Tiny Tales - mermaids and fairies

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Mermaids and Fairies

Preparation:

  1. Prepare the storybook Leo and Mia's New Friends (Leo and Mia's Magical Island Adventure) with clear illustrations.

  2. Prepare fantasy-themed vocabulary flashcards: Map, Island, Treasure, Mermaid, and Fairy.

  3. Bring a small plastic treasure chest and 5 physical map landmarks (e.g., paper 'X' markers, toy flowers, green floor cushions) to match the story's progression.

 

Part 1: Story Introduction and Vocabulary Activity

"Leo and Mia's New Friends" Story & Landmark Tracking Integration

Target Vocabulary:

  1. Map

  2. Island

  3. Treasure

  4. Mermaid

  5. Fairy

Target Sentence Structures:

  • “Where is the [noun]?”

  • “Next to the [noun].”

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

  1. Identify core fantasy and island vocabulary items on command.

  2. Respond to the question “Where is the [noun]?” by physically scanning and pointing to items with the teacher.

  3. Use the frame “Next to the [noun].” to track where characters and landmarks are located in the story.

  4. Participate in the narrative of Leo and Mia finding magical friends.

Class Details:

1. Warm-Up (5 mins)

Sing a simple sea-adventure song (to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus"):

"The waves on the sea go up and down, up and down, up and down... All through the quest!"

Move hands like rolling waves to get the children engaged and physically active.

2. Story & Vocabulary Introduction (5 mins)

Introducing the story Leo and Mia's New Friends. Show the cover page featuring the setting. Point to the sparkling scroll and say, "Look at the map. This is a special day for a quest!" Point to the green land surrounded by water: "This is the island." Stop at the character illustration and teach "Fairy" by flapping your hands like little wings.

3. The Interactive Story-Tracking Game (20 mins)

Read the book Leo and Mia's New Friends. Turn the reading into an active, physical object-tracking game across the circle mat:

  • The Island Landing: Place a green cushion (Island) on the mat. Fly a toy figure over. Ask: “Where is the Fairy?” Guide them to say: “Next to the island.”

  • Mermaid Splash: Turn the page to where the mermaid waves from the water. Place a toy Mermaid right beside the island cushion on the floor. Ask the class: “Where is the Mermaid?” Guide toddlers to point and say: “Next to the island!”

  • The Big X Stop: Continue reading to the crystal cave scene where they find the big 'X' on the floor. Lay a golden paper 'X' right next to the mermaid doll on the mat. Ask: “Where is the X?” Lead them to chant: “Next to the mermaid!”

  • The Treasure Finish: Place a small shiny toy chest (Treasure) right on top of the 'X' beside your fairy figure. Say, "Look at the shiny treasure chest!" Open the box together to find the magical toys inside.

4. Vocabulary Review (5 mins)

Lay out the cards for Map, Island, Treasure, Mermaid, and Fairy. Play a fast-paced game where children take turns swimming like a Mermaid, flying like a Fairy, or tapping the floor to find the Treasure when the teacher holds up the corresponding card.

Assessment:

  • Observe if children can track and point to the "Fairy" or "Mermaid" using the physical toys placed on the mat.

  • Listen for the use of the target structure “Next to...” when toddlers locate the story objects.

  • Evaluate response engagement during the treasure chest opening activity.

Remarks & Reminders for Teachers:

While the story contains a complete journey through caves and lagoons, focus the independent spatial tracking assessment for 2-year-olds on immediate physical objects placed side-by-side. Treat the broader narrative locations as a fun group chant rather than an expectation for individual language mastery. Keep the vocal tone full of wonder and mystery to match the fantasy world theme.

 

Part 2: Art and Craft Activity

Making a "Textured Mermaid Tail"

Learning Objectives: By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

  1. Create a 3D textured mermaid tail craft featuring layered colorful rows.

  2. Develop fine motor coordination through a "pick and stick" circle alignment process.

  3. Practice the target sentence structure by answering “Where is the fairy?” using their completed artwork.

Materials List:

  • Pre-cut bases shaped like tail fins 

  • Multi-colored Circle stickers (shades of blue, light blue, green, shiny green, purple, and yellow).

  • A toy fairy figure for table interaction.

Class Details:

1. Introduction (5 mins)

Show a completed sample tail craft. Move it gracefully through the air like it is swimming and say, "Look at the mermaid tail! Beautiful scales!" Show a toy Fairy landing right beside the fins and say, "The fairy is next to the mermaid!"

2. Decorating the body and tail (10 mins)

Hand out the pre-cut fin templates. Provide multi-colored circle stickers. Guide the children to pick up the circle "scales" and stick them down onto the base frame. Assist the toddlers in layering the circles in overlapping horizontal rows. Encourage them to call out the color choices as they work (e.g., "Yellow scale! Blue scale!"). Encourage children to decorate the tail using multi-colored markers. 

3. Spatial Vocabulary Integration (10 mins)

Once the children finish pasting their scale pattern rows, the teacher walks around the tables carrying the toy Fairy prop. Land the fairy directly on the table surface right beside a child's completed mermaid tail and ask: “Where is the Fairy?” Guide the toddler to extend their index finger, point to the toy pair, and call out: “Next to the mermaid!”

4. Clean-Up (5 mins)

Use wet wipes for messy hands. Assist the children in closing their glue sticks securely, and setting their finished tail artworks side-by-side in a drying area.

Assessment:

  • Observe the child's ability to point to their own craft when the teacher asks, "Where is the mermaid?"

  • Assess fine motor precision as the child picks up individual circles and presses them down onto the template rows.

  • Evaluate if the child can vocalize or echo the target spatial structure “Next to...” during table interactions.

Notes for Teachers:

  • Pre-cutting is mandatory: The fin shapes must be pre-cut, and the multi-colored circle stickers must be ready on accessory trays before the session begins to accommodate 2-year-olds.

  • To simplify the step for younger toddlers, teachers can apply horizontal tracks of double-sided tape across the cardstock base beforehand, enabling the children to focus fully on the tactile placement of the scales.

Follow-Up:

  • Use a toy fairy figure during future greeting routines to point to the display board and review the phrase: “The fairy is next to the mermaid!”

Image reference for art and craft: