100+ Free Lesson Plan Ideas for Preschool (Printable PDFs)

In this resource, you will find 100 engaging and creative lesson plan ideas tailored specifically for preschoolers.

Each lesson plan is designed to promote active learning, social interaction, and skill development while catering to the unique interests and developmental stages of young children.

What should be on a Preschool Lesson Plan?

A preschool lesson plan should typically include the following components:

• Objective: Clearly state the learning goals and objectives for the lesson. What specific skills, knowledge, or concepts do you want the children to acquire?
• Materials and Resources: List all the materials, props, and resources you’ll need for the activities. This includes books, toys, art supplies, and any other items necessary for the lesson.
• Introduction: Describe how you will introduce the topic or theme to the children, capturing their interest and attention.
• Activities: Outline the sequence of activities you’ll conduct during the lesson. Each activity should be age-appropriate, engaging, and aligned with the learning objectives.
• Transitions: Plan how you’ll smoothly transition between activities to maintain the flow of the lesson.
• Assessment/Evaluation: Describe how you’ll assess the children’s progress and understanding of the lesson. This can be through observations, discussions, or informal assessments.
• Closure: Summarize the lesson and provide a conclusion that reinforces the main concepts learned.
• Adaptations: Consider any adaptations or modifications needed for children with diverse needs or learning styles.

100 Easy Lesson Plan Ideas for Preschool (PDF)

Here’s a list of 50 free lesson plan ideas for preschool that cover a wide range of topics and activities:

