OBSA — Week 8 (Toddlers): Mini Olympics
Our Big Summer Adventure · Week 8 · Toddlers (18 mo–2)

Week 8 — Mini Olympics

Our littlest athletes learn one magic phrase — "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" That tiny half-second of holding still before a happy burst is the whole game. Freeze on the whistle, wait behind the line, take a turn, then GO! — crawl races, ball rolls, and beanbag drops, always with a warm grown-up right in the game. Five gentle, wiggly days that build to a Friday in-room Medal Celebration, where each child runs a favorite event and gets a soft medal while classmates cheer. July 20 – July 24 · Toddlers, ages 18 mo–2.

Read this first

This guide pairs with the General Planning Guide and applies Mini Olympics to the Toddlers (18 mo–2) daily schedule — the shorter, gentler 13-block day. This is a full 5-day week: Monday–Friday, no closures. For toddlers, "impulse control" means a brief, happy wait with a warm grown-up right in the game, never a solo drill and never a long wait: freeze on the word, hold the tiny pause, then "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" A wiggly body that can't hold still is completely normal here — we lend our calm, we never use time-outs or set a child apart to "make them wait." Everything little hands touch must be large and mouth-safe — big soft balls and big beanbags only, no small parts, and no tasting. The week builds to a Friday in-room Medal Celebration — inside our own room, our own teacher and classmates as the cheering audience. No parents invited, no visiting other rooms — Brightwheel photos carry it home. Start with the prep block, then run the five days.

Section 1 · The Overview

Week Snapshot

Theme
Mini Olympics, scaled to soft, wiggly, big-motor toddler play built around one happy phrase.
The "anchor"
A daily freeze-and-go game plus one signature event — crawl races, ball rolls, a beanbag drop, a soft torch pass — where a warm grown-up runs "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!", built up across the week toward a Friday in-room Medal Celebration where each child runs a favorite event and gets a soft medal.
Classroom
Toddlers · ages 18 mo–2 · the shorter 13-block day
Dates
July 20 – July 24, 2026 (Monday–Friday). Full 5-day week, no closures.
Parent-facing hook
"Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO! Our littlest athletes practiced freezing on the whistle, waiting a happy turn, and bursting into crawl races all week — and celebrated with soft medals on Friday!"
Developmental value
The very first seed of waiting — holding still a half-second before a burst — plus stopping on a signal, taking a brief turn, rich big-motor play, comfort through repetition, and a calm grown-up who lends their steadiness.
Logistics
In-house · Phase: Build momentum · Cost: $20–40 · Ops complexity: Moderate (active stations + soft surfaces + a Friday in-room celebration)
EF lens this week
Inhibitory Control Working Memory rides along
Only the very first beginning at this age — the warm, repeated "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" (freeze on the word, hold a half-second, then burst) is the whole idea, always with a grown-up in the game and always a brief wait. Holding the one little rule — "wait for GO" — in mind is the working-memory piece that rides along.
Section 2 · Start Here

Before You Run the Week

How this guide works, a soft note on the week's skill, the safety must-read, what to prep, and what to have on hand. Read these first; the five days follow.

How to use this guide. Each day below is the full run-sheet — every block of the toddler day, in order, so you can print one day and run it from the page. The toddler day is short and gentle (13 blocks), and handwashing is folded into the named blocks.

This is a full 5-day week. Monday–Friday, no closures. The Olympic play lives in the cooler late-morning window, and Friday is our in-room Medal Celebration — inside our own room, with our own teacher and classmates cheering. No parents invited and no cross-class visiting; the Brightwheel photos are how the celebration travels home.

The 📸 Brightwheel moment is built in. Look for the warm camera callout inside each day — it sits on the day's big active block, with the shot to grab and a ready-to-post caption.

Keep it warm and repeated. Toddlers thrive on sameness — the same phrase, the same freeze, the same "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" every day. That repetition is the curriculum. And the wait is always brief and co-regulated — you stay right in the game and lend your calm.

Printing. Use your browser's Print — each day breaks cleanly onto its own sheet.

