People Who Help Us
Toddler Project Planner (18–36 Months)
A play-led, relationship-focused project supporting community awareness, role play and language development in toddler rooms.
(This pathway component will be available for download by: March 31st 2026)
What this document is
This document is a flexible project planner designed to support toddler practice through a shared, meaningful context focused on familiar people and everyday helpers in children’s lives.
The People Who Help Us project builds naturally from children’s understanding of themselves and their families, extending learning outward to include carers, community figures and trusted roles such as doctors, cleaners, builders, delivery workers and other helpers toddlers encounter in real life.
The planner supports practitioners to think intentionally about environment enhancements, adult interaction, vocabulary modelling and observation, while keeping play fully child-led and developmentally appropriate.
This document is not a topic plan, scheme of work or set of required activities. It is intended to support professional judgement and reflective practice and does not replace statutory EYFS guidance or Development Matters.
Who this is for
Toddler room practitioners working with children aged 18–36 months
EYFS leaders and curriculum leads
Childminders supporting role play and early social understanding
Teams developing language-rich, PSED-led provision
Settings preparing for curriculum and inspection conversations
What this document helps you do
Support toddlers’ growing awareness of other people and social roles
Develop early role play through real-life, meaningful contexts
Build rich functional and social language (help, fix, carry, clean, deliver)
Encourage empathy, care and cooperative play
Enhance continuous provision without directing children’s play
Provide repeated vocabulary exposure through routines and play
Observe learning across PSED, Communication & Language and Physical Development
Articulate curriculum intent, implementation and impact clearly
What’s included in this project planner
This planner includes:
Clear project intent and pedagogical rationale
Intended learning focuses across:
PSED
Communication & Language
Physical Development
Early Literacy and Maths seeds
A 3–4 week flexible project overview
Suggested continuous provision enhancements linked to the theme
Adult interaction prompts to support language and social understanding
Opportunities for schematic play (transporting, connecting, positioning, role play)
Optional short adult-led invitations (songs, stories, shared experiences)
Inclusion and SEND considerations
Reflection and evaluation prompts for practitioners and leaders
All elements are designed to be adapted responsively, extended when interest is sustained, or paused when children’s needs shift.
How this fits within our Toddler framework
This project planner forms part of our wider Toddler (18–36 Months) Curriculum & Pedagogy framework, where projects provide shared context and continuity, not prescribed learning outcomes.
It works alongside:
How Projects Work in Toddler Rooms (Guidance)
Year-Long Theme Curriculum Map (18–36 Months)
Toddler Projects Curriculum Map: Schema Support
The Role of Schemas in Toddler Practice
Continuous Provision Setup Guides | Toddler Room
Together, these documents ensure that projects like People Who Help Us support language development, social understanding and emotional security, while respecting toddlers’ right to learn through play, repetition and relationships.
Additional Project Planners
Main Project Planners (3-4 Weeks)
All About Me & My World
People Who Help Us
Autumn - Senses, Colours & Change
Light, Dark & Celebrations
Winter-Weather, Warmth & Cosy Spaces
Transport & Journeys
Growing & Changing
Animals & Their Homes
Food & Nutrition
Minibeasts & Nature Explorers
Summer - Sand, Sea & Sun
Playful Patterns & Construction
Mini-Project Planners (1 Week)
Big Machines & Building
Cooking & Food Play
Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Colours Everywhere
Water Play Week
My Favourite Things
Rhyme Time Week
Weather Wonders
This document is part of our EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership (Professional), which provides full access to age-specific curriculum frameworks, planning guidance, assessment tools and leadership support.
(This pathway component will be available for download by: March 31st 2026)
Recommended next read Selection
Or read our ‘Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement’
Additional Documents | Professional Membership Contents (Toddler 18-36 Months)
Navigate our Curriculum & Pedagogy guidance documents here.
Pedagogical identity:
Relationship-led, sensory-rich toddler practice grounded in schemas, play, and responsive adult interaction.
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👉 This section prevents over-planning and aligns practice.
Toddler Pedagogy Position Statement – How Toddlers Learn (18–36 Months) [Free Orienting Sample]
Toddler Curriculum Overview & Rationale[Free Orienting Sample]
Curriculum Intent in Toddler Rooms (What It Means — and What It Doesn’t)
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👉 Adult understanding, not child targets.