1. Colors of the Rainbow: Teach preschoolers about colors through fun activities like color mixing, finger painting, and sorting objects by color.
2. Shapes Exploration: Have a shape hunt around the classroom or outdoors, and create crafts using different shapes.
3. Alphabet Adventures: Introduce one letter of the alphabet each day, accompanied by activities, songs, and crafts related to that letter.
4. Number Fun: Engage kids with counting games, number recognition activities, and simple addition and subtraction using objects.
5. Seasonal Changes: Observe and discuss the changes in nature during different seasons, followed by related art projects and sensory activities.
6. Community Helpers: Learn about various community helpers like firefighters, doctors, and police officers, and role-play different professions.
7. Animal Safari: Explore different animals, their habitats, and their sounds through books, videos, and animal-themed crafts.
8. Five Senses Exploration: Create sensory stations for kids to explore their five senses, such as smelling different scents or tasting various foods blindfolded.
9. Dinosaur Discovery: Introduce kids to dinosaurs through books, fossils, and dinosaur-themed games and crafts.
10. Nursery Rhyme Fun: Learn classic nursery rhymes together and act them out, followed by related crafts or puppet shows.
11. Healthy Eating: Teach children about nutritious food choices through fun activities like creating a fruit salad or vegetable prints.
12. Opposites Day: Explore opposites like big and small, up and down, hot and cold through games and visual aids.
13. Transportation Adventures: Discover different modes of transportation, create a transportation-themed obstacle course, and make vehicles with recycled materials.
14. Weather Watchers: Observe and discuss weather changes and create weather charts with the help of drawings and stickers.
15. Plant Life Cycle: Teach kids about the life cycle of plants by planting seeds, observing growth, and creating a plant journal.
16. Outer Space Exploration: Venture into space with pretend play as astronauts and create a galaxy-themed art project.
17. Ocean Adventure: Learn about ocean animals and create an underwater-themed sensory bin.
18. Emotions and Feelings: Explore emotions through storytelling, role-playing, and drawing different facial expressions.
19. Family and Friendship: Discuss the importance of family and friendship through books, drawing family portraits, and making friendship bracelets.
20. Insects Investigation: Study different insects, their characteristics, and create a bug-themed scavenger hunt.
21. Superhero Training: Encourage physical activity with superhero-themed exercises and obstacle courses.
22. Community Garden: Plant seeds in a classroom garden and take care of the plants together.
23. Famous Artists: Introduce famous artists and their work, and let the children create their own masterpieces inspired by their styles.
24. Cultural Celebrations: Explore different cultural celebrations through stories, crafts, and traditional food tasting.
25. Recycled Art: Foster creativity by creating art projects using recycled materials, such as cardboard and empty bottles.
26. Ocean Animal Yoga: Introduce yoga poses inspired by ocean animals, such as “seahorse pose” or “turtle pose.”
27. Rainbow Fruit Snacks: Teach healthy eating by creating fruit skewers in rainbow colors and having a colorful snack time.
28. Construction Zone: Set up a construction-themed area with blocks, toy trucks, and safety vests for creative play.
29. Musical Instruments: Let kids explore various musical instruments and have a music-making session.
30. Fire Safety: Teach fire safety through interactive activities, like “stop, drop, and roll” practice.
31. Gardening Exploration: Take a nature walk and collect natural items to create a nature collage or sensory bin.
32. Farm Animals: Learn about farm animals through songs, pretend play, and creating animal masks.
33. DIY Science Experiments: Conduct simple science experiments, such as making a volcano or growing seeds in a plastic bag.
34. Family Trees: Discuss family relationships and create family tree crafts using pictures.
35. Healthy Habits: Teach children about personal hygiene, such as handwashing and brushing teeth, with interactive demonstrations.
36. Cooking Fun: Have a cooking class where kids can help prepare simple recipes or make their own fruit kabobs.
37. Exploring Shapes in Nature: Go on a nature walk to find shapes in leaves, rocks, and flowers, then create a nature-inspired art project.
38. Storytime Theater: Encourage kids to retell a favorite story using puppets or props.
39. Inventors Workshop: Provide materials for kids to invent their own imaginative gadgets or machines.
40. Dress-up Day: Have a dress-up day where children can come dressed as their favorite characters or professions.
41. Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items for kids to find in nature and go on a scavenger hunt outdoors.
42. Community Field Trip: Take a virtual or real field trip to a local fire station, library, or park to learn about the community.
43. Feelings Journal: Create a feelings journal for kids to draw or write about their emotions each day.
44. STEM Building Challenge: Present STEM challenges like building the tallest tower using marshmallows and toothpicks.
45. Fairy Tale Fun: Introduce classic fairy tales through storytelling and have a fairytale-themed dress-up day.
46. Body Parts Playdough: Use playdough to learn body parts by creating faces, hands, and feet.
47. Pirate Adventure: Organize a pirate treasure hunt with clues leading to a hidden “treasure” in the classroom or playground.
48. Art Around the World: Explore art from different cultures and create art inspired by their styles.
49. Balloon Rocket Races: Engage in a fun science experiment by creating balloon-powered rockets and racing them.
50. Sensory Storytelling: Combine storytelling with sensory bins or props to enhance the story experience.
51. Shape Recognition with Playdough: Use playdough to form different shapes and encourage preschoolers to identify and name each shape.
52. Counting with Cheerios: Practice counting skills by using Cheerios or other small snacks to count and group into sets.
53. Color Mixing with Watercolors: Explore color combinations by letting children mix watercolors and observe the magical results.
