Inside: Looking for the best toddler and preschool themes you can do in your classroom or at home? This collection is filled with playful learning activities for year-round fun. Free printable list included! Are you like I was, searching for themes that will work with toddlers and preschoolers? Do you have stacks of notes with ideas but not sure where to go next? Take a deep breath. I am hoping to help you with this collection of preschool themes. In this post I am sharing a year’s worth of themes that teachers can use in the classroom or at home. I’ve organized these preschool themes by month, but the more general themes can be used any time of the year. These are just suggestions. So get out your planners and pencil in some of these ideas! Bonus! I’ve created a printable list of themes as a handy resource. Scroll down towards the bottom of this post to find it!
I am often asked how long each of my themes are. We used to do a theme a week but realized that usually didn’t allow enough time for thorough exploration. Today, most of our themes are at least 2 weeks, sometimes longer. As I get to know my students, I learn more about their interests. In addition to the planned themes, I will also add activities that connect to these interests. The themes that are shown below are simply suggestions. Pick and choose which ones you feel would be a good fit for your classroom environment.
A Year’s Worth of the Best Preschool Themes
Under some of the theme titles I have included lesson plans you can purchase. Some I have helped create, and others were written by my early childhood educator friends. Also included under some of the titles are links to more resources, such as classroom photos and video tours. Simply click on them to get a better idea of how we used these themes in our classroom. Some of these themes I have not (yet) included in our classroom curriculum, but they were shared in our Teaching Toddlers and Preschoolers Facebook Group. Please note that it’s important to keep the age and learning levels of your children in mind when selecting themes. Some of these themes are more appropriate for older preschoolers. For this reason, I’ve provided a variety of ideas for each season.
SEPTEMBER
All About Me
Preschool All About Me Lesson Plans Toddler All About Me Lesson Plans 30+ All About Me Theme Activities All About Me Theme Activity Ideas Classroom Video Tour
In the 2022-2023 school year, we moved transportation to September. You can see what we did here.
Shapes and Colors
Preschool Color Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour
Family and Friends
Preschool Friends Lesson Plans Preschool Family Lesson Plans 20+ Preschool Friendship Activities Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year – Year #3,Week #1 Classroom Video Tour Year – Year #3, Week #2
Fairy Tales
Preschool Fairy Tale Lesson Plans
OCTOBER
Fall
Toddler Fall Lesson Plans Preschool Fall Lesson Plans
Apples
Preschool Apples Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video 2022 – Week #1 (Combined with Pumpkins) Classroom Video 2022 – Week #2 (Combined with Pumpkins)
Pumpkins
Preschool Pumpkin Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3 (combined with Apple Theme)
Spiders
Preschool Spider Lesson Plans Learning About Spiders Classroom Video Tour
Bats
Preschool Bats Lesson Plans 20 Bat Activities
Forest
Preschool Forest Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour
Farm
Preschool Farm Lesson Plans Toddler Farm Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3, Week #1 Farm Theme Week #1 – 2022 Farm Theme Week #2 – 2022
Halloween
NOVEMBER
Leaves and Pinecones
Preschool Leaves Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Tour Video Year #1 Classroom Tour Video Year #2 Classroom Tour Video Year #3 Classroom Tour Video Year #4
Five Senses
Preschool Five Senses Lesson Plans Toddler Five Senses Lesson Plans Five senses Activities
Thanksgiving
Preschool Thanksgiving Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3
Nutrition
DECEMBER
Jingle Bells
Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour
Gingerbread
Preschool Gingerbread Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3 Classroom Video Tour Year #4 Classroom Video Tour 2022
Christmas
Preschool Christmas Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour, Week #1, Year #2 Classroom Video Tour, Week #2, Year #2 Classroom Video Tour, Week #2, Year #3.
JANUARY
Winter
Toddler Winter Lesson Plans Preschool Winter Lesson Plans
Snow and Ice
Preschool Arctic Lesson Plans Preschool Snowflakes Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3 Classroom Video Tour 2023 – Week #1 Classroom Video Tour 2023 – Week #2
Hibernation
Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3 Classroom Video Tour 2023
Arctic Animals
Classroom Video Tour
Penguins
Preschool Penguin Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2
Opposites
Day and Night
Learning About Day and Night Classroom Set Up
Martin Luther King, Jr.
