Invite several toddlers to join you on the floor to play with a fish. Introduce the toy fish and move it gently in the air as if it were swimming. Example: “We are going to have fun playing with toy fish. Our fish are going to go swimming. I am pretending my toy fish is swimming. See how I am helping my fish swim?” Give each toddler a toy fish to hold. Provide time for toddlers to explore their fish. Invite them to help their fish swim like you are doing. Example: “Let’s all pretend that our fish are swimming. Watch how I help my fish go swimming. You can help your fish go swimming like I am!” Encourage toddlers to imitate how you are moving your fish. Examples: “Anthony is moving his fish back and forth just like I am. Anthony’s fish is swimming!” “We are moving our fish. Our fish are swimming!”

Explain that the fish are getting hungry and that it is time for them to stop swimming. Example: “I am not moving my fish. My fished stopped swimming. My fish is not swimming because he is eating. Your fish are hungry too! Let’s all stop moving our fish. Our fish are not swimming.” Encourage toddlers to imitate your actions and stop moving their fish. Provide additional support and reminders for toddlers that do not stop. Example: “Now it is time for our fish to stop. Swimming stops.”

Explain that the fish finished eating. Begin to move your fish again and encourage toddlers to do the same. After several moments of the fish swimming, explain that the fish are getting sleepy. It is time for the fish to stop swimming because they are sleeping. Stop moving your fish and encourage toddlers to do the same. Example: “We stopped moving our fish. Our fish stopped swimming. The fish are sleeping.”

Acknowledge toddlers’ efforts in making their fish swim and stop. Example: “We had fun playing with the fish today. We helped our fish go swimming. Then we made our fish stop swimming. Now our fish are sleeping!”

Invite several toddlers to join you on the floor to play with a fish. Give each toddler a toy fish to hold and provide time for them to explore their fish. Explain that the fish are going to go swimming, and then they are going to stop swimming. Demonstrate how to make the toy fish go swimming. Examples: “Your fish like to swim. You can help your fish go swimming, like this.” Then show how to stop the fish by holding it still. “Your fish is going to get hungry. Your fish will stop swimming when he eats. Your fish is going to get sleepy. Your fish will stop swimming when he goes to sleep. This is how to make your fish stop swimming.”

After you demonstrate how to make the toy fish swim and then stop, invite toddlers to help their fish swim. Example: “Are you ready to play with your fish and make them swim?”

Describe toddlers’ actions. Example: “Norah’s fish is swimming. Jack’s fish is swimming. All of our fish are swimming!”

Announce that the fish are hungry and it is time for them to stop swimming. Describe toddlers’ actions. Example: “Jack stopped moving his fish. His fish is not swimming.” Offer guidance on stopping the fish to eat if toddlers seem unclear on what to do. Example: “It is time to stop moving our fish. Our fish are not swimming. Our fish are eating.”

Suggest that our fish may want to swim again after eating. Encourage toddlers to help their fish swim again. After a short period, explain that it is time for the fish to go to sleep. Invite toddlers to place the toy fish in a basket to go to sleep.

Acknowledge children’s efforts with their fish. Examples: “Norah, you enjoyed helping your fish swim. Your fish was swimming and swimming!” “Jack, you stopped moving your fish when it was time to eat!” Also encourage toddlers to tell what they did with their fish.