Please & Thank You
Please & Thank You
Today an adult models please, here you are, and thank you during a warm exchange. Looking, smiling, or accepting help is enough participation.
Today's Approach
Amara is about 2 years and 3 months old. Keep each guided activity to 3–8 minutes. Looking, pointing, opening a hand, smiling, making a sound, or saying one word all count as meaningful responses. Polite language is learned through warm adult modelling, not required performance. Do not withhold an item, help, food, or comfort until she says a phrase.
A4 Teaching Picture
Open the original image to download or print
How to use it
Use only this A4 picture, printed or displayed full-screen. First find the book, cup, and toy. Then point through please, here you are, and thank you, noticing that the adult models the words calmly. Count only the bottom row: one basket, two books, and three large soft blocks. Reading or repeating the labels is not required.
Goals
- Chinese: understand 书, 杯子, 玩具 and 请, 给你, 谢谢.
- English: meet
book,cup,toy,please,here you are, andthank you. - Social-emotional learning: experience courteous language as connection rather than a condition for receiving care.
- Early math: count one basket, two books, and three large soft blocks.
- Movement: copy one small open-hand, receiving, or resting gesture.
- Life skills: hear adults model warm exchange language in a natural routine.
Materials
- Only the A4 teaching picture above, printed or displayed full-screen.
- A calm place for small empty-hand gestures.
No cup, toy, book, reward, food, or exchange object is required.
1. Chinese Picture Talk
Time: 5–8 minutes.
Describe one card at a time:
- “这是一本书、一个杯子和一个小熊玩具。”
- “小朋友想看书，大人示范说‘请’。”
- “大人把书轻轻递过去，说‘给你’。”
- “大人示范说‘谢谢’，孩子只看一看也可以。”
Choose only one or two prompts:
- “书在哪里？”
- “哪张图在说‘给你’？”
- “你想指杯子，还是玩具？”
If Amara smiles, looks, or reaches, describe that response warmly. Do not prompt “What do you say?” or ask her to repeat.
2. English Time
Time: 3–5 minutes.
| English | Meaning | Picture or response |
|---|---|---|
book | 书 | Point to the picture book |
cup | 杯子 | Point to the empty cup |
toy | 玩具 | Point to the teddy bear |
please | 请 | Point to the calm request picture |
here you are | 给你 | Point to the adult offering the book |
thank you | 谢谢 | Point to the relaxed final picture |
Model:
A book, please.Here you are.Thank you.You can look.All done.
Say one short chunk and continue naturally. A look, gesture, smile, or silence is accepted; no spoken reply is required.
3. Early Math: One Basket, Two Books, Three Blocks
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Use only the bottom row:
- Under 1, touch the one basket once:
one basket. - Under 2, touch the two books one at a time:
one, two. - Under 3, touch the three soft blocks one at a time:
one, two, three.
Count each whole picture once. Do not count the basket weave, cover pictures, block faces, or objects in the upper rows.
4. Movement: Open Hands
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Move away from the screen:
- Open one relaxed empty hand for
please. - Offer two empty hands for
here you are. - Bring the hands gently back to the body for
thank you. - Let the hands rest for
all done.
These are optional gestures, not manners Amara must perform.
No Forced Politeness
Adults model the language and keep care unconditional. Do not delay help, food, drink, comfort, or a familiar item until Amara says please or thank you. Do not require a bow, fixed hand pose, eye contact, or public performance. Accept her usual communication and move on warmly.
5. Everyday Connection
Use the phrases naturally when an exchange already happens:
- Adult:
Here you are. - Adult:
Thank you for showing me. - Adult: “需要帮助时可以说‘请帮忙’，也可以伸手或看向我。”
The adult can supply both sides of the exchange. Amara does not owe a response.
Bedtime Recall
- “今天看到了书、杯子，还是玩具？”
- “大人递书时说了什么？”
Please or thank you?- “不说出来，还可以怎样回应？”
Answer together without asking for a politeness performance.