Lesson Plan for Toddler - Health Habits - Drug Use I

**Lesson Plan: Health Habits for Toddlers - Drug Use** --- **Lesson Title:** Understanding Safe Health Practices **Grade Level:** Toddlers (Ages 2-3) **Duration:** 30 minutes **Objective:** - To introduce toddlers to the concept of safe health habits. - To teach toddlers the importance of not touching or consuming unknown substances. - To encourage toddlers to communicate with a trusted adult about things they find or are unsure about. **Materials Needed:** - Pictures of healthy foods and common household items (e.g., fruit, milk, soap, cleaning products) - Safe, non-toxic play materials (e.g., playdough, toy fruits, vegetables, and other foods) - A “good choices” and “bad choices” visual board - Puppets or dolls for role-playing - Stickers or stamps for positive reinforcement **Introduction (5 minutes):** 1. **Greeting and Warm-Up:** Begin with a friendly greeting and a short warm-up song about staying healthy. 2. **Attention Grabber:** Show a picture of a common household item and ask the children if they know what it is and if they think it is safe to eat or play with. **Activity 1: Sorting Game (10 minutes):** 1. **Set-Up:** Lay out pictures of various items, mixing healthy foods and common household products. 2. **Instruction:** Explain to the children that some things are safe and good for us, and some things are not safe and we should not touch or eat them. 3. **Participation:** Have the children help you sort the pictures into two groups: “Safe/Healthy” and “Not Safe/Ask an Adult.” 4. **Engagement:** Discuss why some items are not safe and what we should do if we find them (e.g., "Tell a grown-up"). **Activity 2: Role-Playing with Puppets (10 minutes):** 1. **Story Telling:** Use puppets to act out a simple story where one puppet finds something unfamiliar (e.g., a pill or cleaning product) and decides to ask a grown-up. 2. **Interactive Questioning:** Pause the story frequently to ask the children what the puppet should do next, reinforcing the idea that asking an adult is the best choice. 3. **Practice:** Let the children use puppets to act out their own scenarios, encouraging them to express what they would do. **Closing Activity: Positive Reinforcement (5 minutes):** 1. **Review:** Quickly go over the items discussed, emphasizing the importance of not touching or consuming unknown items and always asking an adult. 2. **Sticker/Stamp Reward:** Give each child a sticker or stamp for participating and listening. Use this time to praise their understanding and reinforce positive behavior. 3. **Goodbye Song:** End with a simple song about making safe choices to help reinforce the message and transition smoothly out of the lesson. **Assessment:** 1. **Observation:** During the activities, observe the toddlers to see if they can differentiate between safe and unsafe items. 2. **Engagement:** Note how well children participate in the role-playing and sorting games. 3. **Feedback:** Look for verbal and non-verbal cues that indicate understanding, such as children identifying they will ask an adult if they are unsure about something. **Follow-Up:** 1. **Parent Communication:** Send a note home summarizing what was covered in the lesson and suggesting ways for parents to continue reinforcing these concepts at home. 2. **Reinforcement Activities:** Plan additional activities throughout the week that revisit the concepts, such as reading books about safety or playing similar sorting games. **Reflection:** After the lesson, reflect on what worked well and what could be improved. Consider the children's engagement and understanding, and make necessary adjustments for future lessons. --- **Note:** Given the sensitive nature of drug use, this lesson focuses on the foundational concepts of safety and asking adults for help. Direct discussions about drugs themselves are reserved for an age when children can better comprehend such topics.