Week 9 — Storybook Adventures
Our littlest storytellers curl up inside their favorite books this week — soft board books, a cozy story nest, gentle puppet peekaboo, and lots of snuggly reading. We softly try on being someone new — a slow bear, a hopping bunny — and turn the page another way, always held close by a warm grown-up. Five calm, cozy days that build to a happy little Friday dress-up wave, where each child pops on their own ears or mask and gets a big cheer. A friend from the library visits Wednesday to read with us. July 27 – July 31 · Toddlers, ages 18 mo–2.
This guide pairs with the General Planning Guide and applies Storybook Adventures to the Toddlers (18 mo–2) daily schedule — the shorter, gentler 13-block day. This is a full 5-day week: Monday–Friday, July 27–31, no closures. For our littlest ones, "storybook" isn't a project to build — it's exposure: soft board books read again and again, a cozy story nest, a puppet peekaboo, a slow "be a bear, be a bunny," and a gentle song. The comfort is the curriculum, so we keep the same books, the same nest, and the same warm reading all week. A friend from the library visits on Wednesday for a short, snuggly story time right here in our room (an in-house guest — no field trip). The week ends with a low-key Friday in-room Dress-Up Wave — each child pops on the ears or mask they decorated and does a happy little wave while our teacher and classmates cheer. No parents invited, no performing, no visiting other rooms — Brightwheel photos carry it home. Everything little hands touch is large and mouth-safe. Start with the prep block, then run the five days.
Week Snapshot
Before You Run the Week
How this guide works, a soft note on the week's skill, 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 gentle story moments live in the cooler late-morning window, Wednesday a friend from the library reads with us, and Friday is our in-room Dress-Up Wave — inside our own room, our own teacher and classmates cheering. No parents invited and no cross-class visiting; the Brightwheel photos are how it travels home.
The 📸 Brightwheel moment is built in. Look for the warm camera callout inside each day — it sits on the day's gentle story block, with the shot to grab and a ready-to-post caption.
Keep it warm and repeated. Toddlers thrive on sameness — the same books, the same cozy nest, the same songs, day after day. That repetition is the curriculum. Read slow, read it again, and follow their pointing finger.
Printing. Use your browser's Print — each day breaks cleanly onto its own sheet.
This Week's EF Lens — a Soft Note
"Be someone new" is just barely beginning
The camp's lens this week is Cognitive Flexibility — the brain's ability to switch: to be someone new, and to try another way. At 18 months to 2 years, this is only just starting to stir, and that's exactly right. You never drill it and you never quiz it. For a toddler, flexibility looks tiny and joyful: trying a slow bear walk and then a hopping bunny, popping on ears to "be a bear" and taking them off to "be me," or turning a familiar page a new way. Your whole job is the light one — notice it, name it warmly, and smile. "You were a bear… now you're YOU again!" That's plenty.
Mostly, this is a week of comfort and language. Read the same soft books again and again, sing the same gentle songs, and let the sameness soothe. The little seed of "someone new" grows all on its own inside that warm, repeated play — you don't have to teach it, just enjoy it when it peeks out.
Gentle things to notice (and smile at)
- Tries a new way of moving — a bear sway, then a bunny hop.
- Pops a puppet or ears on to "be someone new," then happily returns to themselves.
- Turns a page, lifts a flap, or "reads" a favorite book their own way.
Before the Week
Simple setup for a warm, cozy week. Get these ready over the weekend or Monday morning — and confirm the Library Friend's Wednesday visit early.
Supplies — Check & Request
Scan against what's in the room; send shortfalls to Amy early. on hand means it's already here; Fri means it's for the dress-up wave. Everything in little hands must be large and mouth-safe — no small parts, no ties, and no tasting.
Furniture & Equipment · the cozy setup
- Low book basket / display (the Story Basket)1
- Cushions & soft rug (story nest)set
- Child-safe mirror (try on ears)1
- Low shelf / bin for soft characters1
- Comfy story spot for the guest (Library Friend)set
Story & Character Materials · the theme
- Sturdy board books (clear, friendly characters)6–10
- Big soft puppets / stuffed charactersset
- Touch-and-feel / lift-the-flap booksfew
- Soft ears headbands / simple capesset
- Soft story props (bowl, blanket, basket)few
Craft · dot-paint & press, no small bits
- Paper-plate / felt masks (adult-assembled)1/child
- Headband ear strips (large, soft)1/child
- Washable dot paint / daubers6–8
- Big washable stickerssheets
- Chunky crayonsset
- Glue sticks / painter's tape2–3 rolls
- Thick paper1 ream
- Smocks1/child
Sensory & Per-Child · large & mouth-safe
- Story sensory-bin fillers (big pom-poms, fabric leaves)set
- Shallow bin / tray1–2
- "My Little Storybook" keepsake page1/child
- Simple costume from home (optional)parent
Comfort, Sun & Cleanup
- Water bottles / cups1/child
- Sun hats + sunscreen (morning outdoor)stock
- Wipes & paper towelslots
- Change of clothes (per child)1/child
- First-aid kitcheck
Five Cozy Days That Build to the Dress-Up Wave
A gentle, growing arc. The same soft Story Basket and story nest return every day and gather a little more: first cozy stories, then story friends, then a peekaboo character, then our ears and masks — until Friday, when each child pops on their own ears or mask for a happy little wave while classmates cheer.