Read first · heat, choke-safe + co-regulation

Bakersfield July heat is our #1 risk — this is the most active week of the summer. Run every crawl race, ball roll, and moving game in the cool early-morning window or full shade, with hard-scheduled water breaks and hydration. Keep the hot afternoon block light — shade, or an indoor freeze-dance — and no running in the mid-afternoon heat. Sunscreen on file, hats on, indoor fallback ready.

Large and mouth-safe only — no small parts at all this week. Toddlers mouth everything, so use big soft balls and big beanbags that are far too large to fit in a mouth. Anything small — small beanbags, small balls, marbles, or small medal bits — is a choke hazard and is banned from the Toddler room. No tasting — narrate "we play, we don't taste" and stay right in the game.

Soft medals are for the photo only. Our medals are large and soft (felt or foam), on a wide, soft loop. A grown-up places one on for the picture and takes it right back off — medals are never worn during active play, never at nap, and cords or loops are never left on a toddler unattended.

Soft surfaces + clear routes. Put a mat or grass under any crawl, roll, or tumble; clear the race and course path of trip hazards; check for good footwear. Keep the whistle a soft signal — a gentle toot, a bell, or your voice — never a sharp blast near little ears.

Brief waits, and co-regulation — never isolation. A toddler who can't hold still is normal and just right for this age. We keep every wait to a happy half-second, we play right alongside them, and we lend our calm. We do not use time-outs, "the waiting spot," or set a child apart to teach waiting — a little one can't self-regulate alone, and being set apart takes the calm away. Warmth first, always.

Section 3 · The Lens

This Week's EF Lens — a Soft Note

"Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" is just beginning

The camp's lens this week is Inhibitory Control — the little skill of not moving yet, holding a happy half-second, and then bursting. At 18 months to 2 years this is just barely emerging, and that's exactly right. You never drill it and you never leave a toddler to wait alone. Instead you sit right in the game and make the wait tiny, warm, and giggly: hands wiggle on "ready, set," everyone holds still for the "wait for it…" — then "GO!" and off they crawl. Freeze when the music stops, go when it starts. Every "wait, then go" is a shared, joyful moment, and the calm grown-up right beside them is what makes even a half-second of waiting possible.

The reason this works is gentle but real. EF Research: for toddlers, waiting is the earliest and steadiest kind of self-control — far more doable than "do the opposite" — and it only grows through short, motor-rich, repeated games with a warm adult who lends their calm; never worksheets, never solo drilling, never isolation. Google "co-regulation self control toddlers" if you'd like the why behind it. Keep it short, playful, and the same every day — the freeze-and-go game is your highest-value, lowest-cost moment, so use it often.

And riding along — holding the one rule in mind. All week there's a single little rule to remember: wait for GO. Holding that one rule in mind through the "ready… set… wait…" — and, later, holding the order of two favorite games — is working memory quietly at work. Keep it playful — a happy whisper, a thumbs-up — never a quiz. Say the rule, hold the pause, cheer the GO.
Section 4 · Prep

Before the Week

Simple setup for a warm, wiggly week. Get these ready over the weekend or Monday morning.

No small parts — sweep the room
Before Monday, pull every small ball, small beanbag, marble, and any object small enough to fit in a mouth out of reach. Big soft balls and big beanbags only — nothing small anywhere this week.
Soft surfaces + clear routes
A mat, foam tiles, or grass under any crawl, roll, or tumble. Clear the race and course path of trip hazards; keep a dry, open lane.
Big soft balls & big beanbags
A set of large, squishy balls and oversized beanbags — all too big to mouth. Check every single piece for size before it goes out.
Buckets, targets & start lines
Low buckets or laundry baskets for the beanbag drop, a soft target to roll at, and painter's tape "start" and "finish" lines the little ones can see.
A soft, low obstacle course
Cones, hoops on the floor, and a fabric tunnel you already have — kept low and soft. Add a "freeze at the cone" spot for the wait-then-go.
Soft torches, adult-made
Large, sturdy "torches" — a big tube or cone with tissue-paper "flame" taped down securely (no loose bits). Children decorate the outside with dot-paint on Thursday.
Soft medals + wide loops
Large, soft felt or foam medal discs on wide, soft loops — for the photo only, placed on and taken right back off by a grown-up. Children decorate their own on Monday.
The five crafts staged
Decorate-my-medal, a big "GO!" flag, roll-a-ball painting, decorate-my-torch, and the Friday "I did it!" keepsake — all dot-paint, print, or taped, all large.
Music, signal & heat plan
Freeze/go music ready, a soft whistle or bell (never a sharp blast), sunscreen on file, hats, water for every break, morning shade set, and an indoor freeze-dance fallback for the hot afternoon.
Section 5 · Supplies

