[dk1]

Hi, I taught a mommy and me group last year with small ones and had a great time. They were 18 months to about 2 years old. You really need to have fun. They just want to play and move around. So here are my thoughts and what I learned....

Don't expect them to sit and listen for very long. If you have a story time, they will sit longer eating a biscuit and props go a long way. Mix it up, make it interesting with lots of music and active games. Try to follow a routine and do lots of repetition. You will get sick of singing 'Where is Thumpkin' to start every class, but trust me, they never will. I did a little game- 10 little fingers standing in a row (count them), wiggle them high, wiggle them low, put them behind you, where did they go? Then lead into Where is Thumpkin. Use the same language as you go- touch your nose! Jump! Follow me! Change the pace, and vary the activities a lot. Every lesson, find things to count (to 10) and do something with colors and maybe animals (flash cards, play music-stop- touch yellow). Don't go crazy introducing new vocabulary, keep it simple but fast moving and fun. Do crafts like playdough (make your own, it's simple) and just free coloring (self portrait, draw mommy and daddy, simple!). You will be helping develop their fine motor skills as well. There is a wealth of information on the internet so poke around and gather ideas as you go. I can't stress the Have Fun! part enough.