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.
Five Days, Fully Planned
Each day is the full 13-block run-sheet. The 📸 Brightwheel moment sits on the day's gentle story block.
Early arrivals, free play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome with the other little ones. Stay close — circulate, narrate, and trade smiles.
Settle In · Table Toys
Gentle table toys as everyone arrives. A soft board book and a cuddly character out to discover. Warm greetings, calm bodies, a soft start.
Opening Circle · Hello, Storybook Week!
A short hello song, then snuggle up with one favorite board book. Point and name — "there's the bear! there's the bunny!" Turn the pages together slowly and let little hands help. Say our gentle words: "we can be someone new!" Keep it tiny and warm.
Guided Centers · Craft · Touch-and-Feel Story Basket
Explore the Story Basket together — lift-the-flap and touch-and-feel books, lap-close — and a simple "pat the page" print craft: press a dot-paint paw or a little handprint onto a big page for our class story. Run it slowly, naming pictures and sounds. Hand-over-hand for anyone who wants it. A teacher-shaped center — stay in the game with each child.
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Morning Snack
Wash hands, settle, and snack together.
Outdoor Play · Cozy Story Nest & Bear Toddle (anchor)
Sunscreen and hats, out to the shade with a soft blanket and a favorite book. Settle into a cozy story nest and read lap-close, then a gentle "story toddle" — a slow bear walk: sway through the grass, tip-toe by the pretend "cave," all big and slow together. Warm narration the whole time; keep it snuggly, not busy. Water break halfway. (Indoors on a hot morning is perfectly fine.)
Materials — soft blanket, a favorite board book, a shady spot, hats, water & shade.
Toddlers love the same book over and over, and that repetition is exactly how language and comfort grow. Follow their lead: if they pat the same page five times, pat it with them. Name what you see, pause for them to point, and let them "turn the page." The unhurried, repeated read is the whole lesson — there's nothing to rush toward.
Music & Movement · Storybook Songs
Sing a gentle story-song and finger-play — "The Bear Went Over the Mountain," a slow "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Repeat the same one two or three happy times; bob and sway together. Slow and warm.
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Lunch
A calm, cozy meal together.
Closing Circle
A quiet song and a favorite board book to settle bodies toward nap.
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Nap / Quiet Time
A long, restful nap. Soothe and settle each child; stay present for the wind-down.
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Wake-up · Afternoon Snack
Gentle waking, then a calm snack.
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)
Peak heat — shade play or a cozy book in the shade. Short and easy; one favorite story if bodies are winding down.
Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; tuck the Story Basket away for tomorrow; move to combined care for warm handoffs. Stay close and narrate the goodbye.
Early arrivals, free play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. Stay close — circulate and trade smiles.
Settle In · Table Toys
Calm table toys as everyone arrives. The soft puppets and cuddly animals are out to greet.
Opening Circle · Who's in Our Book?
Meet two soft characters from the Story Basket — a bear and a bunny. "How does bear walk? Sloooow. How does bunny go? Hop, hop!" Do the sound and the move together. A gentle taste of being someone new. Keep it tiny and warm.
Guided Centers · Craft · Pat-a-Puppet Animal Face
A big paper-plate animal face (a bear, a bunny — a grown-up cuts it out ahead of time), decorated with washable dot-paint and big stickers for eyes and a nose. Name the animal and make its soft sound as you go. Hand-over-hand for anyone who wants it. A teacher-shaped center — stay in it with each child.
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Morning Snack
Wash hands, settle, snack.
Outdoor Play · Be a Bear, Be a Bunny (anchor)
Shady spot, soft surface, hats on. Gentle animal walks following a soft puppet's lead — sway like a bear, hop like a bunny, waddle like a duck. Slow and silly; change the animal when the grown-up shows a new one. You go first and they copy — a giggle and a copy is a complete success. Warm narration; water break halfway. (Indoors is fine if it's warm.)
Materials — soft puppets, a soft mat/grass, a shady spot, hats, water & shade.
Toddlers copy — they don't perform — so you go first. Get down low, do the slow bear sway yourself, and invite them to copy: show it → do it together → let them try. Keep the sounds soft and the pace slow. A child who just watches, then does one happy hop, has done exactly the right thing.