Supplies — Check & Request

Scan against what's in the room; send shortfalls to Amy early. on hand means it's already here. Everything in little hands must be mouth-safe — big soft balls and big beanbags only this week, no small parts, no small medal bits, and no tasting.

Space & Equipment · soft surfaces first

  • Soft mats / foam tiles (under crawls & rolls)plenty
  • Painter's tape (start / finish lines)2–3 rolls
  • Cones, floor hoops, fabric tunnelset
  • Shade canopy / umbrellasas needed

Olympic Play · large & choke-safe only

  • Big soft balls (too big to mouth)plenty
  • Big beanbags (oversized, sewn shut)6–8
  • Low buckets / laundry baskets (drop targets)2–3
  • Freeze / go music (+ soft whistle or bell)ready

Medals, Torch & Team Look

  • Large soft medal discs (felt/foam, wide loop)1/child
  • Big cardboard tubes / cones (torches)handful
  • Tissue paper ("flame," taped down)1 pack
  • Team headbands / big stickers (optional pop)spares

Craft · dot-paint & print, no small bits

  • Washable dot paint / daubers (bright colors)6–8
  • Chunky crayonsset
  • Big washable stickers (medals, flags)sheets
  • Fat handles for flags (wide tubes/dowels)1/child
  • "GO flag / I did it" pages1/child
  • Thick paper1 ream
  • Painter's tape / glue sticks2–3 rolls
  • Smocks1/child

Celebration, Sun & Cleanup

  • Simple "podium" step (sturdy box, adult-held)1
  • Sunscreen (check stock)2–3
  • Sun hats (parent / spares)spares
  • Water bottles / cups1/child
  • Wipes & paper towelslots
  • Change of clothes (per child)1/child
Section 6 · The Week

Five Days That Build to the Medal Celebration

A gentle, growing arc. The same magic phrase — "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" — returns every day and gathers a little more: first the freeze, then a race, then a turn, then the whole mini-meet — until Friday, when each child runs a favorite event and gets a soft medal while classmates cheer.

Section 7 · The Skeleton

The Daily Rhythm

The toddler day is short and predictable — 13 blocks, carried in full in each day plan below. Four are fixed: morning snack, lunch, nap, afternoon snack.

A note on the Olympic play and the day. The big active play lives in the late-morning Active Play window (9:50–10:30) — the cooler time, in shade, and where Friday's Medal Celebration happens (in-room, classmates cheering — see Friday). The afternoon Outdoor Play (3:30–4:15) is hotter; keep it light and shaded, or bring an indoor freeze-dance inside. Count and store the balls and beanbags between blocks, keep soft surfaces under every crawl and roll, and lean on the "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" pause wherever a transition or a quiet moment opens up. That tiny held pause is the highest-value, lowest-cost moment of the day, so use it often — and always brief, always with you in the game.
Section 8 · The Plans

Five Days, Fully Planned

Each day is the full 13-block run-sheet. The 📸 Brightwheel moment sits on the day's big active block.

Day1
Monday · July 20
Freeze… GO!
Meet our magic phrase — freeze on the word, GO on "GO!" — and the tiny held pause in between.
6:30–8:00

Early arrivals, quiet play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome with the other little ones. Stay close — circulate, narrate, and trade smiles.

8:00–8:30
Settle In · Table Toys

Gentle table toys as everyone arrives. Warm greetings, calm bodies, a soft start. A big soft ball and a big beanbag on the table to discover.

8:30–8:50
Opening Circle · Ready… Set… GO!

A short hello song, then teach our magic words: "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" Wiggle hands on "ready, set," hold very still for the tiny "wait," then clap on "GO!" Do it two or three happy times. Say our safe words together — "we play, we don't taste." Keep it tiny and warm.