54. Storytelling with Puppets: Foster creativity by allowing children to create and use puppets for a fun storytelling session.
55. Letter Matching with Alphabet Blocks: Engage in a letter recognition activity by having children match alphabet blocks to corresponding letters on a chart.
56. Music and Movement: Incorporate music into lessons, encouraging children to move and dance to different rhythms.
57. Play Kitchen Cooking: Set up a pretend kitchen to teach basic cooking concepts and encourage imaginative play.
58. Science Experiment with Baking Soda and Vinegar: Create a simple science experiment by combining baking soda and vinegar to observe the chemical reaction.
59. Seed Planting and Observation: Teach about plant life by letting preschoolers plant seeds and observe the growth process.
60. Weather Chart: Introduce weather concepts by creating a daily weather chart and discussing different weather conditions.
61. Dramatic Play: Set up a dramatic play area, such as a doctor’s office or grocery store, to encourage role-playing.
62. Name Recognition Collage: Have children create collages using cut-out letters from magazines to spell their names.
63. Fine Motor Skills with Threading Beads: Enhance fine motor skills by having children thread beads onto strings.
64. Body Parts Recognition: Teach body parts through activities like “Simon Says” or creating a life-size body outline.
65. Sensory Bin Exploration: Create sensory bins with items like rice, beans, or sand to stimulate tactile exploration.
66. Color Sorting with Pom-Poms: Sort colorful pom-poms into corresponding color cups to reinforce color recognition.
67. Community Helpers Discussion: Introduce various community helpers through discussions, stories, and related activities.
68. DIY Paper Plate Animals: Foster creativity by having children make their favorite animals using paper plates and craft materials.
69. Gross Motor Skills Obstacle Course: Set up an obstacle course to develop gross motor skills and coordination.
70. Five Senses Exploration: Create activities that engage all five senses to enhance sensory awareness.
71. Gardening: Involve children in simple gardening activities, teaching them about plants and responsibility.
72. DIY Musical Instruments: Craft simple musical instruments like shakers or drums using household items.
73. Shadow Play: Explore the concept of shadows by tracing and playing with shadows in different lighting conditions.
74. Texture Collage: Develop sensory awareness by creating a collage with different textured materials.
75. Recycled Art Projects: Encourage environmental awareness by creating art projects using recycled materials.
76. Letter Recognition with Alphabet Soup: Use plastic letters in a sensory bin filled with “alphabet soup” (shredded paper or noodles).
77. Yoga for Kids: Introduce basic yoga poses to promote relaxation, flexibility, and body awareness.
78. DIY Shape Stamps: Create homemade stamps using various shapes, allowing children to explore shape recognition through art.
79. Sink or Float Experiment: Explore buoyancy by conducting a sink or float experiment with different objects.
80. Sorting by Size: Use everyday items for size sorting activities, promoting size discrimination.
81. Texture Walk: Take a nature walk and explore different textures like grass, sand, and tree bark.
82. Balloon Rocket Science Experiment: Combine play and science by creating balloon rockets and observing the forces at play.
83. DIY Bubble Wrap Stomp Painting: Make painting exciting by attaching bubble wrap to children’s shoes for a unique stomping experience.
84. Family Tree Craft: Foster a sense of identity by creating a family tree using pictures and names.
85. DIY Paper Plate Clock: Teach basic time concepts by having children create their own paper plate clocks.
86. Fruit and Vegetable Tasting: Explore healthy eating habits by organizing a fruit and vegetable tasting session.
87. Colorful Ice Cube Painting: Add a sensory twist to painting by using colorful ice cubes as paintbrushes.
88. Animal Movement Game: Teach about different animal movements through a fun game of mimicking animal actions.
89. Paper Plate Puzzles: Enhance problem-solving skills by creating simple paper plate puzzles.
90. Bubble Play: Have fun with bubbles, incorporating bubble blowing and popping into various games.
91. Seasonal Collage: Explore the changing seasons by creating collages that represent different times of the year.
92. DIY Shape Hopscotch: Combine physical activity and shape recognition by creating a hopscotch game with shapes.
93. Build-a-Word with Magnetic Letters: Develop early literacy skills by creating words with magnetic letters on a board.
94. DIY Bird Feeders: Introduce the concept of caring for wildlife by making simple bird feeders.
95. Animal Habitats Discussion: Teach about different animal habitats through discussions, books, and related activities.
96. Rainbow Craft with Tissue Paper: Explore colors and create a vibrant rainbow using tissue paper.
97. Alphabet Hopscotch: Combine letter recognition and physical activity with an alphabet-themed hopscotch game.
98. DIY Story Stones: Encourage storytelling and creativity by making story stones with various images.
99. Fishing for Letters: Create a fishing game using magnetic letters and toy fishing rods to reinforce letter recognition.

Conclusion

We encourage you to explore these free printable lesson plans, adapt them to suit your children’s needs, and witness the magic of early childhood education come alive.

Let the laughter, exploration, and growth begin as we embark on this adventure of learning and discovery with our preschoolers. Happy teaching!

Recommended:

1. 21 Easy Social and Emotional Activities for Preschoolers
2. 23 Fun Indoor Obstacle Course Ideas for Kids
3. 20 Fun Disney Activities for Preschoolers

Sohaib Hasan Shah

Sohaib's journey includes 10+ years of teaching and counseling experience at BCSS School in elementary and middle schools, coupled with a BBA (Hons) with a minor in Educational Psychology from Curtin University (Australia) . In his free time, he cherishes quality moments with his family, reveling in the joys and challenges of parenthood. His three daughters have not only enriched his personal life but also deepened his understanding of the importance of effective education and communication, spurring him to make a meaningful impact in the world of education.