Free Pre-K 3 lesson plan · Unit 3: Healthy me
Pre-K 3, week 10: the s sound and counting to 5
This week your learner will hear the s sound in sun and socks, count to 5 and name healthy foods. Each activity takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 10 of 36 · See the Pre-K 3 year map · Not sure of the level? Take the 3-question Pre-K 3 or Pre-K 4 picker
Free, with no limits. No daily caps, no card and no ads. Reading every page is open to everyone; a free adult account is needed only to download the PDFs. We never ask for your student's name or any student information.
5-minute parent prep
- Write a big S and a small s on a sheet of paper.
- Gather 5 socks and 5 large spoons.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, 5 socks, 5 large spoons, a few foods from your kitchen. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Talk and listen | The s sound page, Sss hunt card |
| Tuesday | Math | Count to 5 page, Sock count card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Healthy food page, Food talk card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Wavy s road page, Sticker line card |
| Friday | Story and review | Song of the week, Parent notes page |
| Every day | Read, sing, play | Read a picture book together, sing the song of the week, play outside and check in on feelings with the free feelings cards. |
Printable pages
The s sound
Say: "Sss, like a hissing kettle. Sun, socks and star start with sss." Your learner traces the big S and small s with a finger, then colors the pictures.
sun
socks
star
sun
socks
star
Count to 5
Say: "Count the dots in each frame." Your learner counts the dots in each frame with you and colors the frame with 5.
Healthy food
Say: "What is this food? Do you like it?" Your learner names each food with you and colors one they like.
Wavy s road
Say: "Drive on the wavy road. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each wavy line with a finger, then a crayon.
Activity cards
Sss hunt
- Say "sss" together.
- Find things that start with s: socks, spoon, sofa.
- Say each word slowly with a long sss.
Easier: You name the thing and your learner says "sss".
Next step: Ask "Does sun start with sss? Does ball?"
Say this: "Sssocks. Socks start with sss."
No supplies: Play "I spy something that starts with sss".
Language: sounds in words
Sock count
- Your learner drops one sock at a time into the basket.
- Count each one together.
- Ask "How many?" at the end.
Easier: Use 3 socks.
Next step: Take 1 out and count again.
Say this: "One, two, three, four, five socks."
No supplies: Count fingers on one hand.
Math: counting and cardinality
Food talk
- Look at each food together.
- Talk about its color and shape.
- Your learner chooses one to taste at snack time, sitting down.
Easier: Look and name only.
Next step: Ask "Is it crunchy or soft?"
Say this: "The carrot is orange and crunchy."
No supplies: Look at food pictures in a book.
Health: nutrition
Sticker line
- Draw a straight line on paper.
- Your learner puts stickers along the line.
- Count the stickers.
Easier: Use big stickers.
Next step: Make a wavy sticker line.
Say this: "Peel and press. One more."
No supplies: Line up spoons on a table edge.
Physical: fine motor
Song of the week: Five little socks
One sock, two socks, on the floor,
Three socks, four socks, by the door.
Five socks, count them, there they go,
Into the basket, nice and slow.
Actions: Hold up a finger for each sock. Try next: Count shoes or cups instead.
Parent notes for Friday
Not a test. Notice what your learner does this week, and practice the rest later. Nothing here is sent to UpOnly Learning.
- Says "sss" for s words
- Counts 5 objects with help
- Names 3 foods
- Puts stickers on a line
Want the bigger picture? See developmental milestones by age and the child development guide for ages 3 to 5.
Safety for this week
- Use objects too big to fit in your learner's mouth, and stay close during any counting or sorting with real objects.
- Water play only with an adult within arm's reach the whole time, even in a small tub.
- An adult handles anything hot or sharp, knives, and rocks or heavy objects.
- Dry beans and seeds only with an adult watching closely, and not with a learner who still puts things in their mouth.
- No scissors needed: tear paper instead. If you do use scissors, use child safety scissors with an adult right there.
- Choose crayons, markers and paint labeled for young learners (look for the AP seal).
Questions parents ask
Count things your learner can touch, one at a time, a few times a day: 5 socks, 5 spoons, 5 steps. Show the dots on a 5-frame too. Saying numbers is easy; matching one number to each thing takes practice.
Fruits, vegetables, milk and bread are a good start. Name colors and shapes, and let your learner help wash fruit. Cut round, firm foods like grapes into small pieces, and always sit down to eat.
Not yet. At 3, the goal is to hear and enjoy sounds, recognize their own name and notice a few letters around them. Pre-K 3 shows one letter about once a month, by sound play only. Letter learning starts in Pre-K 4.
That is normal at this age. Do the activity standing up, on the floor or outside, keep it to a few minutes, and try again later. Every printable has a hands-on version, and moving while learning counts.
Related pages
Recommended for your student
Pre-K 3 Full Year
$19.99. One-time purchase, no subscription.
The whole Pre-K 3 year in one print-ready book: 36 weeks of parent plans, printable pages, activity cards and songs for ages 3 to 4, with a clickable table of contents, page numbers and parent answer notes. 309 pages.
See it in the storeSources
UpOnly Learning Pre-K is general education, not medical advice. If you have concerns about your learner's development, talk with your pediatrician. In an emergency, call 911.
To print, create a free account at uponlylearning.com (no card needed), then download the printable PDF.