8:50–9:30
Guided Centers · Craft · Decorate My Medal

A big soft medal disc for each child, washable dot-paint, and big stickers. This is the medal we'll wear for Friday's celebration! Run it as the day's warm little game: dab a happy dot, press a sticker, name the colors. Hand-over-hand for anyone who wants it. Set the finished medals aside to dry, loops kept out of reach. This is a teacher-shaped center, not open time — stay in the game with each child.

✦ Inhibitory control today — a tiny "dip… wait… press!" as we paint — hold the dauber a happy beat, then press. The first taste of "wait for GO," tucked into the craft. EF Research: for toddlers, a brief supported pause before a happy action is the earliest self-control rep, built by repetition, not drilling. Google "waiting games self control toddlers" for more.
9:30–9:50
Fixed
Morning Snack

Wash hands, settle, and snack together.

9:50–10:30
Active Play · Freeze… GO! (anchor)

Sunscreen and hats, out to the shade (or an indoor lane if it's warm), soft surface down. Our first big game. Line up beside you and call it: "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" — everyone crawls or toddles toward you — then "FREEZE!" and hold still for a happy half-second, then GO again. You play too: hold a hand, make the freeze a giggly beat, never a long wait. Big, slow, joyful. Cheer every freeze and every GO. Water break halfway. "We play, we don't taste" the whole time.

Materials — soft mat/shade, a soft whistle or your voice, freeze/go music, hats, water & shade.

✦ Inhibitory control today — freeze on the word, go on "GO!" — the whole skill is that half-second of not-moving-yet, held together with you. EF Research: simple stop-and-go games with a warm grown-up are the earliest way toddlers practice waiting; the repetition, not any drilling, is what slowly builds it. Google "stop signal games self control toddlers" for more.
Teacher Move Show it before they do it. Freeze yourself first ("watch me… I'm a statue!"), then freeze together a couple of times, then let them try on your call. That show-it → together → on-their-own handoff is what makes the game land — and it's the same move you'll use all week.
📸 Brightwheel moment
Shot: a toddler mid-"FREEZE!" — arms out, delighted, holding still — or bursting into a giggly crawl on "GO!"
Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO! 🏁 Our littlest athletes met the freeze game today — hold still, then burst! That happy little pause is gentle brain-building for tiny ones. Medal Celebration coming Friday — watch this space! 🏅
10:30–11:10
Music & Movement · Freeze Dance

Dance to the music — then it stops: "FREEZE!" Hold still, giggle, then "GO!" when it starts again. Slow, repeated, warm. Bob and sway between freezes.

11:10–11:50
Fixed
Lunch

A calm, cozy meal together.

11:50–12:30
Closing Circle

A quiet song and a board book to settle bodies toward nap.

12:30–3:00
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time

A long, restful nap. Soothe and settle each child; stay present for the wind-down.

3:00–3:30
Fixed
Wake-up · Afternoon Snack

Gentle waking, then a calm snack.

3:30–4:15
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)

Peak heat — shade play, or an indoor freeze-dance. Short and easy; one quiet round of "freeze… go!" if bodies have energy.

4:15–5:00

Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; count and store the balls and beanbags, set the medals to dry with loops out of reach; move to combined care for warm handoffs. Stay close and narrate the goodbye.

Day2
Tuesday · July 21
Ready, Set, GO! Races
Wait behind the line, hold the pause — then crawl and animal-walk to the finish.
6:30–8:00

Early arrivals, quiet play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. Stay close — circulate and trade smiles.

8:00–8:30
Settle In · Table Toys

Calm table toys as everyone arrives. A big soft ball and a beanbag are out to discover again.

8:30–8:50
Opening Circle · On Your Marks

Show the tape "start" line on the floor: "we wait right here!" Everyone finds the line, then "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" — one happy crawl-burst forward, then back to a hug. Same magic words as Monday, same safe words — "we play, we don't taste." Keep it tiny and warm.

8:50–9:30
Guided Centers · Craft · My GO! Flag

A big paper flag on a fat, chunky handle (cardstock taped to a wide tube — nothing small), decorated with washable dot-paint. This is our flag to wave on "GO!" Run it slowly: name a color, press happy dots, wave it once. Hand-over-hand for anyone who wants it. A teacher-shaped center — stay in it with each child.

