Summary: The lesson plan is packed with toddler-friendly both mentally stimulating exercises and physically stimulating exercises. You do not want your children to grow up without the skills they need to care for themselves once they are on their own in an apartment or in a dorm room if they go away to college.
Since many aspiring children's book writers are also teachers, it might be a good idea to offer some advice in a familiar format -- a writing lesson plan. We'll develop this plan step-by-step. Let's start our adventure with a look at the categories of children's books. In its broadest definition, a picture book is a book in which the illustrations play a significant role in telling the story. Under this umbrella are several types of books:
Baby Books
For infants and young toddlers, these books are generally lullabies, nursery rhymes, fingerplays, or wordless books. The length and format vary with the content.
Toddler books
Very simple stories for ages 1-3 (under 300 words) familiar to a child's everyday life, or concept books are short and the format can be board books (sturdy paper-over board construction), pop-ups, lift-the-flaps or novelty books See the "Max" series of board books.
Picture books
Traditionally, picture books are 32-page books for ages 4-8. Manuscripts are up to 1500 words, with 1000 words being the average length. Plots are simple with one main character who embodies the child's emotions, concerns, and viewpoint. The illustrations play as great a role as the text in telling the story. Occasionally a picture book will exceed 1500 words; this is usually geared toward the upper end of the age spectrum.
Picture books cover a wide range of topics and styles. The list of Caldecott Medal winners, available from your library, is a good place to start your research. Nonfiction in the picture book format can go up to age 10, 48 pages in length, or up to about 2000 words of text.
Early picture books
3 year old printables binder geared toward the lower end of the 4-8 age range. These stories are simple and contain under 1000 words. Many early picture books have been reprinted in the board book format, thus widening the audience.
Educational games for kids
"Back to school" is a fun time for educational games for kids, which can help them fill their free time with fun activities and games while working on reading and math skills. Kids love to be engaged while reading. Interacting with kids after reading is a great way to get them to read more.
With the worksheets and lesson plans available, kids will have the opportunity to continue their reading activities and turn them into a learning process. Kids also like to get a break while learning and do other activities such as arts and crafts for kids and coloring pictures for kids.
Fun online experience
Your kids can either learn or be part of the fun online experience that helps them practice with and play games on weekends or a specific night of the week. Or, they might want to go online to enjoy their free time, but still learn different skills, techniques, and the like.
Online activities help kids learn while still having fun. These are all good reasons for online activities, whether it's online stories, educational games, crafts, or coloring for kids will all keep your kid engaged.
If you are running low on activities for your kid, ask them what they are interested in. Most online sites offer plenty of fun activities to keep your kids busy and learning while having fun. Find these online activities and games, because it is never too late to start the educational process. It will fill their day with fun activities and give them a chance to learn.
Keeping your toddler mentally stimulated
Finding these on the web is easy, you just have to search for them. The key is to sit with your toddler during the lesson plan to keep him interested. Often parents think that having their toddler learn something is as easy as sitting them down with activity and walking away to do a chore.
The most effective way for them to learn from free toddler lesson plans is to sit with them and talk them through them. In addition to keeping your toddler mentally stimulated, it's important also to keep your 2 year old lesson plans physically stimulated with some good indoor physical activities like mommy and me yoga, or trying to teach them how to play a sport at the local community center gym. Call some of your friends' kids and make a class out of it, especially if you cannot afford preschool.
Taking advantage of the teaching ideas for toddlers available online in addition to indulging in indoor physical activities for your kids can help them develop motor and mental skills that they will carry throughout the rest of their lives.
The key is to not spend too much money and really take advantage of free toddler lesson plans that you can find easily online on many mommy websites.