Welcome to the Basic Curriculum for 1-Year-OldsDesigned for children ages 12-24 months, this easy-to-use, comprehensive curriculum is FREE for immediate family, in-home use. If you intend to use the curriculum in a preschool, church, or daycare setting, please refer to the Complete 1 Year Curriculum.
The Basic 1 Year Curriculum introduces your child to learning, with weekly objectives to guide your focus.
Each Online Lesson Plan includes:
To begin, choose one objective and activity to do with your child. Gradually add more as you establish a routine that fits your home. Read more in "Creating a Daily Schedule."
Week 1 includes extra guidance to help you get started. By incorporating learning into daily routines, you’ll create a seamless, enjoyable experience that fosters your child's growth and development.
Bible Teaching and PlayThe goal of the Basic 1 Year Curriculum is to introduce children to Bible stories. While I suggest the Read and Share Toddler Bible when available, any age-appropriate children’s Bible can be used. For variety, you may read the same story from different Bibles. Be sure to read the Scripture yourself to understand the story's details.
Another fun way to further Bible learning is to tell the story in an interactive way. The ABCJLM Interactive Bible Stories offer an age-appropriate script that is the perfect length for your active toddler. This supplemental product is available as a digital download, either included in the 1 Year Curriculum Bundle or purchased separately.
Scripture: Genesis 6-9
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) - If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
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The carefully selected Bible songs are beloved classics sung in Sunday School throughout the generations. Learning these tunes helps the child memorize verses and Bible stories while connecting them to strong theological truths. If any of these songs are unfamiliar, I've created free videos of each one, complete with actions, to help you learn them easily.
Sing this song very slowly and incorporate the actions throughout the day. Create a tradition of singing it during bath time, while driving, or as part of your bedtime routine. As you sing this song to the child repeatedly, they will gradually start to join in.
Optional: Unlock the joy of faith and learning for toddlers with the 1 Year Bible Song Packet. Bursting with color and creativity, this 18-page printable resource is designed to captivate the hearts and minds of your toddler(s) as they embark on a musical journey through the truths of the Bible.
Available in the 1 Year Activity Workbook
As parents, we desire the children in our care to be like Christ. One way to bring this about is to pray Christ's character into their lives. More specifically, we can pray inspired Scriptures.
Praying Scripture is a time for you to have a conversation with God, using His own Word to ask Him to build Christlikeness into your child's life. Also, the verses you pray will remind you of character traits that you can model to your children, as well as call to mind during teachable moments and discipline. Each Lesson Plan in the 1 Year Curriculum contains a character trait and a suggested verse to pray over your child for the week.
Here is an example for this week's character (salvation) based on the Romans 10:9-10. I encourage you to find additional verses about salvation to pray over your child throughout the week. Learn more about praying the scriptures on the Parenting to Impress blog and podcast.
Heavenly Father, I pray that ______ would declare with his mouth that Jesus is Lord. That he would believe in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Work in ______ heart to believe in You so that he may be justified. I pray that his mouth would profess his faith and salvation.
For the next 36 weeks, the child will create an Alphabet Bible Craft (ABC) book using the Bible Symbol for the week. Each week, add the alphabet worksheet to a 3-ring binder to review and for the child to show to others.
Shown here is the first page in the book. Create this by coloring the Animals worksheet with a black jumbo crayon and then glue on animal crackers.
- Eat animal crackers while reading the story of Noah's Ark.
- Gather stuffed animals to sit with you as you read.
Flannelgraph provides a beautiful visual and tactile addition to the Bible story. Discover how to use it in this video or read the "Using Flannelgraph with Preschoolers" page.
Simplify teaching your toddler with the ABCJesusLovesMe Complete 1 Year Curriculum. Featuring easy-to-follow Lesson Plans and printed activity worksheets to reduce your prep time, this curriculum offers age-appropriate activities to build a strong foundation in academics, Bible stories, and developmental skills. Ideal for children ages 12-24 months, it ensures learning is fun and engaging in your home!
Academic Teaching and PlayChildren are always learning. The goal of the Curriculum is to introduce them to the world around them—letters, numbers, colors, shapes—in a way that feels like play. Whenever possible, incorporate learning into playtime, reading, conversations, and daily activities. Focus less on the outcome of the child’s art and more on the learning that takes place during the creative process. Remember, the Basic 1 Year Curriculum is about introducing new concepts, and any retention is just a fun bonus.
In this curriculum, the child is introduced to nine different colors. It's best to keep the objective simple and use only the "color of the week" during craft and drawing times. This allows the child time to work with a given color and to improve fine motor skills.
For the first 11 weeks (9 weeks of lessons and 2 review weeks), the child will create a Color Train. Using the Black Train printable, instruct the child to color, with a jumbo crayon, one train per week (this week is black). Display the train at the child's eye level to point to and discuss the colors.
If the child tends to put things in his mouth, try egg crayons or make larger crayons by recycling old ones. Also, I encourage you to not use markers or pens since, unlike crayons and pencils, they do not sharpen fine and gross motor skills.
