I am in my first
classroom and my director wants me to use the theme "community
helpers" for toddlers 24 months. Any suggestions which helpers to
introduce?? I will use this theme for 2 weeks. I need activities for
art, science, and cooking. Also, any suggested books for
"community helpers" for 24 month children?? Please need help
she will be coming into the room to see how this is introduced to the
It has been years since I have worked
with 24 month olds, so I can not give much advice in the way of
introducing, but I do have a few projects that you can try to
approach with them.
First be sure to use songs. Lots and lots and of songs!
You can find some great ones here:
Here are some ideas for You.
Books: My Friend The Firefighter, My Friend
the Doctor, My Friend the Police Officer, these are all by the same
author; Leslie Ekard. These are board books got them from Dollar
General their really good for little ones.
Art, For the doctor one you can make a
first kit, by letting them glue the following items on
folded construction paper: Band-Aids, cotton ball, swabs, any first
Police: Create a badge pattern and let them
decorate it with art scrapes. You can also do children' s
Firefighter: Make a fire truck outline for
painting or collage purposes.
Cooking: Be bakers and make little English
muffin pizzas, make trail mix, or pudding.
Postman: Make pretend postboxes and letters.
Let children make letters and put them in mailboxes. Then take turn
I think that it is great that your Preschool
is thinking about Community Helpers at such a young age. One
Community Helper that you may be forgetting is your Local Children's
Librarian. Often times, your librarian will even make a special
trip to your preschool and share a special story time. I hope
this helps you! Also! In the past, for our Summer Reading
Programs, I have invited Fire Fighters to visit our library, and one
year we even helped wash the fire truck! All of the kids enjoyed
it :) Good Luck!!!
Miss Story Time
Two year olds need simple ideas that will hold
their attention. I recommend puppets to introduce and talk about
the topic. Let them play with the puppets next. They will
do whatever you do so model what you want them to do. Glue torn
paper on badge shapes or any shape related to the topic.
Let them place the pieces on. Easel paint or finger paint with
one color on large cutout shapes related to the topic. Use durable
play cars in a small amount of sand in a sand table or on a city
design floor mat or rug.
"Ask The Preschool Teacher Staff"
I have not worked with 2's only 3,4, & 5
but something they have all enjoyed is taking a cardboard box and
painting it one color then I take the box when it is dry and turn it
into a fire truck or a police car depending on the color we painted.
I remove the flaps and cut holes for handles. They climb in and
pretend they are driving all over town. They love it, although I do
most of the work making it look like a fire truck or police car they
claim ownership of the vehicle because they put that first coat of
paint. All the children have really enjoyed this project.