Stage 1 of 5 · Ages 2–3

Playgroup at home.

Talking, listening, moving and touching. Everything is play, nothing is a lesson, and ten minutes is a long time.

Also called: Toddler, Pre-Nursery.

What this stage covers

  • Naming things: body parts, colours, animals, the people at home
  • Counting songs and first counting to 3, then 5
  • Big and small, same and different
  • Strong fingers: squeezing, tearing, scribbling
Every day: 5–10 minutes of games, then play together with the activity of the week. Stop while it is still fun.
Ready to move on when: Your child talks in short sentences, joins in with songs, and can sit with a picture book for a few minutes.

This week's plan Skills checklist Rhyme time

The units, in order

Work on one unit from each strand at a time.

Start at the top of each list. When your child can do most of a unit's checklist, move on to the next one in that strand.

Reading & talking

  1. 1 Sounds Around Usabout 2 weeks Listen carefully, tell sounds apart and join in with songs and rhymes. 🎮 Rhyme Families
  2. 2 Look at a Bookabout 3 weeks Enjoy picture books: hold a book the right way, turn pages, point to pictures and name what they see. 🎮 What's Missing? · Memory Match · Living World
  3. 3 Little Pretend Conversationsabout 2 weeks Join a short pretend conversation using actions or words to make a request and respond to a feeling. 🎮 Feelings Friends
  4. 4 Tell Me About This Pictureabout 2 weeks Share a picture, name or show an action and remember a familiar detail when looking again. 🎮 What's Missing?

Writing & pencil control

  1. 1 Busy Fingersabout 3 weeks Build strong hands and fingers, and make marks: scribbles, up-and-down lines and circles. 🎮 Trace It · Dot to Dot · Match Paths
  2. 2 Finger and Crayon Marksabout 3 weeks Make chosen finger or crayon marks and show someone what they mean. 🎮 Trace It
  3. 3 Big Water Pathsabout 2 weeks Use a whole damp cloth to make broad marks, change direction and stop at a chosen place. 🎮 Trace It

Numbers & shapes

  1. 1 Colours Everywhereabout 2 weeks Match things of the same colour and start naming red, blue, yellow and green. 🎮 Shapes & Colors · Sort It Out · Match Paths
  2. 2 One, Two, Threeabout 3 weeks Say the numbers to five in order and count up to three objects by touching each one. 🎮 Counting Stars · Number Match · Focus Farm
  3. 3 One for Eachabout 2 weeks Give one item to each person or place in a small pretend group. 🎮 Counting Stars
  4. 4 Big and Smallabout 2 weeks Compare two things by size and use the words big and small. 🎮 Size Safari · Shape Builder · Position Quest
  5. 5 In, On and Underabout 2 weeks Explore in, on and under with a familiar large object and a box. 🎮 Position Quest
  6. 6 Shapes to Postabout 2 weeks Match shapes to holes and outlines, and start to name a circle. 🎮 Shapes & Colors · Shape Builder · Match Paths

Science & our world

  1. 1 Hello, Me!about 2 weeks Point to and name the main parts of the body, and say what some of them do. 🎮 Five Senses · Feelings Friends
  2. 2 Soft, Smooth and Bumpyabout 2 weeks Explore safe household textures and describe them with a word, gesture or choice. 🎮 Five Senses
  3. 3 Animal Friendsabout 2 weeks Name common animals, copy their sounds and movements, and say where some of them live. 🎮 Living World · Memory Match · What's Missing?
  4. 4 Day and Nightabout 2 weeks Notice the difference between day and night and talk about what we do at each time. 🎮 Day & Night · Weather Watch
  5. 5 People and Places at Homeabout 2 weeks Recognise familiar people and home spaces, and match pictures that show the same familiar thing. 🎮 Memory Match

Thinking & feelings

  1. 1 Happy, Sad, Crossabout 2 weeks Name a few feelings, recognise them on faces, and start taking turns. 🎮 Feelings Friends · Helper Heroes · Memory Match
  2. 2 Same and Differentabout 2 weeks Find two things that are the same and spot one that is different. 🎮 Memory Match · Odd One Out · Sort It Out
  3. 3 Copy a Simple Patternabout 2 weeks Notice and join in with a short pattern that repeats two actions or objects. 🎮 Pattern Parade
  4. 4 Where Did Our Toy Go?about 2 weeks Notice a toy being hidden nearby and use looking or remembering to find it again. 🎮 What's Missing?

Moving & making

  1. 1 Move, Stop and Rollabout 3 weeks Explore moving and stopping, and roll a soft ball towards a partner while using beside, near and far. 🎮 Position Quest
  2. 2 Big Shapes, Little Buildsabout 3 weeks Use both hands to arrange large pieces, make a low construction and choose shapes for a picture. 🎮 Shape Builder
  3. 3 Feelings in Music and Playabout 2 weeks Explore a gentle beat and use movement or pretend play to show a feeling. 🎮 Feelings Friends
  4. 4 Press, Lift and Find Coloursabout 3 weeks Explore pressing and lifting to make marks, and choose colours during outdoor movement play. 🎮 Shapes & Colors
  5. 5 Our Pretend Kitchen Soundsabout 2 weeks Use large utensils in pretend kitchen play and explore how hearing helps us notice quiet sounds. 🎮 Five Senses
Guides for parents

For parents of children aged 2–3

All guides for parents →

All stages

Next stage: Nursery →