Music & Movement · Animal Sounds Song
Sing a gentle "Old MacDonald"-style song — a soft verse per animal, everyone making the sound and the move. Repeat the same animals two or three times. Slow, warm, giggly.
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Lunch
A calm, cozy meal.
Closing Circle
A quiet song and a favorite board book before nap.
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Nap / Quiet Time
A long, restful nap. Stay present for the wind-down.
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Wake-up · Afternoon Snack
Gentle waking, then snack.
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)
Shade play or a quiet indoor animal-walk. Short and easy.
Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; tuck the puppets and Story Basket away; warm handoffs. Tell families: a friend from the library visits our room tomorrow!
Early arrivals, free play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome — a guest is coming today, so the room's a little extra cozy. Stay close and trade smiles.
Settle In · Table Toys
Calm table toys as everyone arrives. The soft puppets and a comfy story spot are set out, ready for our visitor.
Opening Circle · Peekaboo, It's Me!
Hide behind a soft puppet or a scarf — "peekaboo!" — and pop up as a character: "peekaboo, I'm a bear!" Take gentle turns peeking. Then a warm heads-up: "a friend from the library is coming to read with us!" Show them how we welcome a guest — kind faces, listening ears. Keep it tiny and warm.
Guided Centers · Craft · Decorate a Peekaboo Puppet
A big face-on-a-stick (a grown-up makes the base) that the child decorates with washable dot-paint and big stickers. Hold it up and play — "peekaboo!" — hiding and popping the face out. Gentle and satisfying; large and safe, nothing small. A teacher-shaped center — stay in it with each child.
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Morning Snack
Wash hands, settle, snack. Softly build the gentle anticipation: "our library friend comes soon!"
Outdoor Play · Peekaboo Character Play (anchor)
Shady spot, soft surface, hats on. Gentle dress-up and peekaboo with soft ears, hats, and puppets — pop on bear ears, "I'm a bear!", take them off, "it's me again!" Then try a different one. Slow and warm, following each child's lead; a puppet can "peek" from behind a blanket for the shy ones. Water break halfway. (Indoors is fine if it's warm.)
Materials — soft ears/hats, puppets, a blanket for peeking, a shady spot, hats, water & shade.
Let the child lead the game — if they want to hide and pop up ten times, play along all ten. Narrate warmly: "peekaboo! There's the bear… and there's YOU!" The back-and-forth of hiding and returning is deeply reassuring at this age, and it's exactly where pretend quietly begins. No script, just delight.
📚 Story Time with our Library Friend (Music & Movement · the visit)
Our guest reads with us — a short board book or two, lap-close, with a soft voice, gentle character sounds, and a little song to join in. "What's the bear doing? Where did the bunny go?" A warm, cozy story moment scaled just for our littlest ones: short, snuggly, and sweet. Let the friend keep it gentle; you sit among the children, model happy listening, and help the quiet ones feel safe on a lap. If bodies get wiggly, that's fine — a peekaboo or a stretch is welcome.
Materials — the comfy story spot, a board book or two, a gentle song, water for the guest.
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Lunch
A calm, cozy meal — thank our guest first with a wave.
Closing Circle
A quiet song and a favorite board book before nap — maybe the one our friend read.
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Nap / Quiet Time
A long, restful nap. Stay present for the wind-down.
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Wake-up · Afternoon Snack
Gentle waking, then snack.
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)
Shade play or a quiet indoor peekaboo. Short and easy.
Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; tuck the puppets and Story Basket away; warm handoffs. Tell families about our library visitor and that our little dress-up wave is Friday — watch Brightwheel for photos!
Early arrivals, free play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. Stay close — circulate and trade smiles.
Settle In · Table Toys
Calm table toys as everyone arrives. The plain ears and masks are out to greet, ready to decorate.
Opening Circle · What Will We Be?
Show the ears and masks we'll decorate — bear ears, bunny ears, a kitty face. "Tomorrow we pop them on for our dress-up wave!" Try one on, peek in the mirror, big smile. Practice a happy little wave and a "hooray!" Keep it tiny and warm.
Guided Centers · Craft · Decorate My Ears & Mask (the make)
Each child decorates a simple pre-made headband ears or a paper-plate/felt mask with washable dot-paint and big stickers — large and soft, no ties around necks. Try it on in the mirror and admire it together. Set the finished pieces aside for tomorrow. Any child who'd rather just paint the page is welcome. A teacher-shaped center — stay in it with each child.
Materials — pre-made ears/masks, washable dot-paint, big stickers, chunky crayons, a mirror.
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Morning Snack
Wash hands, settle, snack.