✦ Inhibitory control today — "hold the flag still… wait… now wave on GO!" — a happy little hold-then-go, woven right into the craft. EF Research: brief, playful "wait, then go" moments with a warm adult are exactly the toddler-sized self-control rep — short, motor-rich, repeated. Google "ready set go games impulse control young children" for more.
9:30–9:50
Fixed
Morning Snack

Wash hands, settle, snack.

9:50–10:30
Active Play · Ready-Set-GO! Races (anchor)

Today the game grows into a race. Soft surface down, hats on, tape "start" and "finish" lines in the shade. Gather at the start with a grown-up beside each little one, hold the pause — "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" — then crawl, bear-walk, bunny-hop, or waddle to the finish for a big cheer. Run it one or two at a time so the wait stays tiny and the finish stays happy. Change the animal each round. Water break halfway. The held start is the whole point.

Materials — soft mat/grass, painter's-tape start & finish lines, a soft whistle or your voice, hats, water & shade.

✦ Inhibitory control today — wait behind the line and hold still for a happy half-second before the "GO!" burst — waiting, the steadiest kind of self-control at this age. The day's key move. EF Research: for toddlers, holding still a beat before a burst — with a grown-up in the game — is delay-based self-control, far more doable than "do the opposite." Google "delay of gratification games toddlers" for more.
✦ Working memory rides along — we hold one little rule in mind — "wait for GO" — all the way through "ready… set… wait…" Holding a single rule for a beat is memory quietly at work. Keep it playful, never a quiz.
Teacher Move Pitch the wait just past easy, then ease off. Stretch the "wait for it…" a half-second longer than yesterday — but the moment a little one bursts early, cheer them anyway and shorten it back. Stretch a touch, support, fade. That gentle push-and-give-back grows the wait without ever tipping into frustration.
📸 Brightwheel moment
Shot: two toddlers at the start line, wide-eyed and waiting, then bursting into a giggly crawl race toward the finish.
On your marks! 🐻🐰 Today our little athletes waited behind the line — "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" — then crawled and hopped to the finish. That happy pause before the burst is tiny, joyful self-control! Medals Friday! 🏅
10:30–11:10
Music & Movement · Ready, Set, GO! Song

Sing a marching song and act it out — march in place, then a held "wait for it…" and everyone jumps on "GO!" Pause before the word and let them fill it in. Slow and repeated.

11:10–11:50
Fixed
Lunch

Calm, cozy meal.

11:50–12:30
Closing Circle

A quiet song and board book before nap.

12:30–3:00
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time

A long, restful nap. Stay present for the wind-down.

3:00–3:30
Fixed
Wake-up · Afternoon Snack

Gentle waking, then snack.

3:30–4:15
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)

Shade play or an indoor freeze-dance. Short and easy — one gentle animal-walk if bodies have energy.

4:15–5:00

Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; count and store the balls and beanbags, roll up the tape lines; warm handoffs. Stay close and narrate the goodbye.

Day3
Wednesday · July 22
Roll & Drop
One at a time — wait a happy turn — roll the big ball and drop the beanbag in the bucket.
6:30–8:00

Early arrivals, quiet play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. Stay close — circulate and trade smiles.

8:00–8:30
Settle In · Table Toys

Calm table toys as everyone arrives. A big ball and a low bucket sit out, ready for turns later.

8:30–8:50
Opening Circle · Whose Turn?

Sit in a little circle with a big soft ball: "we take turns — my turn… your turn." Roll the ball to one child, they roll it back, big cheer. Model a happy wait — "I'll wait for the ball to come to me." Same magic words nearby — "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… roll!" Keep it tiny and warm.

8:50–9:30
Guided Centers · Craft · Roll-a-Ball Painting

A big soft ball, a shallow tray with washable paint, and a big page. Dip the ball, then tip and roll — colorful tracks appear! Run it slowly: "dip… wait… now roll!" Take turns with the tray so each child gets a happy go. Big, satisfying, and mess-friendly. Big ball only — nothing small. A teacher-shaped center — stay in it with each child.

