How To Create Weekly Lesson Plans for Preschool 

The struggle is real. You’re brimming with ideas to engage your young learners, but the sheer volume of daily lesson planning feels overwhelming. Weekly preschool lesson plans that are developmentally appropriate and ready to use, can help turn overwhelm into enthusiasm.

Here at Stay-at-Home Educator, we have some FREE weekly lesson plans for preschoolers as a resource for you. It is our hope that these lesson plans will help you structure your days, while fostering a fun, educational environment for your preschoolers. We are passionate about early education and want the preschool years to be filled with engaging, well-planned lessons. We hope to be your one-stop resource for all of your preschool lesson planning needs.

Preschool education may be filled with crayons and giggles, but what you might not realize is that even those playful moments can be powerful learning experiences! 

By carefully planning activities for preschoolers, we can turn playtime into a springboard for future success. These activities aren’t just about learning their ABCs (although that’s important too!), they’re about sparking a love of learning that will stay with children for years to come. 

So, how can we, as parents and teachers, work together to make preschool the best launchpad it can be? Let’s explore the importance of age-appropriate and engaging lessons, and how by creating a stimulating environment, we can unlock a world of discovery for our curious preschoolers!

If you are looking for something to completely alleviate lesson planning overwhelm, I have created an exciting, comprehensive year-long preschool curriculum. It includes everything you need to have fun and relevant daily lessons that follow a developmentally appropriate scope and sequence. This resource allows you to spend more time teaching and interacting with your preschoolers, and less time planning and perhaps stressing about what to do each day.

Why Use Weekly Preschool Themes?

Ever wondered why preschool classrooms often have themes that change each week? It’s not just to keep things fresh! 

Weekly themes offer a powerful way to structure learning for young children. By focusing on a central topic, like dinosaurs or under the sea, educators can weave together a variety of activities that reinforce key concepts. 

Imagine singing songs about ocean animals, painting colorful fish, and reading stories about brave divers – all within the same “Under the Sea” theme! This connected approach helps preschoolers make deeper connections to the material and retain information more effectively. Plus, themes spark curiosity and excitement. 

Who wouldn’t be eager to learn about dinosaurs or build a mini garden after a week of exploration? Weekly themes transform learning from isolated activities into an engaging adventure, setting the stage for a lifelong love of discovery in our youngest learners.

Benefits of Using Weekly Lesson Plans

But why are lesson plans even important in preschool? Weekly thematic lesson plans are more than just keeping things fresh! Here’s why they’re so crucial in preschool:

• Building Upon Concepts: Think of them as a roadmap for learning, not a rigid script. Weekly themes allow you to revisit and expand on concepts throughout the week.
• Deeper Understanding: By revisiting concepts throughout the week with different activities, you’re not just teaching information – you’re encouraging deeper understanding. 
• Structure and Predictability: Preschoolers thrive on routine. Weekly thematic lesson plans provide a sense of structure and predictability, which creates a safe and secure learning environment. Children know what to expect, which reduces anxiety and allows them to focus on the joy of discovery. 

How to Make a Weekly Lesson Plan

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to creating weekly lesson plans. Every preschool class is unique, with its own mix of personalities and learning styles. However, there are some key steps that can serve as a springboard for crafting engaging and effective themes to get you started:

• Choose a Template: many websites offer free downloadable templates to help you organize your plans.
• Consult Your Monthly Curriculum: Align your weekly theme with your broader learning objectives.
• Read-alouds are key: Select engaging books that tie into your theme for circle time. 
• Whole Group Lessons: Plan activities that involve the entire class, like songs, games, or experiments.
• Small Group Focus: Schedule time for targeted learning experiences with smaller groups.
• Center Activities: Don’t forget the fun! Theme-based centers encourage independent exploration and creativity. 

Remember, the key is to create a diverse and stimulating learning environment that caters to different learning styles. If you’d like a roadmap to get you started, be sure to check out our free preschool lesson plan template, which provides a framework for building your own engaging weekly themes!  

Preschool Weekly Lesson Plans

Weekly preschool lesson plans don’t have to be reinvented every week. Here at Stay At Home Educator, our Learn At Home Preschool Lesson Plans offer a free resource for parents and educators. 

Designed for home learning with preschoolers, these free plans can also be easily adapted for classroom use. Teachers can utilize them as inspiration for thematic activities, while parents can use them as a guide for enriching their child’s education at home. This flexibility makes Learn at Home Preschool Lesson Plans a valuable tool for anyone involved in a preschooler’s learning journey.

Weekly Plan for Preschool

Spark a love of learning and ignite your little one’s curiosity with our exciting library of weekly preschool lesson plans! Designed specifically for preschoolers, these thematic plans offer a comprehensive roadmap for a week of engaging activities.

Need a jumpstart? Check out some of our awesome Learn at Home Lesson Plans:

• All About Me Preschool Lesson Plan
• Nature Preschool Lesson Plan
• Pirate Preschool Lesson Plan
• Around The World Lesson Plan
• Dinasaur Lesson Plan
• Feelings and Emotions Lesson Plan

Seasonal Preschool Lesson Plans

Ditch the stress and embrace the changing seasons! Seasonal lesson plans are more than just a fun way to celebrate fall foliage or springtime blooms. They’re a powerful tool for preschool educators, offering a treasure trove of engaging activities already tailored to the natural world around us.

 Here are the best seasonal lesson plans:

• Spring Preschool Theme Ideas 
• Sweet Summer Theme Ideas 
• Fall Theme Ideas 
• Winter Theme Ideas

Free Weekly Lesson Plans for Preschool

Our Learn At Home Preschool Lesson Plans offer free, downloadable lesson plans, all designed specifically for stay-at-home educators like you. Simply browse through our exciting themes, click on the ones that spark your child’s curiosity, and download the ready-made plans – it’s that easy! 

But for ultimate convenience, we also have a Lesson Plan Bundle where we have 46 + weekly themes all bundled together and ready to print… easy-peasey! You will simply love the convenience of having year-long fantastic weekly themes ready to go!

Remember, creating a positive learning environment for your preschoolers doesn’t have to be a constant source of stress. Weekly preschool lesson plans can help free you from the burden of daily planning and allow you to focus on what truly matters – fostering a love of learning in your preschoolers.

With a well-structured plan as your guide, you can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time engaging with your students, sparking their curiosity, and nurturing their natural love of exploration. These early experiences will lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning, a gift that will benefit them far beyond the preschool classroom. 

So, embrace the power of weekly lesson plans and watch your preschoolers’ learning joy blossom!

Sarah Punkoney, MAT

I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m 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 a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of 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.

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