Outdoor Play · Try-On & Character Wave (anchor · getting ready)
Shady spot, hats on. Pop on our ears or masks and practice a happy "character wave" and a slow character walk — a wave from a bear, a hop from a bunny — then take them off and pop them on again. Warm and gentle, a little rehearsal for tomorrow. Following each child's comfort; ears they can pop on and off themselves are often the happiest. Water break halfway.
Materials — the decorated ears/masks, a mirror, a shady spot, hats, water & shade.
Some toddlers love a mask; some don't want anything on their face — both are perfect. Offer, never insist; ears they can put on and take off themselves are often the happiest choice. A child who just holds their mask and waves is fully part of tomorrow's celebration. Comfort first, always.
Music & Movement · Practice Wave March
A gentle marching-and-waving song — parade slowly around the room and wave to the pretend crowd. Add a happy "hooray!" Repeat, warm and familiar — a soft rehearsal for tomorrow.
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Lunch
A calm, cozy meal.
Closing Circle
A quiet song and a favorite board book before nap. Softly recall: "what animal will you be tomorrow?"
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Nap / Quiet Time
A long, restful nap. Stay present for the wind-down.
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Wake-up · Afternoon Snack
Gentle waking, then snack.
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)
Shade play or a quiet indoor wave-and-march. Short and easy — rest up for tomorrow.
Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; set the ears and masks safely aside for tomorrow; warm handoffs. Remind families: our in-room dress-up wave is tomorrow — watch Brightwheel for photos!
Early arrivals, free play (combined). Soft, quiet welcome. A little happy buzz — today we celebrate! Stay close and calm.
Settle In · Table Toys
Calm table toys as everyone arrives. Keep bodies settled and happy. Do a final set-up — ears and masks ready, the cozy nest set, the Story Basket close.
Opening Circle · It's Dress-Up Day!
Hello song, then a warm heads-up: "today we pop on our ears and masks and do a happy wave — everyone cheers for everyone!" Hold up the ears we decorated yesterday. Practice one big wave and a "hooray!" Keep it tiny and warm.
Guided Centers · Craft · "My Little Storybook" Keepsake
Our take-home keepsake: a big "My Little Storybook" page where we press dot-paint, add a character sticker, and a grown-up adds a photo or a handprint. As we make it, softly recall the week: "remember our bear toddle? our peekaboo? our library friend?" A warm finish to send home. A teacher-shaped center — stay in the game with each child.
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Morning Snack
Wash hands, settle, snack — then we get ready to celebrate.
Outdoor Play · OUR DRESS-UP WAVE (culminating · in-room)
The happy little moment — inside our own room (or a shady spot), with our own teacher and classmates as the warm audience. No parents invited, no performing, no visiting other rooms; the Brightwheel photos carry it home. One at a time — or all together, whatever's comfy — each child pops on their ears or mask and does a happy wave or a slow character walk while the grown-ups and friends cheer their name: "hooray, bear!" A wave is plenty, and a child who'd rather just watch is celebrating too. Ears come off after the photo. Warm and short; water break halfway.
How the wave runs, gently: (1) Gather friends as the happy cheering audience. (2) Invite one child (or a couple) to pop on their ears or mask. (3) Cheer a big "hooray!" as they wave or do their character walk. (4) A grown-up snaps a photo, then the ears come off. (5) Keep it short and calm — a wiggly wave is wonderful, and we cheer every single child.
Materials — the decorated ears/masks (adult-helped, photo-friendly), a shady spot or the cozy nest, a soft song, hats, water & shade.
The child in full bear ears and the child who just grins and flaps a hand are exactly equal today. Cheer each one by name and character — "here comes bunny!" — and give the shy watcher the same warm spotlight as the big waver. Photograph generously, cheer softly, and let it be pure, gentle celebration. There's no wrong way to be a star.
Music & Movement · Celebration Wiggle
One last joyful, familiar song and a happy wave-and-wiggle around the room — a slow "victory toddle" and a cheer. Familiar and warm — a cozy wind-down to a lovely week.
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Lunch
A calm, cozy meal together after the happy morning.
Closing Circle
A quiet song and a favorite book to close the week. Look at the day's photos and softly recall: "what did we read? who did you become?"
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Nap / Quiet Time
A deep nap after a big, happy morning. Ears and masks stored away — never worn at nap. Stay present for the wind-down.
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Wake-up · Afternoon Snack
Gentle waking, then a calm snack.
Outdoor Play (hot — keep light)
Gentle shade play to close the week. Short and easy; a cozy book if bodies are winding down.
Pickups, cleanup, combined care. Tidy together; send the ears, masks, and "My Little Storybook" keepsakes home; tuck the Story Basket away; warm handoffs. Stay close and narrate a happy goodbye to the week.