Welcome to the Basic Curriculum for 4-Year-OldsDesigned for children 4 years in age, this easy-to-use, comprehensive Pre-K 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 4 Year Curriculum.
The Basic 4 Year Curriculum prepares the child for kindergarten-level work, 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 4 Year Curriculum is to take Bible stories to a deeper level. While I suggest The Beginner's 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. Unique to the 4 Year Curriculum, the child is introduced to character traits through the support of Bible stories. Activities are provided for both the Bible story and character.
Bible Story: Jesus Walks on Water
Objective: Keep your eyes on Jesus
Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33
Character Trait: Faith & Trust
Definition: Believing God will do what He says, believing in something that you cannot see
Opposite: Disbelief, not trusting, hopeless
Peter Walking to Jesus
Print the Peter Walks to Jesus worksheet. Color the first picture of Jesus and the boat. Cut a slit along the dotted line. Then, color and cut out Peter on the second page. Glue the figure to a craft stick. Slide the stick into the slit and move Peter up and down in the water according to the story.
Use the I am Looking at Jesus worksheet to remind the child to focus on Jesus. Begin by having the child look into a mirror and observe the three main parts of their eyes. Next, cut out the circles from the printable. Arrange the circles from largest to smallest and glue them onto a sheet of paper. Finish by adding the title, “I Am Looking at Jesus.” This activity will serve as a visual reminder for the child to keep their focus on Jesus, just like Peter.
Give the child an apple and ask, "What do you think is inside the apple?" (They may say seeds, the white part, or juice.) Then say, "I have a secret… there's a star inside the apple!" The child might be doubtful. Ask, "How can we find out if there's really a star inside?" (They might suggest cutting it open.) Ask, "Do you trust me that there's a star inside even though we haven’t cut it yet?" Then, carefully cut the apple sideways, through the seed area, and show the child how the seeds and the surrounding area form a star. Explain that just like they had to trust your word about the star, we have faith that Jesus is real, even though we can't see Him.
Extend the "Do You Have Faith?" activity with fun apple prints! Start by having the child write "I Have Faith" at the top of a piece of construction paper. Next, cut an apple in half and dab it on a cloth to remove any excess moisture. Pour paint into a shallow tray, then let the child either dip the apple into the paint or paint the apple directly. Once the apple is ready, press it onto the paper to create apple stamps. Each print will show the star shape inside, serving as a reminder of the faith lesson. Continue stamping to fill the page with colorful apple prints!
Each Lesson Plan includes a simple Bible verse for the child to memorize. Focus on helping the child memorize at least the key words. To make it easier, say the verse in very short phrases, using a slow tempo, so the child can follow along more easily. Videos of the piggyback memory verse songs with actions have been created to help with retention.
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.
For effective Bible study, it's important for a person to be familiar with the order of the 66 books. With proper teaching, even preschool children can grasp this knowledge for a better understanding of God's story shared in the Bible.
In the 4 Year Curriculum, the New Testament books have been divided into small groups with a new group being introduced every 3-4 weeks in the curriculum. This week focus on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Use a song (video above), motions, or simply repetition to help your child.
Big Thoughts for Little People: ABC's to Help You Grow by Kenneth Taylor uses each letter of the alphabet to introduce positive character traits and virtues to young children. With simple, rhyming text and colorful illustrations, the book encourages children to grow in kindness, honesty, courage, and other important values. The full illustrations provide numerous opportunities for conversation, allowing children to explore what’s happening in the pictures and connect the actions with the values being taught. Because of it's focus on ABC's and phonetic sounds, I highly suggest you use throughout the Curriculum to learn about Jesus and discuss character traits.
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.
Make teaching your child even easier with the Complete 4 Year Curriculum, designed to build a strong foundation of learning. With engaging, hands-on activities printed and mailed to you, this Curriculum focuses on objectives like pre-reading, math, Bible stories, and social-emotional development, ensuring children are confident and eager to learn.
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. Note: While not in the Basic Curricula, weekly themes are covered in the Complete 3 Year Curriculum.
The child will be introduced to nine colors, eight shapes, sorting, spatial words, and patterns, amongst other learning. Throughout the Curriculum, it will be suggested that the child use a broken crayon for coloring and writing. Occupational therapists have found that using broken crayons (under 1” in length) encourages a child to hold a writing utensil correctly, helping to prevent bad habits. The goal is for the child to hold a utensil with the thumb and index finger, supported by the middle finger. Read more handwriting tips.
