Lesson planning in the early years looks different from lesson planning in primary or secondary education. Instead of rigid timetables and standardized testing, early years lesson planning is about creating flexible, child-centered experiences that nurture curiosity, build foundational skills, and support holistic development.
When done well, lesson planning helps educators to:
Align activities with developmental goals and curriculum standards
Anticipate children’s needs and interests
Create balanced days with room for play, rest, and exploration
Reflect on what worked (and what didn’t) to improve over time
But lesson planning can also feel overwhelming or more like an admin task than an experiential one. Between curriculum and documentation requirements, and the unpredictability of working with young children, educators often find themselves caught between planning on paper and doing.
That’s why best practice in early years lesson planning balances structure with flexibility. And with new digital tools, like those in Parent App, planning can become not only more effective, but also more collaborative, reflective, and enjoyable.
Let’s explore the core principles of best practice in early years lesson planning and how technology can help.
Some educators resist the idea of “lesson planning” in early years, fearing it might lead to overly structured classrooms. But lesson planning doesn’t mean scripting every moment. Instead, it’s about:
Intentionality: Making sure activities connect to developmental milestones.
Consistency: Creating routines children can rely on.
Clarity: Helping teams and families understand the “why” behind activities.
Reflection: Learning from experience to continuously improve practice.
Effective planning leads to higher-quality provision, stronger curriculum alignment, and better outcomes for children. It also supports compliance, as inspectors often look for clear evidence of planning and reflection in practice.
The most important principle of early years planning is to start with the child. Plans should reflect: Observed interests, developmental stage, social and emotional needs and family context and cultural background. For example, if several children are fascinated by bugs in the garden, an educator might plan a series of activities on nature exploration, linking it to EYFS (or their curriculum) understanding the world goals.
With Parent App educators can tag planned activities directly to EYFS (or other curriculum frameworks), ensuring that plans are not just interest-based, but also goal-driven. This creates a clear line of sight between what children love to do and the developmental outcomes educators aim to support.
Aligning plans to your national framework is essential. It demonstrates intentionality and ensures children’s experiences are broad, balanced and supported by best practices by map each activity to specific curriculum strands or goals, use language from the framework in your planning notes and check for coverage (are you offering opportunities across all learning areas?)
By tagging curriculum frameworks in the Parent App’s educators can save time by ensuring every plan shows its educational purpose. At a glance using the tags, educators will also be able to ensure that they are covering all areas of learning during their weekly plans.
Children need both predictable routines and opportunities for spontaneous exploration. So best plans include a balance of:
Structured time: Circle time, group stories, guided activities.
Child-led play: Open-ended exploration with materials and peers.
Transitions and routines: Meals, rest, outdoor time.
However, plans should act as a guide, not a script. If children are deeply engaged in building towers, a skilled educator knows to extend that play rather than rush to the next scheduled activity. Likewise if children are not engaged in a planned activity, educators know to move on to the next activity, rather than carry on.
Like everything else, lesson planning is stronger when it’s collaborative. Team members bring different perspectives, ideas, and expertise. For example, a lead teacher might draft the weekly framework, while assistants add observations or adapt plans for individual needs.
With Parent App collaboration is possible by allowing multiple educators to contribute to the same plan. Instead of scattered notes, everything lives in one place, making it easier to coordinate and keep plans consistent across the team. Team members can write in their comments and suggestions and educators can consider whether or not to implement them.
Plans should answer three simple questions:
What are we going to do?
Why are we doing it?
How will we know if it worked?
Clear documentation ensures that any educator stepping into the classroom understands the plan’s purpose. It also helps during inspections, when evidence of intent is crucial.
Digital lesson planning tools like Parent App allow educators to document intentions directly alongside activities, linking them to curriculum outcomes. This means the “why” is never lost in translation.
Lesson planning should not stand apart from observation and assessment. Instead, it should flow from what educators notice about children’s learning.
Best practice:
Observe children during play.
Reflect on what skills or interests emerge.
Plan activities that extend those skills or build on those interests.
By encouraging educators to connect observations, portfolios, and planned activities together, a child’s progress becomes visible in context, making planning more responsive and meaningful.
Planning isn’t finished when the activity ends. Reflection is where professional growth happens. Ask questions like:
Did the children engage as expected?
What adaptations worked well?
What would I change next time?
Parent App includes post-plan reflections, giving educators a dedicated space to capture insights immediately after delivering an activity. Over time, these reflections become a rich resource for continuous improvement.
Parents don’t just want to know what their child did, they want to understand the learning behind it. Sharing lesson plans (or simplified versions) helps families support learning at home.
Tips for family communication:
Use plain language, not educational jargon.
Highlight developmental goals (“We’re focusing on fine motor skills this week”).
Share ideas for simple follow-ups at home.
Parent App’s newsfeed and portfolio features make this easy. Families can see what’s planned, how it connects to curriculum goals, and even add their own feedback or home observations.
Every child is unique. Good plans consider how to include children with different abilities, interests, and cultural backgrounds. For example: offering visual aids for children with language delays, providing quiet corners for children who need sensory regulation and including diverse stories and songs to reflect the classroom community.
Collaborative planning in Parent App allows teams to document adaptations for individual children, ensuring inclusivity is embedded in the plan itself.
Finally, the best lesson plans are the ones educators actually use. Overly complex templates or endless paperwork discourage reflection and flexibility.
Digital tools simplify planning by offering customizable templates, drag-and-drop activity builders, and easy linking to goals. This reduces admin time, leaving educators more energy for what matters: engaging with children.
|
Best Practice |
Features That Simplify This |
Benefit |
|
Aligning activities to curriculum goals |
Tag activities to EYFS/curriculum frameworks |
Clear evidence of intent, easier inspections |
|
Collaborative planning |
Multiple educators contribute to the same plan |
Shared responsibility, stronger team alignment |
|
Reflecting after lessons |
Post-plan reflections |
Continuous professional development |
|
Linking observations and planning |
Integrated portfolios and assessments |
More responsive, child-centered planning |
|
Communicating with families |
Newsfeed and portfolio sharing |
Stronger home-school connection |
1. How detailed should early years lesson plans be?
They should be clear enough to show intent and alignment with goals, but flexible enough to adapt in the moment. While there is no right or wrong answer, ensuring that you document learning while also remaining flexible should be your guide on the length it should take.
2. How do lesson plans support inspections?
Inspectors look for evidence that activities are intentional and linked to curriculum outcomes. Plans tagged to EYFS or other curriculum goals provide this intentionality and evidence.
3. How can technology save time in planning?
Digital platforms centralize everything, plans, reflections, observations which reduces duplication and paperwork and helps save educators time and gives them more time to engage and interact with the children in their care.
4. What’s the role of reflection in planning?
Reflection helps educators adapt and improve. Over time, it builds a cycle of continuous quality improvement.
5. How do you involve parents in lesson planning?
Share simplified versions of plans, highlight goals, and invite families to contribute observations from home.
Lesson planning in early years is not about rigid scripts, it’s about intentionality, flexibility, and reflection. When educators plan with the child at the center, align activities to curriculum goals, and collaborate with colleagues, they create rich learning environments where children thrive.
Technology can be a powerful ally. With Parent App’s lesson planning features, curriculum tagging, collaborative planning, and post-plan reflections, educators can spend less time on admin and more time doing what they love: engaging with children.
The future of lesson planning isn’t just about being organized. It’s about being reflective, collaborative, and deeply connected to the unique needs of every child.
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