Year 2
January Theme: Music and Movement!
This document and all Creatively Shine Curriculum is protected and owned by Little Sunshine’s
Playhouse & Preschool, Inc. and cannot not be printed or used for any other purpose than its intended
use.
Required Project: Host a dance party! You may choose to theme the party such as a sock hop, square
dance, etc. We recommend doing this during business hours at the end of the day during pick up time.
You may choose to record the party and give to families.
The below is meant to provide teachers with a backbone to their classroom lesson plans. All suggested
items to be added to the classrooms and suggested ideas are at the teacher’s discretion. This allows
teachers the freedom to modify this list to best fit their age group by adding or deleting activities and
also by allowing for the children to direct activities within the theme.
*Any activities with an * in front are specifically for infants and/or toddlers; however, most activities
can be adapted to accommodate these age groups as well
Unit 1 – The Love of Music (January 2 -13)
Overview: This unit will embrace an appreciation for music. Opportunities should be provided for
children to listen to different types of age appropriate music, compare and contract rhythms, and
recognize beats and patterns. Children should be given opportunities to play music, sing, and witness
instruments being played inside the classrooms.
Suggested Items to Add to Classroom:
 Musical Instrument
 Dancing Ribbons
 CD Player
 Music
 Scarves, Tutu’s, Ballet Shoes, etc.
 Exercise Ball
 Music Books (showing musical notes)
 Record Player
 Head Phones
Suggested Ideas for Focus on the Whole Child:
Social/Emotional
 Have someone from the community play live music for the school
 Pretend choir practice
 Carol classroom to classroom
 Play a record player and dance to the tunes
 Make a silly rap song
Physical (fine/gross motor)
 Practice playing a guitar
 Use toilet paper tubes as rhythm sticks
 Make tambourines out of everyday items such as paper plates
 Make rain sticks (paper towel holder and toothpicks)
 March like a band
 Practice Drumming
 Teach songs with movements (itsy bitsy spider or hokey pokey)
 *Encourage pushing buttons on musical toys
Cognitive
 Trace music notes
 Work on pattern recognition with music
 Use jars with lids as noise makers
 Color code musical notes
 Teach how to handle cd’s, tapes, etc.
Communication/ Language
 Make up songs about the school or students using familiar tunes
 Set up a headphone center
 Discuss and display different types of music/child appropriate (cultural, classical, etc.)
 Teach a song with sign language
 Finger play with a fun song (monkeys jumping in the bed, etc.)
 Teach a song in a foreign language
 Learn theme words in sign and second language
Workbook Curriculum
 Workbook curriculum should be carried out daily in each classroom with (children over the age
of 12 months) for 10-20 minutes, depending on age. At this time we are not mandating what
brand or type of workbook. Workbooks should teach general cognitive principals for the child’s
age (colors, shapes, tracing, recognition, memorization, numbers, and alphabet). The activity
should be in paper form and available for parents to review at least weekly. This addition to our
curriculum is a supplement needed to meet the expectations of families and further prepare
children for Kindergarten. Workbook curriculum is not considered a creative art experience; it is
merely a supplement to encourage cognitive growth.
Unit 2 – Movement in Dance (January 16 – 27)
Overview: This unit should focus on movement associated with music. Items should be brought into the
classroom to support and foster healthy movement. Various forms of aerobics, cheers and dance should
be carried out each day.
Suggested Items to Add to Classroom:
 Dance ribbons
 Ballet shoes
 Tutus
 Exercise video or dance video
 Mats (for falls)
 Pom Poms
Suggested Ideas for Focus on the Whole Child:
Social/Emotional
 Hula dance off
 Play a dance video or movie
 Follow the leader marching, skipping, and galloping
 Play London Bridge
 Team Cheer
 Do the “Chicken Dance”
Physical (fine and gross motor)
 Learn a country line dance
 Play bean bag balancing games
 Practice stretching daily
 Ring around the rosie or red rover
 Aerobic Videos
 *Let the children shake, wave or dance with ribbons
Cognitive
 Learn the names of ballet dance moves
 Tape the floor with shapes and dance inside and outside the shape
 Musical Chairs Game
 Simon Says Game
 Discuss nice touches and hurtful touches (hitting, kicking, etc.)
Communication/ Language
 Read books like “Bookie Woogie” with movement
 Red light/green light (listening)
 Reads books such as “Hands are not for hitting”
 Conduct music like an orchestra conductor
 Learn words like run, jump, dance, etc. in sign and second language
Workbook Curriculum
 Workbook curriculum should be carried out daily in each classroom with (children over the age
of 12 months) for 10-20 minutes, depending on age. At this time we are not mandating what
brand or type of workbook. Workbooks should teach general cognitive principals for the child’s
age (colors, shapes, tracing, recognition, memorization, numbers, and alphabet). The activity
should be in paper form and available for parents to review at least weekly. This addition to our
curriculum is a supplement needed to meet the expectations of families and further prepare
children for Kindergarten. Workbook curriculum is not considered a creative art experience; it is
merely a supplement to encourage cognitive growth.