The Basic 1 Year Curriculum introduces seven shapes to the child, beginning with the circle. Using black construction paper, cut out a large circle. Then, using minimal water, instruct your child to water paint the circle. As the child paints, talk about the shape. TIP: For little hands, jumbo paintbrushes are safer and easier to handle.
The Curriculum introduces the child to 28 animals. This week's animal is the raccoon.
- Using the Raccoon worksheet, point to the raccoon's head.
- Using the Raccoon worksheet and jumbo crayons, color the raccoon black. (For little hands, jumbo crayons are easier to hold.)
- Find a picture of a raccoon in the books that you read.
- Explain the raccoon's distinct "mask."
- Raccoons are nocturnal animals which means they hunt for food during the night and sleep during the day.
Beginning intentional learning with your child can feel daunting, but you're not alone on this journey. I'm here to help! I offer 30-60 minute training sessions tailored for you, your spouse, or both of you together.
Pre-Reading ActivitiesChildren should be read to for at least 15 minutes a day. Each week, the child will be introduced to a quality picture book to complement other learning and provide pre-reading exposure. Read the book multiple times throughout the week, discussing the illustrations and focusing on concepts related to this week's objectives (e.g. black, circle, head, raccoon). Read more in "How to Teach Key Skills While Reading."
Traditional poems and nursery rhymes help children develop rhyme, fine motor skills, and rhythm, as well as beginning reading. At first, quote the poems very slowly to help the children correctly learn the words. Also, assist the child in performing actions with the poems. Quote them throughout the day (e.g. while driving, in the bathtub, while washing hands). Read more in "How to Teach Poems to Children."
The My Little Word Book is used multiple times in the 1 Year Curriculum to help children associate words with pictures. While word and picture books may seem repetitive, this repetition is essential for expanding a toddler's vocabulary. Start by focusing on just a few pictures at a time, unless the child shows interest in exploring more.
How to Teach the Child the Pictures
1. Introduce - Begin by introducing the child to the pictures. Gently take the child's hand, point to pictures, and state the name pictured. Soon, this enables the child to randomly point, which prompts you to name the object, activity, or emotion.
2. Practice - Once you have introduced each image, ask the child to point to specific objects. "Point to the ball." If the child is unable to point to the object, move back to "Introduce" and help the child point to the object.
3. Identify - Point to a picture and ask the child to name the object.
Row, row, row your boat (with the child on your lap facing you, rock from side to side)
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily (pat hands on legs)
Life is but a dream (clap four times)
Give your toddler a head start on pre-reading skills with age-appropriate poems that your child or students will enjoy. Colorfully created, this 1 Year Poem Packet contains recognizable images and fun actions for the pre-reading activities in the 1 Year Curriculum.
Help your little ones learn their colors with these vibrant, fun flashcards—perfect for preschoolers! Click the link below to download your free set today and start learning through play.
Developmental Learning and PlayDevelopment is just as crucial as academic and Bible learning. Fine motor skills are essential for tasks like writing, while gross motor skills are important for activities like running and kicking a ball. Introducing sign language helps children understand the importance of communication and speaking.
The Basic 1 Year Curriculum introduces the child to 28 words using sign-language. In using signs, the child acquires a language to express his needs. Introduce each sign at the beginning of the week by helping the child do the sign as you say the word. Consistency and repetition lead to the child performing the sign on her own.
This week's sign is "bye-bye." When it is appropriate for the child to wave, take the child's hand, assist her in waving, and say "bye-bye" as you wave for her. Discover how to teach sign language and to see each sign performed in the video.
Over the next 13 weeks, your child will learn the names and locations of different body parts.
Be Intentional: Focus on this week's body part during daily routines like getting dressed, bath time, or while looking in the mirror. Point out body parts in books and magazines. This week's body part is the head.
Fine motor skills are activities that improve one’s ability to write and manipulate small objects. Gross motor skills involve large muscle movement (e.g. running, jumping, hopping etc.). These skills are important for pencil control, balance, and coordination. Each Lesson Plan includes an activity to improve the child’s fine and gross-motor skills. Please do not skip these activities as they are key to the child's success. Also, refrain from using markers or pens in activities as they do not strengthen fine and gross muscles as much as crayons, painting, and pencils.
Fine motor skills are those activities that allow you to better do things such as writing and manipulating small objects. Each lesson plan includes an activity to help improve the child's fine-motor skills. This week, play peek-a-boo with your child by covering your eyes with your hands, removing your hands, and saying "peek-a-boo." Help the child cover his/her eyes and do the same.
Gross motor skills are big motor skills that require balance and coordination (e.g. running, jumping, hopping etc.). Each lesson plan includes an activity to help improve the child's gross motor skills. This week, play "So Big" by asking the child, "How big are you?". Assist the child in raising his or her arms into the air and say, "So big!" This is a great activity to do when undressing as it prompts the child to raise her arms in the air to remove their shirt.
Use the First Day of Preschool poster to create a precious photo op for remembering today. Be sure to tag #ABCJesusLovesMe or @ABCJesusLovesMe when you post the image on social media!
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