How do I plan a lesson for a pre-primary class?
Plan a pre-primary lesson around one clear learning goal, a short warm-up (song or story), a hands-on main activity in small groups, a quick review, and a calm transition. Keep each part 5 to 15 minutes, use real materials, plan for different abilities and note how you will observe learning. Link lessons to a weekly theme, such as 'my family' or 'fruits'.
What this means in practice
Young children learn best when lessons connect to their lives and let them move, talk and touch.
A simple lesson plan format
- Theme and learning goal
- Materials
- Warm-up (2 to 5 minutes)
- Main activity (10 to 15 minutes)
- Differentiation: support and challenge
- Review (2 to 3 minutes)
- Observation notes
Example goal
'Children will sort fruits by colour and name each colour.'
Planning for different abilities
In any pre-primary class, abilities vary widely. Plan a core activity, then a simpler version for children who need support (fewer items, more help) and an extension for those ready for more (an extra challenge, a new word). For the fruit-sorting example, support might mean sorting two colours; extension might mean sorting by colour and size and counting each group. This keeps every child engaged without separate lessons.
Practical next steps
- Choose a weekly theme.
- Write one goal per lesson.
- Gather real materials.
- Note one observation per group.
Common follow-up questions
How long should a pre-primary lesson be?
About 20 to 30 minutes including warm-up and review.
Do I need a written plan every day?
Most schools expect daily or weekly plans.
Sources
- NCERT: National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022
- NAEYC: Developmentally appropriate practice
Course facts from APTTI's published course pages, checked 10 October 2026. Editorial policy.