✦ Inhibitory control today — "dip… wait… now roll!" plus a happy little wait for the tray — one turn at a time, held together with you. EF Research: waiting a brief, supported turn is exactly the kind of short waiting a toddler can do — and every warm turn is a self-control rep. Google "turn taking waiting self regulation toddlers" for more.
9:30–9:50
Fixed
Morning Snack

Wash hands, settle, snack.

9:50–10:30
Active Play · Roll & Drop (anchor · take turns)

Two happy stations, a grown-up at each, hats on, shade set. (1) Ball roll — roll a big soft ball to a partner or at a soft target. (2) Beanbag drop — hold a big beanbag over a low bucket: "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… drop!" and in it goes. The heart of today is turns: "my turn… your turn," one at a time, with a warm, brief wait held together. Rotate the little ones between the two. Water break halfway.

Materials — big soft balls, big beanbags, low buckets/baskets, a soft target, a soft whistle or your voice, hats, water & shade.

✦ Inhibitory control today — take one happy turn at a time — hold the beanbag, wait for "drop!", and wait a brief beat for your turn to come around. Waiting, held with a grown-up. The day's key move. EF Research: brief, co-regulated turn-taking is a toddler-sized dose of self-control — the wait is short, the adult is in the loop, and the repetition builds the capacity. Google "turn taking games toddler self control" for more.
✦ Working memory rides along — we hold "it's almost my turn" in mind while a friend goes, then check — a warm early memory rep, kept playful.
Teacher Move Narrate the turn out loud. Keep a warm running commentary — "now it's Mia's turn… you're waiting… your turn's next… here it comes!" Naming the turn as it moves is what makes the wait make sense to a toddler; it turns "just wait" into a game they can follow. This is guided play — you're shaping every turn, not standing back.
📸 Brightwheel moment
Shot: a toddler dropping a big beanbag into the bucket with a proud "I did it!" face, or rolling the big ball to a friend.
My turn… your turn! 🎯 Today our little athletes took happy turns — rolling the big ball and dropping beanbags in the bucket ("Ready… Set… WAIT for it… drop!"). Waiting a turn is tiny, joyful self-control. Medals Friday! 🏅
10:30–11:10
Music & Movement · Roll the Ball Song

Sing a gentle rolling song, passing a soft ball around the circle — "roll it to a friend, and… wait!" Pause before "roll" and let them anticipate. Slow, repeated, joyful.

11:10–11:50
Fixed
Lunch

Calm, cozy meal.

11:50–12:30
Closing Circle

A quiet song and board book before nap.

12:30–3:00
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time

A long, restful nap. Stay present for the wind-down.

3:00–3:30
Fixed
Wake-up · Afternoon Snack

Gentle waking, then snack.

3:30–4:15
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)

Shade play or a quiet indoor ball-roll. Short and easy.

4:15–5:00

Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; count and store the balls and beanbags; warm handoffs. Tell families: our in-room Medal Celebration is this Friday — watch Brightwheel for photos!

Day4
Thursday · July 23
Torch Pass & Mini-Meet
Pass the soft torch, hold the pause — then run our favorite events. A happy dress-rehearsal.
6:30–8:00

Early arrivals, quiet play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. Stay close — circulate and trade smiles.

8:00–8:30
Settle In · Table Toys

Calm table toys as everyone arrives. The soft torches and beanbags are out to greet.

8:30–8:50
Opening Circle · Pass the Torch

Show a soft torch: "we pass it, hand to hand!" Sit in a small circle and pass it slowly — "hold it… wait… now pass to your friend." A gentle hold-then-give, guided by your hand. Big cheers all around. Same safe words — "we play, we don't taste."

8:50–9:30
Guided Centers · Craft · Decorate My Torch

A large, sturdy torch — a big tube or cone with tissue "flame" already taped down tight by a grown-up (no loose bits). Children decorate the outside with washable dot-paint and big stickers. Run the warm game: dab a dot, "hold it… wait… press!", admire it together. Big and safe — nothing small. A teacher-shaped center — stay in it with each child.

