Dynamic change can apply 2 to 4-hour early childhood program for children aged 3–8 years, designed for a day school setting. It balances play-based learning, sensory experiences, music, early numeracy, language, and social development, which aligns well with Victorian guidance that preschool learning works best through structured and unstructured play.

Instructor: Anita Wong
Experienced working with children and learning & development program since 2000, worked with diagnosed neurodiverse learners since 2020.

Active tutor/trainer for technology, literacy, numeracy, violin and piano.
Current: Work with Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening

Program name

Little Learners: Sensory, Music and Play Program

This program can also support parents by providing a calm, engaging respite block while children participate in safe, developmentally appropriate activities. A mixed-age approach works well when activities are open-ended and offer different levels of challenge for 3- to 6-year-olds.

Program goals

Support sensory exploration and self-regulation.
Build language, listening, and communication skills.
Develop early number sense and practical life skills.
Encourage music, movement, creativity, and social connection.
Provide a warm, predictable routine that feels safe for children and reassuring for parents.

2-hour session outline

1. Welcome and settling in — 10 minutes

Greeting circle with names, feelings check-in, and visual schedule.
Gentle free play with table activities such as blocks, puzzles, or playdough.
Simple transition song to begin the session.

2. Sensory discovery — 20 minutes

Sensory bins with rice, sand, water beads, pasta, or foam.
Hidden objects for children to find, sort, and describe.
Vocabulary prompts such as soft, rough, wet, dry, heavy, light.
Sensory play helps children explore through touch and supports language development when adults ask open-ended questions.

3. Music and movement — 20 minutes

Singing familiar songs and action rhymes.
Dancing with ribbons, scarves, or simply moving to music.
Freeze dance or follow-the-beat games.
Music and movement support coordination, listening, rhythm, and group participation.

4. Number and practical life — 20 minutes

Counting objects, sorting by colour or size, and simple matching games.
Practical tasks such as pouring, spooning, threading, setting up snack items, or tidying toys.
Everyday number language: more, less, first, next, before, after.
Everyday activities like cooking, sorting, and stacking help children develop early number understanding and practical learning.

5. Language and communication — 20 minutes

Story time with puppets or picture books.
Retelling a simple story using props or pictures.
Naming objects, answering “what,” “where,” and “how” questions.
Role play in a pretend shop, kitchen, or home corner.
Reading, storytelling, and pretend play are strong supports for language growth and communication confidence.

6. Creative play and choice time — 15 minutes

Art activity such as painting, collage, drawing, or stamping.
Children choose from two or three calm activities.
Educator-led conversation to extend learning and social skills.

7. Pack up and goodbye — 5 minutes

Tidy-up song.
Quick recap of what children did.
Goodbye routine and transition to parent pickup.

Sample activity menu

Sensory: rice bins, water play, texture trays, scented playdough.
Music: shakers, drums, clapping games, singing, dancing.
Number: counting bears, sorting cups, shape matching, simple puzzles.
Language: story books, picture cards, puppets, name games.
Practical needs: handwashing, snack routines, pouring water, putting on shoes, packing bags.

Staffing and environment

The room should include clearly defined zones for quiet play, messy sensory play, music/movement, and table-based activities so children can move between experiences smoothly. For mixed-age children, the same activity can be simplified for younger children and extended for older children, which supports inclusion and engagement.

Simple session theme

A weekly theme can make planning easier, for example:

Week 1: Colours and textures.
Week 2: Animals and sounds.
Week 3: Community helpers.
Week 4: Transport and movement.

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Contact the host of Early Childhood learning - home based learning