Medium-term planning

Step 2: Plan outline activity ideas and key resources


Refine the teaching and learning opportunities from your long-term plan into activity ideas, and note the resources you will use for each activity. 

Think about:

  • how you will organise your themed activities into weeks (which the Cambridge Early Years Teaching and Learning Resource does for you for its themes)

The first 4 rows of Week 3 on the MTP page 7 with the Week header highlighted

  • activities from the Cambridge Early Years Teaching Resource that you will use, or adapt to use with your theme, and the teaching and learning that they develop

The first 4 rows of Week 3 on the MTP page 7 with the two activities labelled LE highlighted

  • other key resources and activities you will use

The first 4 rows of Week 3 on the MTP page 7 with the references to other resources highlighted

  • which learning statements each activity will develop or consolidate based on:
    • your long-term plan
    • your children’s prior experience, including your observations of their needs during the previous whole or half term/semester
  • how activities with close links to the theme will develop learning statements from different curriculum areas in a balanced, holistic way

The first 4 rows of Week 3 on the MTP page 7 with the learning statements in row 1 highlighted to show how curriculum areas (

  • which learning statements will be most effectively developed through activities that are less closely linked to the theme

First 4 rows from MTP Week 3 page 8 with ‘Activities less closely related to the theme’ header highlighted

  • opportunities to develop mathematical thinking skills and scientific thinking skills (see the Curriculum for more guidance on mathematical thinking skills and scientific thinking skills).

First 4 rows from MTP Week 3 page 8 with ‘Thinking scientifically’ content highlighted



Remember to also include your ideas for trips, visitors and events from your long-term plan.