✦ Inhibitory control today — "hold it… wait… press!" as we decorate — and the gentle hold-then-pass of the torch itself. Familiar waits, one more happy time. EF Research: revisiting the same brief "wait, then go" across new props, with a grown-up beside them, is how the tiny habit slowly strengthens — motor-rich and playful, never a worksheet. Google "freeze games executive function toddlers" for more.
9:30–9:50
Fixed
Morning Snack

Wash hands, settle, snack.

9:50–10:30
Active Play · Torch Pass + Mini-Meet (anchor · getting ready)

Today we bring the whole week together, ready for tomorrow's celebration. Soft surfaces down, hats on, shade set. Start by "opening the games" with a slow soft torch pass around the circle. Then set two favorite stations — the freeze-and-go / crawl race and the beanbag drop — and rotate the little ones through, each round with the held start: "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" Keep every round short and warm. This is our happy dress-rehearsal for the Medal Celebration. Water break halfway.

Materials — soft torches, soft mat/grass, tape start line, big soft balls & beanbags, low bucket, a soft whistle or your voice, hats, water & shade.

✦ Inhibitory control today — the held pause returns across every event — pass the torch, wait at the line, hold the beanbag — the same "wait, then go" in three happy games. EF Research: practicing the same brief wait in several playful contexts, adult-in-the-loop, is how a toddler's earliest self-control quietly builds — short, motor-rich, and repeated. Google "practicing self regulation through play toddlers" for more.
✦ Working memory rides along — we hold the order of our two favorite games in mind as we move between them — "torch, then race, then beanbags" — a warm early memory rep.
Teacher Move Bookend the meet — plan it, play it, then look back. Open with "what will we play first?" (name the events together), play them, then close with "what did we do?" That little plan → do → look-back loop helps a toddler hold the shape of the morning — and it's exactly how tomorrow's celebration will run.
📸 Brightwheel moment
Shot: a toddler passing the soft torch to a friend, both beaming — or mid-crawl-race, wide-eyed at the held start.
Let the games begin! 🔥🏁 Today our little athletes passed the torch and ran their favorite events — freeze-and-go, crawl races, beanbag drops — all with our magic "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" Medal Celebration tomorrow! 🏅
10:30–11:10
Music & Movement · Pass It On

Sing a gentle passing song, sending a soft scarf around the circle — "hold it… wait… pass!" Pause before "pass" and let them anticipate. Slow, repeated, joyful.

11:10–11:50
Fixed
Lunch

Calm, cozy meal.

11:50–12:30
Closing Circle

A quiet song and board book before nap. Softly recall: "what did we play today?"

12:30–3:00
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time

A long, restful nap. Stay present for the wind-down.

3:00–3:30
Fixed
Wake-up · Afternoon Snack

Gentle waking, then snack.

3:30–4:15
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)

Shade play or a quiet indoor torch pass. Short and easy — rest up for tomorrow's celebration.

4:15–5:00

Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; count and store the balls, beanbags, and torches; check the medals are ready; warm handoffs. Tell families: our in-room Medal Celebration is tomorrow — watch Brightwheel for photos!

Day5
Friday · July 24
Medal Celebration 🏅
Each child runs a favorite event and gets a soft medal — classmates cheering. The happy finish of the week.
6:30–8:00

Early arrivals, quiet play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. A little happy buzz — today we celebrate! Stay close and calm.

8:00–8:30
Settle In · Table Toys

Calm table toys as everyone arrives. Keep bodies settled and happy for the celebration. Do a final set-up of the favorite stations, soft surfaces down, medals ready.

8:30–8:50
Opening Circle · It's Celebration Day!

Hello song, then a warm heads-up: "today we celebrate — everyone plays a favorite game and gets a medal!" Hold up the medals we decorated on Monday. Practice one big "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" and a happy cheer — "hooray!" Same safe words — "we play, we don't taste."

8:50–9:30
Guided Centers · Craft · "I Did It!" Keepsake

Our take-home keepsake: a big "I did it!" page where we press dot-paint, add a big medal sticker, and a grown-up adds a photo or a handprint. As we make it, softly recall the week: "remember when we froze like statues? When we crawled the race? When we dropped the beanbag?" A warm finish to send home. A teacher-shaped center — stay in the game with each child.

✦ Inhibitory control today — recall a favorite "wait, then GO!" moment and put it on the page — gently calling back a whole week of happy waiting. EF Research: warm, low-pressure recall with a familiar adult ("remember when we waited, then went?") gently helps toddlers revisit what they practiced. Google "supporting toddler memory through conversation" for more.
9:30–9:50
Fixed
Morning Snack

Wash hands, settle, snack — then we get ready to celebrate.

9:50–10:30
Active Play · THE MEDAL CELEBRATION (culminating · in-room)

The big happy morning — inside our own room, with our own teacher and classmates as the cheering audience. No parents invited, no visiting other rooms; the Brightwheel photos carry the celebration home. The favorite stations are set — freeze-and-go, the crawl race, and the beanbag drop. One at a time, each child steps up: you cue "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" and they run their favorite event while the other little ones clap. Then a grown-up places their soft medal on for the photo — and takes it right back off. Cheer every single child. Keep rounds short and calm; any child who'd rather just play is celebrating fully. Water break halfway. "We play, we don't taste" holds all morning.

How the celebration runs, step by step: (1) Gather the classmates as the happy cheering audience. (2) Invite one child at a time to their favorite station. (3) Cue "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" and let them run it their way. (4) Everyone claps; a grown-up places the soft medal on for a photo and lifts it right back off. (5) Keep it short and calm — medals come off before the next round and before nap; a wiggly wait is fine, we cheer it either way.

Materials — all favorite stations set, soft mat/grass, big soft balls & beanbags, low bucket, soft medals on wide loops (adult-placed, photo-only), a sturdy "podium" step, a soft whistle or your voice, hats, water & shade.

✦ Inhibitory control today — each child holds the pause — "Ready… Set… WAIT for it…" — then bursts into their favorite event and is cheered. A whole week of happy waiting, shown and celebrated. EF Research: the calm grown-up beside a toddler is what makes any waiting possible — co-regulation comes before self-control, and a week of shared "wait for GO" is the reps that count. Google "co-regulation self regulation toddlers" for more.
✦ Working memory rides along — each child holds their favorite game in mind to choose and show it — "my one is the race!" — a proud early memory rep.
Teacher Move Go first, then hand it off. Cue the start once, model the pause, then let each child run their event their own way — "you show us!" — while you stay close to keep it calm and lead the cheer. That show-it → together → child-led handoff, the same one you ran all week, is what makes the celebration truly theirs.
📸 Brightwheel moment
Shot: a toddler beaming with a soft medal after a favorite event, classmates clapping — or a proud little one bursting from the start line on "GO!"
🏅💛 OUR MEDAL CELEBRATION! Our littlest athletes each ran a favorite event today — freeze-and-go, crawl races, beanbag drops — with a whole room of friends cheering. "Ready… Set… WAIT for it… GO!" A week of happy, brave waiting. So proud of every one of them! 🎉
10:30–11:10
Music & Movement · Celebration Encore

One last joyful freeze-dance and a happy "victory lap" march around the room — freeze, GO, cheer! Familiar and warm — a happy wind-down to the week.

11:10–11:50
Fixed
Lunch

A calm, cozy meal together after the big celebration.

11:50–12:30
Closing Circle

A quiet song and a book to close the week and settle bodies toward nap. Look at the day's photos and softly recall: "what did we play?"

12:30–3:00
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time

A deep nap after a big, happy morning. Medals stored away — never worn at nap. Stay present for the wind-down.

3:00–3:30
Fixed
Wake-up · Afternoon Snack

Gentle waking, then a calm snack.

3:30–4:15
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)

Gentle shade play to close the week. Short and easy; one quiet "freeze… go!" if bodies have energy.

4:15–5:00

Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; count and store the balls, beanbags, and torches; send the medals and "I did it!" keepsakes home; warm handoffs. Stay close and narrate a happy goodbye to the week.

One guide, one week, one classroom. This is the Toddlers (18 mo–2) plan for Mini Olympics, a full 5-day week (Mon–Fri, no closures) building to Friday's in-room Medal Celebration, where each child runs a favorite event and gets a soft medal while classmates cheer. The Bigs and Littles run the same theme scaled up — switch rooms in the menu up top. Pair it with the General Planning Guide. Prints cleanly, one day per sheet.