All About My Family: A Complete 5-Day Preschool Lesson Plan

Explore the theme of family with this comprehensive 5-day lesson plan designed for preschoolers (age 3). Perfect for homeschool or classroom settings, this unit integrates social-emotional learning, language arts, and fine motor skills through daily art projects, circle time songs, and engaging activities. Learners will identify family members, describe family activities, understand the concept of home, and learn about helping and loving each other. Each day includes clear objectives, material lists, and differentiation strategies.

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Lesson Plan: All About My Family

Subject: Social-Emotional Learning, Language Arts, Fine Motor Skills

Grade Level: Preschool (Age 3)

Time Allotment: 1 hour per day for 5 days

Learning Context: Homeschool, but easily adaptable for a small classroom.

Overall Learning Objectives

By the end of this 5-day lesson, the learner will be able to:

  • Identify and name immediate family members (e.g., Mommy, Daddy, sister, brother).
  • Describe at least one activity their family enjoys doing together.
  • Express the concept of "home" as where their family lives.
  • Participate in creating several art projects related to their family.
  • Express affection for their family through words and actions discussed in the lesson.

Materials Needed

  • General: Family photographs, children's books about families, music player for songs, drawing paper, crayons/markers, child-safe scissors, glue sticks.
  • Day 1: Large paper for a family portrait.
  • Day 2: Old magazines, construction paper.
  • Day 3: Building blocks or couch cushions, paper plates or construction paper shapes (square, triangle, rectangle).
  • Day 4: Non-toxic paint, items for a "helping" activity (e.g., a small watering can, soft cloths for dusting, a basket for toy clean-up).
  • Day 5: Red/pink construction paper, toilet paper roll (to be shaped into a heart), red/pink paint, stapler or hole punch with yarn (to make a book).

DAY 1: Who is in My Family?

Objectives:

  • Learner will be able to point to and name immediate family members in a photo.
  • Learner will participate in a song and a drawing activity about their family.

Lesson Structure (1 Hour)

  1. Introduction: Circle Time (15 mins)

    • Hook (Tell them what you'll teach): "Hi! Today, we are going to talk about the most important people in the world—our family! Your family loves you so much. Let's find out who is in our family."
    • Song: Sing the "Finger Family" song (Daddy finger, Mommy finger, etc.), pointing to your fingers. Encourage the learner to do the same.
    • Discussion: Look at family photos together. Point to each person. "Who is this? This is Mommy! Who is this? This is you! Our family is full of people who love you."

  2. Body: Activities (35 mins)

    • I Do (Modeling): "I am going to draw a picture of our family. Here is a circle for my head. Here is my happy smile! Now I will draw you next to me." Draw a very simple stick figure.
    • We Do (Guided Practice - Group Activity): Play "Family Freeze Dance." Play a happy song. "When the music stops, I'll call out a family member, and we have to give them a pretend hug! Ready? ... MUSIC STOPS ... HUG DADDY!" (Give a real hug if that person is present, or hug a photo/the air).
    • You Do (Independent Practice - Art Project): "Now it's your turn to make our family! Here is a big piece of paper and some crayons. Can you draw everyone in our family?"
      • Success Criteria: The learner holds a crayon and makes marks on the paper to represent their family. The focus is on the process, not a perfect product.
      • Talking Points: "What a beautiful picture! Tell me about it. Who is that? Oh, that's brother! I love the color you used for Mommy." Help label the drawing by writing the names the child says.

  3. Conclusion (10 mins)

    • Recap (Tell them what you taught): "Wow! Today we learned all about who is in our family! We sang a song, and you made a wonderful drawing of all of us."
    • Formative Assessment: Hold up the drawing. "Can you show me Daddy in your picture? Can you show me you?"
    • Closing: Display the artwork proudly. "Let's put your family picture right here so everyone can see it! You did a great job today."

Differentiation:
Scaffolding: Provide hand-over-hand assistance with drawing or pre-draw light circles for heads that the child can color in.
Extension: Encourage the learner to say one thing they like about each family member they draw.

