If you like to teach by themes like I do, you may sometimes wonder which are best. In my experience, not all preschool themes are received with the same enthusiasm. But, there are five favorite preschool themes that I teach nearly every year because my preschoolers love them.
And this post will be loaded with activities to support those themes adored by preschoolers and teachers alike.
I know teaching by themes is a little controversial in the early childhood education world. And that’s ok with me. In fact, I’ve written about it before. Teaching by theme works for my style of teaching and is received well by the students, so I stick with it because it works.
One of the reasons I enjoy teaching preschool themes is because it gives my lesson plans some direction. It gives us a defined place to go. I love teaching science and social studies to preschoolers and having a theme gives me guidance on how to systematically teach those disciplines.
And you know how I like to be systematic in my teaching.
It’s just something that works for me. It makes me successful.
A second reason I like to teach by themes in preschool is because I like to use the children’s natural curiosity for a subject and offer them many rich educational experiences within those parameters. I like to teach a mile deep, rather than glaze the top of questions with mediocre responses and activities. Teaching in preschool themes helps me do this.
Five Favorite Preschool Themes
Over the years we have done many preschool themes, however, like with anything else in teaching, there are some that are enjoyed more than others. These are our all time favorite preschool themes, all of which have been tried and true by multiple classes of my own preschool students, as well as tons of ideas to help you with your lesson planning.
Click on each photo to be taken to the archives of that theme.
Farm Activities for Preschool
Take learning about farm animals to the next level with these fun farm activities for preschoolers. From small world and sensory play to science, math and process art. It’s all fun learning with the following activities:
Investigating Seeds Farm Science Activity
Easy DIY Farm Animal Pattern Cards
Ocean Activities for Preschool
Preschoolers love, love, love learning about the ocean. all those squiggly, wiggly and scaley animals are so fascinating, not to mention what preschooler doesn’t love to play a bit in the water?
Simple Ocean Art for Toddler and Preschoolers
Ocean Small World Play (in the water bin)
Five Little Fishies Counting Mats with Free Printable
Seashell and Play Dough Invitation to Play
10 Ocean Themed Preschool Activities
Dinosaur Activities for Preschool
Boys and girls alike enjoy learning about dinosaurs. These giant lizards that are more closely related to birds than most reptiles are fascinating, and for a preschooler, basically the biggest wonder of their worlds.
An Entire Month of Dinosaur Themed Lesson Plans – as in 27 activities!
9 Crazy Awesome Dinosaur Activities
5 Easy Activities for the Preschool Dinosaur Enthusiast
Autumn Activities for Preschool
Autumn is my favorite season and also one of my favorite themes to teach in preschool. With the changing leaves and the cooler weather, there is no end to the possibilities in preschool learning.
Fall Science Center for Preschoolers
Autun Themed Invitation to Play
Fall Process Art for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Pumpkin Math and Science Activities for Preschoolers
Arctic Animals Activities for Preschool
January is kind of a dreary month where I live, so studying arctic animals is preschool is a great pick-me-up. This is partly because I find them interesting, but also because my preschoolers love to play with the snow and ice (and perhaps some marshmallows) associated with this unit study.
8 Arctic Themed Activities for Preschoolers
Winter Preschool Theme Lesson Plans – over 27 activities!
Winter Cookie Cutter Process Art
More Great Lesson Planning Ideas
Do you like having your lesson plans done in advance in a systematic and intentional manner? Then my Preschool Literacy Lesson Plans Bundle and myPreschool Math Lesson Plans Bundle are just what you are looking for! (These are also sold in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.)
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I am Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home mama of five! I am the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught range of levels, including preschool and college, and a little bit of just about everything in between. Right now, my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction
[…] pattern cards are a quick and easy way to reinforce patterning concepts while learning about a favorite preschool theme. Farm themes are always popular among preschoolers, and teachers alike, especially in the fall […]