"I Like Myself!" by Karen Beaumont 

This cheerful rhyming book celebrates self-acceptance and self-love.

"The Color of Us" by Karen Katz 

A beautifully illustrated story that introduces children to the diversity of skin colours and celebrates individuality.

Week 1: Building Confidence and Self-Expression

• • Engage in circle time where each child shares something about themselves (e.g., their favourite toy).

  • Encourage children to take turns and listen to each other.

Week 2: Building Relationships

• • Group activities like simple cooperative games (e.g., "Duck, Duck, Goose") to encourage interaction.

  • Discuss emotions and how to express them (happy, sad, excited).

Week 3: Self-Care and Independence

• • Outdoor activities promoting self-help skills, like putting on jackets or tying shoes.

  • Encourage children to pick their favourite outdoor activity or game.

Week 4: My Outdoor Adventures

• • Explore the outdoor environment together, focusing on natural elements (trees, flowers, rocks).

  • Encourage children to express their feelings about nature (e.g., "I like the colourful flowers").

Week 1: Exploring Names

• • Introduce children to their names and help them recognize and spell the letters.

  • Create name tags using natural materials like leaves or sticks.

Week 2: Storytelling with Puppets

• • Use puppets to tell stories about the children's outdoor adventures.

  • Encourage children to narrate their own stories using the puppets.

Week 3: Nature's Alphabet

• • Go on a nature walk and find items that correspond to each letter of the alphabet.

  • Create an outdoor alphabet book using photographs or drawings.

Week 4: Outdoor Poem

• • Encourage children to describe their favourite outdoor spot using descriptive words.

  • Collaboratively create a simple outdoor-themed poem to recite.

Week 1: Gross Motor Skills

• • Engage in outdoor games like "Simon says" with physical actions.

  • Practice running, jumping, and skipping in an open outdoor space.

Week 2: Fine Motor Skills

• • Outdoor art activities like finger painting using natural colours (e.g., mud or crushed leaves).

  • Play with sensory materials like sand or water to develop fine motor skills.

Week 3: Outdoor Yoga Adventure

• • Lead a simple outdoor yoga session, focusing on stretching and balance.

  • Encourage children to mimic animal movements (e.g., "pretend to be a tree").

Week 4: Scavenger Hunt

• • Organize an outdoor scavenger hunt where children search for specific natural items (e.g., pinecones, flowers).

  • Use magnifying glasses to explore the texture and details of outdoor objects.

Week 1: Counting Outdoor Objects

• • Collect natural objects (pebbles, leaves) and practice counting them together.

  • Use outdoor items as counters for simple addition and subtraction activities.

Week 2: Nature Patterns

• • Create simple nature patterns (e.g., leaf, stick, leaf) and encourage children to continue the pattern.

  • Explore patterns found in outdoor environments (e.g., stripes on a tiger moth).

Week 3: Outdoor Shapes

• • Identify and name basic shapes found in nature (circles, triangles, squares).

  • Create shape-themed art using outdoor materials.

Week 4: Nature Measurement

• • Use non-standard units (e.g., leaves, sticks) for measuring the length or height of outdoor objects.

  • Compare and order outdoor objects by size and length.

Week 1: Nature Exploration

• • Guided nature walks to explore the outdoor environment, focusing on different natural elements (e.g., trees, flowers, insects).

  • Encourage children to ask questions about what they discover.

Week 2: Nature Observations

• • Provide magnifying glasses for close-up observations of insects, flowers, and other outdoor objects.

  • Discuss the importance of taking care of the natural world.

Week 3: Nature Art

• • Outdoor art projects using natural materials (e.g., leaf rubbings, flower paintings).

  • Discuss the different colors and textures found in nature.

Week 4: Outdoor Adventure Journal

• • Introduce simple nature journaling where children draw or record their outdoor experiences.

  • Encourage them to share what they've learned about the outdoor environment.