day – Tuesday

Prop: Shamrock Sticks

Book: Little Lucky Leprechaun

Song: Five Little Leprechauns Jumping on the Bed

Song: Shamrock Shake

Week #4 – St. Patrick’s Day – Thursday

Book: Little Owl’s Colors

Song: A Rainbow Cheer

Make sure to subscribe to my newsletters so you get the latest information!

connecting with students during school closures (virtual teaching)

 

What my readers are saying after watching the distance learning videos:

“Thank you so much for what you do. I am a Itinerant special education teacher … our district has started school remotely. I came across your YouTube channel and was glued !  I was feeling very anxious but was able to find hope in your videos. I love the way you explain what your doing and why. I’m beginning to use more props in my videos because of you , I’m feeling a bit more confidant . Thank you , please continue to do what you do, you are helping many of us , please know that. I’m looking forward to following you.”

 

Toddler and Preschool Lesson Plans

I am so excited to be one of the talented creators of these toddler and preschool lesson plans!

Each themed packet contains easy-to-prep activities that cover a variety of skills.

We’ve done the work for you!

For more information, click on the graphics below:

toddler lesson plans

preschool lesson plans

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

Primary Sidebar

You can also find us here!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for something specific?

Categories

Welcome! I'm Sheryl Cooper, teacher of 2 and 3 year olds for over 19 years. Read more about me here!

virtual teaching

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds is a participant in Amazon Associates.
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

This site uses cookies: Find out more.