DAY 2: What Do Families Do Together?

Objectives:

  • Learner will name one fun activity their family does together.
  • Learner will create a collage representing a family activity.

Lesson Structure (1 Hour)

  1. Introduction: Circle Time (15 mins)

    • Hook: "Yesterday we talked about WHO is in our family. Today, let's talk about all the fun things we DO together! What is something fun we did this week?"
    • Read Aloud: Read a simple book about a family doing activities (e.g., "Llama Llama Time to Share" or any book showing family interaction).
    • Discussion: "The family in the book went to the park! We go to the park, too! We also eat yummy dinner and read books. Doing things together is so much fun."

  2. Body: Activities (35 mins)

    • I Do (Modeling): "I'm going to pretend I'm reading a book to you, just like we do at bedtime. I turn the page... and I make a silly voice!" Act it out with enthusiasm.
    • We Do (Guided Practice - Group Activity): "Family Fun Charades." Act out simple family activities without words and have the learner guess. "What am I doing?" (Pretend to stir a pot for cooking, kick a ball, or drive a car). Let the learner have a turn to act, too.
    • You Do (Independent Practice - Art Project): "Let's make a picture of our favorite thing to do! We can look in these magazines for pictures of food, or toys, or parks. You can cut or tear them out, and we'll glue them on the paper."
      • Success Criteria: The learner chooses pictures and glues them onto paper with some assistance.
      • Talking Points: "You found a picture of a cookie! We love baking cookies together. Let's put glue on the back. Pat, pat, pat."

  3. Conclusion (10 mins)

    • Recap: "Today we talked about all the fun things our family does together, like playing games and making yummy food! Your collage shows so many happy things."
    • Formative Assessment: "Point to your favorite picture on your collage. Why is that your favorite thing we do?"
    • Closing: Add the collage to the display area next to the family portrait from Day 1.

Differentiation:
Scaffolding: Pre-cut or tear magazine pictures for the child to choose from. Help apply the glue.
Extension: Ask the child to tell a short story about one of the pictures they chose for their collage.

DAY 3: Where Does Our Family Live?

Objectives:

  • Learner will identify their dwelling as their "home."
  • Learner will construct a representation of a house using shapes.

Lesson Structure (1 Hour)

  1. Introduction: Circle Time (15 mins)

    • Hook: "We know WHO is in our family and WHAT we do. But WHERE does our family live? We live in our... HOME! Our home keeps us safe and warm."
    • Song: Sing a simple version of "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock." Focus on the motions of building.
    • Discussion: Walk to a window. "Look! That is our home. It has a door and windows. Our family is safe inside our home."

  2. Body: Activities (35 mins)

    • I Do (Modeling): Take a few blocks. "I am going to build a small wall for our house. I put one block on top of another block. Look, a wall!"
    • We Do (Guided Practice - Group Activity): "Let's build a BIG house together that we can sit in! We can use these big blocks (or pillows/cushions). You bring a pillow, and I'll put it here. Let's make a big home for our family!"
    • You Do (Independent Practice - Art Project): "Now let's make a small house on paper. I have shapes for you! This square can be the house. Where does the triangle roof go? On top! Where does the rectangle door go?"
      • Success Criteria: The learner glues the basic shapes onto a paper plate or background paper to form a house.
      • Talking Points: "Great job putting the roof on top! A house needs a door so we can go in and out. What color do you want your door to be?"

  3. Conclusion (10 mins)

    • Recap: "Today we learned that our family lives in a home. We built a big home with pillows and a small home with paper! Our home is the best place to be."
    • Formative Assessment: Point to the art project. "Can you show me the door on your house? What's behind the door? Our family!"
    • Closing: Display the house craft with the other family projects.

Differentiation:
Scaffolding: Put a small dot of glue on the paper to show the child where each shape should go.
Extension: Provide extra materials like cotton balls (for clouds) or green paper (for grass) and ask the child what else they want to add to their house picture.

DAY 4: Families Help Each Other

Objectives:

  • Learner will name one way they can be a helper in the family.
  • Learner will participate in a helping activity.

Lesson Structure (1 Hour)

  1. Introduction: Circle Time (15 mins)

    • Hook: "In our family, we all work together. We are a team! Being on a team means we help each other. Helping makes everyone feel happy."
    • Discussion: "What are some ways we help in our home? Mommy cooks dinner. Daddy takes out the trash. You are a super helper when you put your toys away! Let's talk about our helping hands." Look at your hands together.

  2. Body: Activities (35 mins)

    • I Do (Modeling): "Watch me. I see a block on the floor. I am going to use my helping hands to pick it up and put it in the toy box. All clean!"
    • We Do (Guided Practice - Group Activity): "Let's be a helping team! Can you help me water this plant? You hold the watering can with me. Great helping! Now let's use these cloths to wipe the table." Make it a fun and gentle activity.
    • You Do (Independent Practice - Art Project): "Let's make a picture of our helping hands! I'll trace your hand, and I'll trace my hand. Our hands help our family. Now you can paint them your favorite color!"
      • Success Criteria: The learner allows their hand to be traced and uses paint to color the hand shapes.
      • Talking Points: "Wow, look at your helping hand! And my helping hand! We make a great team. What color are you painting your hand?"

  3. Conclusion (10 mins)

    • Recap: "Today we learned that families help each other. You were a wonderful helper with the plants, and we made a picture of our helping hands to remember that we are a team."
    • Formative Assessment: "What is one way your helping hands can help our family tomorrow? (Prompt: Putting away toys? Putting your cup on the counter?)."
    • Closing: Praise the learner's helpfulness. "Thank you for being such a great helper today!"

Differentiation:
Scaffolding: Choose a sensory-friendly painting method, like finger painting, if the child doesn't like brushes.
Extension: Have the learner help you create a "helper chart" with pictures of simple chores they can do.

DAY 5: Families Love Each Other

Objectives:

  • Learner will demonstrate one way to show love (e.g., giving a hug).
  • Learner will help create a final project that summarizes the week's theme.

Lesson Structure (1 Hour)

  1. Introduction: Circle Time (15 mins)

    • Hook: "We've learned so much about our family this week! But what is the most important thing about a family? It's LOVE! Our family loves you more than anything."
    • Song: Sing "Skidamarink a Dink a Dink." Do all the motions (especially "I love you!"). Sing it a few times and give lots of hugs.
    • Discussion: "How do we show our family we love them? We give hugs, we give kisses, we say 'I love you,' and we are kind. That fills our hearts up with happiness."

  2. Body: Activities (35 mins)

    • I Do (Modeling): "I want to show you I love you. I'm going to give you a big, gentle hug. Mmmm, that felt so nice."
    • We Do (Guided Practice - Group Activity): "Heart Hunt!" Hide paper hearts around the room. "Let's find all the love! When you find a heart, bring it back and give me a high-five and say 'I found the love!'"
    • You Do (Independent Practice - Art Project): "We are going to make a picture full of family love. We can dip this heart-shaped stamp into the paint and fill our paper with love hearts! Stamp, stamp, stamp!"
      • Success Criteria: The learner uses the heart stamp to make marks on the paper.
      • Talking Points: "So many hearts! Our family has so much love. This is a beautiful picture of family love."

  3. Conclusion & Summative Assessment (10 mins)

    • Recap and Share: "This week was all about our amazing family! Let's put all of your projects together to make a 'My Family Book'."
    • Summative Assessment: Staple or tie the week's four art pages together (Portrait, Collage, House, Hands), with the heart painting as the cover. Sit together and "read" the book. "Tell me about this page. Who is that? (Day 1). And what is this page about? (Day 2). You made a wonderful book all about our family!"
    • Closing: "You did an amazing job this week learning all about our family. Our family is the best team, and we love you so, so much." Give a final hug.

Differentiation:
Scaffolding: Guide the learner's hand with the heart stamp. During the book review, ask simple "yes/no" or pointing questions.
Extension: Encourage the learner to "read" the book to another family member or a stuffed animal, telling the story of each page in their own words.

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