Progression across 6-month bands (18–24 | 24–30 | 30–36 months)
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👉 Observation is the driver of planning.
Communication & Language
PSED
Physical Development
Maths Seeds
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Behaviour & Emotional Regulation
Schema Observation & Analysis
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👉 The environment does the teaching.
Universal Continuous Provision
Continuous Provision Setup Guides | Toddler Room
Small World
Messy / Wet Play
Dry Sensory & Loose Parts
Construction
Role Play / Home Corner
Mark Making
Book Area / Reading Nook
Music & Sound
Outdoor
Continuous Provision Maps (18–36 Months)
C&L
PSED
PD
Maths Seeds
Literacy Seeds
UW
EAD
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👉 Movement, regulation and sensory experience.
Outdoor Continuous Provision Pack
Outdoor Zone-by-Zone Setup Guide (Gross Motor, Sensory/Nature, Creative/Mark Making, Small World Outside, Water/Mud)
Seasonal Adjustments Planner
Outdoor Risk–Benefit Assessment Template + examples
Nature-Based Learning & Schema Guide
Outdoor Mark Making & Literacy Opportunities Sheet
Outdoor Maths Seeds Sheet
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👉 Projects are optional contexts, not directives.
How Projects Work in Toddler Rooms (Guidance)
Project/Theme Planners:
12 × Main Project Planners (3–4 Weeks)
8 × Mini-Project Planners (1 Week)
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👉 Invitations, provocations and shared experiences.
Supports Child-led learning and responsive provision
Area of Learning Progression Maps & Adult Focus Sessions
(Organised by Age Band: 18–24 months | 24–30 months | 30–36 months)
Supports intentional teaching, vocabulary development and staff confidence
Understanding the World – Experience Progression Pack
Expressive Arts & Design – Creative Media & Expression Toolkit
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👉 Proportionate, meaningful assessment.
Report Template
Practitioner Guidance
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👉 Early identification, gentle support.
SEND Inclusion Strategy Pack (18–36 Months)
Practical SEND & inclusion strategies for toddlers aged 18–36 months
Six quick-reference strategy sheets covering communication, sensory needs, anxiety and behaviour
Aligned with the EYFS Framework and the Assess–Plan–Do–Review approach
Inclusive, diagnosis-free guidance ready to use in everyday practice
Ideal for observations, provision planning, team use and Ofsted evidence
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👉 Strong partnerships, realistic expectations.
Transition
Home–Setting Communication
Parent Information Pages
Additional Whole-Setting Guidance | for Professional Members
Explore our whole-setting guidance below, including overarching curriculum and pedagogy documents, early years schemas and EYFS setting policies.
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Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5
↪ Schema Cards (definition, behaviours, age-related examples, enabling resources)
↪ Schema Observation & Responsive Provision Planning Template
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EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack
↪ x 22 Policy Documents
↪ Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document
↪ EYFS Setting Policy Folder Contents List
Childminder Setting Policies Pack
↪ x 22 Policy Documents
↪ Childminder Assistant or Volunteer Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document
↪ Childminder Policy Folder Contents List
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↪ Clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of key curriculum and pedagogy terms used throughout our guidance.
Looking for a different age group pathway?
Select the pathway that best reflects your role or the age group you work with. You do not need to use everything. (Some practitioners may use more than one pathway.)
What is Professional Membership?
Find our more about our Professional guidance for confident, reflective EYFS practice (Birth–5)
Alternatively, learn more about and explore our printable provision resources.
Thousands of ready-to-use printables to support provision, organisation, routines and learning across EYFS.
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Content within the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership is provided as professional guidance and support. It reflects current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and inspection expectations at the time of writing. Practitioners are responsible for applying professional judgement and ensuring practice aligns with current statutory requirements and their specific context. All resources, experiences and environment arrangements must be risk assessed by the setting and used in accordance with individual children’s developmental stages, needs and supervision requirements.
Safeguarding content does not replace a setting’s safeguarding and child protection policy or the statutory role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). All concerns must be managed in line with current statutory guidance and local safeguarding procedures.
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