These are the games and songs I typically use with a class of 0-2 year olds. Quite often it can be their first time to use English and may also be the first time to them to see a non Japanese face.
I've used them a great many times at
Fuji Kindergarten for classes between 6 and 100 people so I feel confident they can work for you!
Teaching Tips for 0-2 Year Olds
For teaching tips please refer to our
Toddlers Teachers Guide.
Additionally, with all the following invest a good amount of time in modelling so the children know exactly what is expected of them once you start a game or song.
Ride It (otherwise known as the
Bicycle Song. Children pretend to be a train, car, bus, bicycle and aiiiiiirplaaaane.
The
Shape Song. Circle, square, triangle, star... shake shake shake! The children and mums can all take part in this and works very well.
A simple line drawing cut in half or quarters. They then stick this to a coloured back ground. They could then colour it, but I'd go for one that can be decorated with stickers as young ones in Japan know how to do that. Something like a train with round stickers for the wheels etc. Its less messy and doesn't require you to clean up. They can colour it with mum at home. Choose coloured stickers that tie in with the
Colours Song. For plenty of other wonderful craft suggestions please visit our
crafts pages.
Pull happy / sad faces into a mirror.
Let the kids do what they aren't normally allowed to :-). Lay some flash cards out across the floor. Call one out, child runs to the correct image and swats it. You might need to say they can only swat it 3 times if it all gets a bit too exciting.
Go from one side of the room to the other as an animal of your choice. Frogs - jump, Monkeys - swing, snakes - slide etc.
From point A and put it in a basket at point B.
One or two lines of children and mums. Children pass a
flash card / stuffed toy / object from the front of the line to the back. If they (the mums mostly) can say the name of the item as they hold it thats great too. If this were with 5 year olds it would be a "race", but for this age just completing the task earns praise. Everyones a winner and everyone gets a "go". Also, just making two lines is an accomplishment so lots of praise for that.