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 – 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
⭐️ 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:
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
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
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
Rhyme: 10 Little Snowflakes
- You can find the snowflakes in our Winter Counting Props Pack
Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks
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
Song: I’m a Little Snowflake
Prop to Hold: Snowflake Sticks
Song: The Wheels on the Bus
Week #3 – Winter Clothing – Tuesday
Book: Amy Loves the Snow
Book: Will You Wear a Blue Hat?
Song: The Winter Hokey Pokey
Song: Mitten Colors
Song: Hot Chocolate
Prop to Hold: Mitten Sticks
Week #3 – Winter Clothing – Thursday
Book: Let It Snow
Book: Red Mittens
Song: The Winter Hokey Pokey
Song: Mitten Colors
Song: Hot Chocolate
Prop to Hold: Mitten Sticks
Week #4 – Winter Bears – Tuesday
Book: Where, Oh Where, is Baby Bear?
Song: Where is Hibernating Bear?
Prop to Hold: Bear Sticks
Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Sharing: The children can bring a favorite teddy bear to our meeting.
Week #4 – Winter Bears – Thursday
Book: Baby Bear Sees Blue
Song: Where is Hibernating Bear?
Prop to Hold: Bear Sticks
Song: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Sharing: The children can bring a favorite teddy bear to our meeting.
Check back! I will be adding more details as we complete each online meeting.
Make sure to subscribe to my newsletters so you get the latest information!
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:
