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Light, Traditions & Kindness. Learn about light, family traditions, and kind acts. Families celebrate in many different ways, so follow your own. This is Month 4 of our free 12-month preschool curriculum for ages 3 to 5. Below you will find a weekly lesson plan, the letters and math to practice, science and art ideas, a supplies list, and easy ways to make it simpler or harder for your child.
- Month 4 of 12
- Ages 3–5 (best fit: 4–5)
- 4 weekly topics
- About 20–30 minutes a day
What Your Child Will Learn in Month 4
- New letters
- Ii, Oo, Ll, Rr
- Language & literacy
- Clap the syllables in names and words. Tell what comes next in a familiar story.
- Math
- Recognize numerals 1–10, count out sets, and use “first, next, last” while baking or crafting.
- Science & discovery
- Light and shadow with a flashlight. Watch ice melt.
- Social & emotional
- Empathy and kindness: ask “How do you think they feel?”
- Art & music
- Paper snowflakes or lanterns. Make shakers and drums for a family music parade.
- Movement & hands
- Lacing cards and stringing large beads. Freeze dance.
These goals match the five learning areas in the Head Start framework. Core goals are for most children. Anything marked stretch is optional. See the full list of learning areas and the typical milestones for ages 4 and 5.
Month 4 Weekly Lesson Plan
Do one short activity from each column, three or four days a week. Keep each one to about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop when your child loses interest.
| Week & topic | Letters & language | Math | Science | Art, music & movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1: Light and shadows | Make rhymes with light: night, bright, sight. | Count how many objects make a shadow, up to 10. | Make shadows with a flashlight, big and small. | Make shadow puppets on a wall. |
| Week 2: Family traditions | Ask each family member about a favorite tradition and retell it in two sentences. | Count family members and line them up from youngest to oldest. | Compare foods your family enjoys at celebrations and describe the tastes: sweet, sour, salty. | Make a decoration that matches your family’s traditions. |
| Week 3: Giving and kindness | Practice please, thank you, and you’re welcome in pretend play. | Make a kindness chain and add one link for each kind act. | Watch ice melt in warm water and in cold water. | Make a card for a neighbor or relative. |
| Week 4: Review week (a good place to pause or catch up when life gets busy) | Reread favorite books and ask what comes next. | Play a counting game with dice or a simple board game. | Repeat a favorite experiment from the past few months. | Freeze dance and a dress-up show. |
Not sure how to fit this into your day? Use the sample daily rhythm.
Letters to Practice This Month
Ii, Oo, Ll, Rr.
Play with letters through games, not drills: find them on signs and cereal boxes, trace them in sand or salt, and say the first sound of everyday objects. Knowing some letters is a typical milestone at age 5, so there is no pressure to master every letter.
Words to Use All Month
Use these words in everyday conversation and while you read. Hearing a word in many settings helps it stick.
- light
- shadow
- tradition
- family
- kind
- give
- share
- celebrate
Supplies Checklist
Everything here is common household stuff. Tick items off as you gather them.
Easy Activities to Try at Home
Try this
- Shadow puppets: use a flashlight to make shadows on a wall.
- Kindness chain: add one paper link for each kind act and watch the chain grow.
- Baking helper: measure, count scoops, and talk about what happens first, next, and last.
Read together
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
Check your local library. Ask the librarian for more light, traditions & kindness books.
Make It Easier or Harder
If your child needs more support
Do just the shadow play and the kindness chain, and skip anything that feels busy.
If your child is ready for more
Ask your child to plan a kind act, say how it helps, and write the first letter of the person’s name.
Parent tip: Busy weeks happen. One 10-minute activity and lots of cozy reading is plenty.
Month check-in: Your child can tell what comes next in a familiar story and give one example of a kind act.
Month 4 Preschool Curriculum FAQs
How do I handle celebrations in a diverse family or program?
Focus on the traditions your family celebrates, and invite your child to learn about others through books and conversation. The themes in this plan (light, kindness, and giving) fit any celebration.
What if we travel or take a break?
Pause the plan, then restart with the same month or the review week when you return. Nothing is lost.
How can I help with big excitement and big feelings during celebrations?
Keep sleep and meals regular, build in quiet breaks, and name the feeling: you seem very excited, so let’s take three slow breaths.
All 12 Months
Add Free Printables to Month 4
Match this month’s lessons with free printables and coloring pages.
Sources
- Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five
- NAEYC: Developmentally Appropriate Practice
- CDC: Milestones by 4 Years
- CDC: Milestones by 5 Years
This guide is general educational information for parents. It is not medical advice and does not replace a developmental screening or guidance from your child’s doctor or teacher.