Color Caterpillar
Create a colorful caterpillar using the Building with Colors worksheet. Start by tracing the circle from the worksheet onto different colored construction paper (black, white, blue, brown, green, yellow, orange, red, and purple) and cut them out. Alternatively, you can cut out nine circles from white paper and paint each one a different color. Glue the circles together on a piece of paper to form the caterpillar’s body. Add legs, a face, and antennae to complete the caterpillar. This fun activity can also serve as an assessment tool to observe color recognition.
Reviewing the calendar daily can reinforce key concepts like numbers, counting, the days of the week, and the months of the year. Begin by reciting the days of the week and months of the year together. Then, count up to today’s date and say the day aloud.
When ready for high level learning, ask questions such as, "What day comes after Monday?" or "How many days are in this month?" Use upcoming events like birthdays or holidays as learning opportunities to help them understand the passage of time and anticipate future events.
The 4 Year Curriculum serves as the bridge between the 3 Year Curriculum and kindergarten. Building on the tracing skills learned in the 3 Year Curriculum, this program focuses on the child learning to write the letters and numbers on lined paper using a five-step process. The letters and numbers are taught in an order based on the difficulty of their formation, starting with straight-line letters. This approach provides immediate success and builds confidence for forming more complex characters. If the child is not yet familiar with following the green/red dots and lines, it is important to start with training in this area, using the Pre-Writing Sheets from the separate Handwriting Curriculum, if needed.
Important: This is considered independent work, meaning a child should progress at their own developmental pace. Advancing prematurely can cause frustration, develop bad habits, and create negative associations with writing.
1. Trace the bubble letter or number with the index finger and say the formation chant.
2. Rainbow write following the yellow guide.
3. Rainbow write using the green and red dots.
4. Rainbow write using the green dot.
5. Rainbow write using the lines and the box as a guide.
Formation Chants:
l - body
i - down and dot
T - body and roof
t - down and cross
I - body, roof, floor
1 - Straight down and then you’re done. That’s the way to make a one!
The 4 Year Curriculum teaches all letters and numbers using a logical formation progression. The first four weeks focus on "straight-line letters." For this week, focus on the letters l, i, T, t, and I—characters written only with straight lines. Each formation is first reviewed with tactile letters and numbers, and then created using crafts sticks, play dough, or pipe cleaners before being placed on tracing paper. When ready, use the Straight Line Characters worksheet to show the progression of the letters l, i, T, t, I. Be sure to say the Letter Formation Chants as the child creates each character. If this level is not appropriate for your child, begin at the level at which they can be successful. If in doubt, start a level below where you think your child is ready.
Throughout the curriculum, it will be suggested that a child use a broken crayon to color and write. Occupational therapists have discovered that broken crayons (under 1” in length) force a child to correctly hold a writing utensil so no bad habits develop. The end goal is that the child will hold a utensil with her thumb and index finger while supporting it on the middle finger. Especially in handwriting, the child will be instructed to "rainbow write." This means writing once with a chosen color and then writing again with a different color to create a "rainbow" effect. This allows the child to practice multiple times on the same worksheet with different colored crayons.
In the 3 Year Curriculum the child learned to write her name in all capital letters using 3” letters. In the Basic 4 Year Curriculum, the child learns how to write on 1” lined paper her first and last name using the correct combination of capital and lowercase letters. To begin the process, review the formation of each letter in her first name using tactile letters. Lay the tactile letters in order so the child begins to think of the letters as a "word" instead of individual letters. If letters are doubled, you may need to make extra tactile letters.
Get the support you need with helpful videos and simple worksheets using the unique ABCJesusLovesMe Handwriting Curriculum. The key to successful penmanship lies in the process, where each level builds upon the previous one. Perfect for home use, this curriculum prepares your child for a lifetime of beautiful handwriting.
Pre-Reading LearningPre-reading activities like rhyming, phonemic awareness, and rhythm help prepare children for independent reading and spelling. Each Lesson Plan includes a Nursery Rhyme, poem or fingerplay to introduce the child to beginning and ending sounds of words and fluency. While the Basic 4 Year Curriculum doesn't include specific weekly activates for these skills, discuss the phonetic sound of each letter, find rhyming words as you read, and discuss beginning and ending sounds. If you're unsure how to do this, consider upgrading to the Complete 4 Year Curriculum, which includes weekly activities focused on pre-reading. Read more in "How to Teach Poems to Children."
Additionally, each Lesson Plan features Books of the Week. Children should be read quality literature for at least 15 minutes a day. Each week, the child will be introduced to a carefully chosen picture book to complement their learning and provide pre-reading exposure. Read the book multiple times throughout the week, discussing the illustrations and focusing on concepts tied to the week’s objectives (e.g., colors, #1, faith). Read more in "How to Teach Key Skills While Reading."