24 Martin Luther King Jr. Activities Martin Luther King Jr. Activities for Kids
FEBRUARY
Feelings/Emotions
Preschool Emotions Lesson Plans Classroom Video Tour (Includes Valentine’s)
Valentines
Preschool Hearts Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #3 Classroom Video Tour 2023
Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day Activities and Printables Presidents’ Day Theme for Preschool
Community Helpers
Preschool Community Helpers Lesson Plans Toddler Community Helpers Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour 2023
Around the World
Preschool Around the World Lesson Plans How to Teach Preschoolers About Their World
MARCH
Dr. Seuss
Classroom Tour Video Dr. Seuss Activities
St. Patrick’s Day
Preschool St. Patrick’s Day Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Tour Year #1 Classroom Tour Year #2 Classroom Tour 2023
Rainbows
Preschool Rainbow Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #3
Dinosaurs
Toddler Dinosaur Theme Lesson Plans Preschool Dinosaur Theme Lesson Plans Classroom Tour Video
APRIL
Spring
Toddler Spring Lesson Plans Preschool Spring Lesson Plans Classroom Video Tour Year (Includes Pond)
Spring and Easter
Note: If Easter is in March, we move this unit to that month.
Preschool Easter Lesson Plans Preschool Eggs Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2
Spring Animals
Toddler Animals Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour
Bugs and Butterflies
Toddler Bugs and Butterflies Lesson Plans Preschool Bugs and Butterflies Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour (Bugs) Year#1 Classroom Video Tour (Butterflies) Year #1 Bugs, Butterflies, and Easter 2023 Classroom Video Tour 2023
Gardening
Preschool Flowers and Trees Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 (includes Bugs) Classroom VideoTour 2023
Worms
Preschool Worms Lesson Plans
Frogs
Preschool Frogs Lesson Plans 15 Frog Activities Classroom Video Tour
Birds
Preschool Birds Lesson Plans
Weather
Preschool Weather Lesson Plans 30+ Preschool Weather Activities
Recycling/Earth Day
Preschool Earth Day Lesson Plans Preschool Earth Day Activities
Pets
Preschool Pets Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour 2023 (Also Mother’s Day)
MAY
Transportation
In the 2022-2023 school year, we moved this theme to September. You can see what we did here.
Preschool Transportation Theme Lesson Plans Toddler Transportation Theme Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Year #1 Classroom Video Tour Year #2 Classroom Video Tour Year #3 Transportation Theme Week #1 – 2022 (We moved it to the fall this particular year.) Transportation Theme Week #2 – 2022 (We moved it to the fall this particular year.)
Construction
Preschool Construction Theme Lesson Plans Classroom Video Tour Year
Space
Preschool Space Theme Lesson Plans 15 Space Activities
Deserts
Zoo
Preschool Zoo Lesson Plans
Bees
Bee Themed Activities
SUMMER
Summer
Preschool Summer Lesson Plans Toddler Summer Lesson Plans Classroom Video Tour Year
Beach
Preschool Ocean Lesson Plans Toddler Under the Sea Lesson Plans Classroom Set Up Classroom Video Tour Classroom Video Tour 2023
Water
Preschool Water Lesson Plans
Sharks Sun Sand
4th of July
Preschool America Lesson Plans 4th of July Crafts
Bubbles
Preschool Bubbles Lesson Plans
Camping
Preschool Camping Lesson Plans
Pools
Watermelon
Preschool Watermelon Lesson Plans
Ice Cream
Preschool Ice Cream Lesson Plans
👉 Download this free list of themes as a handy resource:
You can find more teacher posts in this collection.
Toddler and Preschool Activity Plans
Looking for an entire year’s worth of learning activities? We’ve done the work for you! I have helped create each of these packets, along with a team of talented educators and homeschoolers. Easy to follow activity plans include activity modifications and adaptations to meet the needs of all learners. Every theme comes with recommended reading lists, songs, material lists, and more. Click on the graphics below for more details. Toddlers (18 – 36 months):
Preschool (3 – 5 Years):
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