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Friendship, Feelings & Healthy Hearts. Practice being a good friend and learn how our bodies stay healthy. This is Month 6 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 6 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 6
- New letters
- Jj, Ww, Vv, Yy
- Language & literacy
- Practice writing their name, learn new feeling words (frustrated, proud, excited), and keep playing with rhymes.
- Math
- Use “one more, one less” with objects and make a simple picture graph (favorite fruit). Write numerals 1–5.
- Science & discovery
- Heartbeat science: feel a pulse before and after jumping jacks. Sort healthy foods.
- Social & emotional
- Make friends, say sorry, and solve problems with words like “Can I have a turn?”
- Art & music
- Heart prints and friendship cards.
- Movement & hands
- Cut along straight and curvy lines. Play catch and roll-the-ball with a partner.
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 6 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: Being a good friend | Talk about what a good friend says and does. Act out two examples. | Count friends in a group and share snacks equally. | Look at how hands and faces are alike and different. | Make a friendship card. |
| Week 2: Big feelings | Learn new feeling words and match them to pictures. | Make a feelings graph with tally marks. | Notice how the body feels when angry or calm: fast breath, tight fists. | Practice belly breathing and blow pretend bubbles. |
| Week 3: My healthy body (food and sleep) | Name fruits and vegetables and say their first sounds. | Count fruits and vegetables on a plate and build a rainbow plate chart. | Brush teeth and talk about why we do it. | Make a healthy plate collage from magazine pictures. |
| Week 4: My heart and moving | Listen for rhyming words in a movement song. | Do 5 jumping jacks and count them, then 10 if ready. | Feel your pulse before and after exercise. | Make heart prints with a sponge. |
Not sure how to fit this into your day? Use the sample daily rhythm.
Letters to Practice This Month
Jj, Ww, Vv, Yy.
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.
- friend
- kind
- feelings
- heart
- healthy
- exercise
- sleep
- share
Supplies Checklist
Everything here is common household stuff. Tick items off as you gather them.
Easy Activities to Try at Home
Try this
- Pulse check: do 10 jumping jacks, then feel the heartbeat in a wrist or chest.
- Friend interview: your child asks a friend or sibling “What do you like?” and draws the answer.
- Rainbow plate: add as many colors of fruits and vegetables to lunch as you can.
Read together
- The Color Monster by Anna Llenas
- Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis
Check your local library. Ask the librarian for more friendship, feelings & healthy hearts books.
Make It Easier or Harder
If your child needs more support
Do just the pulse check and a friendship card, and use pictures instead of words.
If your child is ready for more
Make a picture graph of friends’ favorite fruits and write one numeral.
Parent tip: Say feeling words out loud during real moments: you look frustrated, so do you want to try again or take a break?
Month check-in: Your child can name several feelings, use words to ask for a turn, and show one calming strategy.
Month 6 Preschool Curriculum FAQs
How do I help my preschooler make friends?
Set up short playdates with one child, practice sentences like can I play too, and read books about friendship. Stay nearby to help when needed.
How can I handle big feelings and tantrums?
Stay calm, name the feeling, offer a calm-down spot, and talk about it after your child settles. If tantrums seem very frequent or intense, ask your pediatrician.
How much sleep does my preschooler need?
The CDC says children ages 4 and 5 need 10 to 13 hours of sleep a day, including naps. A calm bedtime routine and no screens for 1 to 2 hours before bed help.
All 12 Months
Add Free Printables to Month 6
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.