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin tells the story of Pete, a laid-back cat who loves his white shoes. As he walks along, he steps in various messes—like strawberries, blueberries, and mud—that change the color of his shoes, but Pete remains cheerful and keeps singing his catchy song. This book highlights themes of resilience and positivity, showing kids that it's okay when things don’t go as planned.
Comprehension Discussion
Pete could have gotten discouraged when troubles came his way, but he continued to be joyful. Use this story to discuss faith and trust in God even through the tough stuff.
Color the I Love My Shoes worksheet using the child's favorite color. Add the name of the color to the sentence, such as "I love my [color] shoes." Encourage the child to imagine what object or event turned their shoes that color. For example, "My shoes turned [color] when I stepped in a rainbow!"
Print additional copies of the worksheet to create multiple colored shoes and write a unique version of the book, letting the child come up with their own fun scenarios for each color. This activity combines creativity, color recognition, and storytelling, making it a fun and engaging learning experience.
Tune: Are You Sleeping?
Where is __________?
Where is __________?
Here I am, Here I am
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you
Run away, Run away
Give the child two same-colored flashcards, blocks, or crayons to hide behind his back. While singing the song, substitute in other colors (black, red, brown, white, purple, yellow, blue, orange, green) showing the colors on flashcards, blocks, or crayons as you say the rhyme.
Jane Moncure's My First Steps to Reading and Math Books is a series designed to introduce young children to basic reading and math concepts in a fun and engaging way. Through simple language, vibrant illustrations, and interactive elements, these books help children develop foundational skills such as letter recognition, counting, and basic math operations. Although may be hard to find, these are my favorite books for teaching phonics and counting.
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 important as academic and Bible learning. Fine motor skills help a child improve their ability to write and handle small objects, while gross motor skills are essential for larger movements like running and kicking a ball. Both types of skills are crucial for developing pencil control, balance, and coordination. Each Lesson Plan includes activities to strengthen the child’s fine and gross motor skills.
Avoid using markers or pens, as broken crayons and short pencils provide better opportunities for muscle development and proper pencil grasp. Please ensure these activities are not skipped, as they play a vital role in the child’s growth.
Along with fine and gross motor activities, each Lesson Plan contains visual perception activities. Visual perception is the translation between the eyes and the brain. Correct translation is imperative to reading and writing. These activities can help correct visual perception issues as well as strengthen the brain and eye communication. While one activity may be difficult for the child, another may be simple. Additional worksheets are available to purchase in the ABCJesusLovesMe Visual Perception Curriculum.
Periodically throughout the 3 Year Curriculum, the child will be instructed to draw his family. This can be a daunted task for some children. Begin by demonstrating how to draw a person. Use simple shapes for parts and explain what you are doing as you draw. Let your child assist in the process. Later in the week, give your child a chance to try it himself. For more ideas read, "Teaching Your Child How to Draw."
This week, play "Put the Fire Out," a fun outside activity that involves sidewalk chalk, water, and a sponge. Begin by drawing a ladder on cement with sidewalk chalk. Draw a fire at the top of the ladder. Place a bucket and a sponge at the bottom of the ladder. Have the child wet the sponge and jump between the rungs of the ladder to get to the fire. Once at the fire, squeeze the sponge over the fire to put it out! My children loved this game!
For the first week, use the Color Tracking Visual Perception Worksheets - Color Tracking 1-1, Color Tracking 2-1. Highlight the color words in the same color to help the child connect the word with the color. Assign each shape a colored candy or little Lego. Have the child place the correct candy or Lego on the corresponding shape as a fun, interactive way to reinforce color recognition. Continue doing this activity throughout the week.
On the final day of the week instruct the child to color specific shapes using the designated colors. Highlight the color words in the same color to help the child connect the word with the color. This activity also encourages the child to practice scanning left to right and row by row.
Create a family tradition of making homemade ice cream in a bag or in a coffee can.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup milk, cream, or half and half
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the three ingredients in a quart-sized zip-top bag or a small coffee can. Mix and seal the container very well. Because the seal may not hold through the mixing process, you may want to tape the seals closed. If possible, refrigerate this mixture for a few hours to speed up the freezing process. Place the well-sealed zip-top bag in a gallon-sized zip-top bag or the small coffee can inside a large coffee can. Place crushed ice cubes and approximately 1/2 cup rock salt inside the larger containers to surround the smaller bag or can. Seal the larger bag or coffee can very well. Then shake and roll the containers for 5-10 minutes until the mixture turns into ice cream. Carefully open the smaller container making sure that the water and salt freezing ingredients do not come in contact with the ice cream. Grab a spoon and enjoy!
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!
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
