Transportation
Lesson Planning Page
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Transportation is a favorite theme of many preschoolers!
This week we are exploring transportation by air, land, and water! Use the ideas on this page to help you plan your preschool transportation lessons!
This week we are exploring transportation by air, land, and water! Use the ideas on this page to help you plan your preschool transportation lessons!
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Inspire Transportation Creativity
Get your art center ready for all kinds of Transportation creativity.
Add Transportation Stamps, Pre-made Paper Airplanes, and Stickers (for Decorating), transportation stencils, lots of blue and black construction paper and basic shape cutouts (triangle, circle, rectangle).
Add Transportation Stamps, Pre-made Paper Airplanes, and Stickers (for Decorating), transportation stencils, lots of blue and black construction paper and basic shape cutouts (triangle, circle, rectangle).
*Car Ramp Painting
Paint with Boats
This is a great activity to do outside. Put a large piece of paper or poster board on a ramp (piece of wood, slide, box, however you want to make it), then provide shallow containers with washable tempera paint. Invite children to dip the wheels of the vehicles in the paint and then roll down the ramp.
Here is some fun process art to explore this week.
Paint with boats! Simply add a glob of blue paint on heavy paper, then children can sail their plastic boats through the paint.
Paint with boats! Simply add a glob of blue paint on heavy paper, then children can sail their plastic boats through the paint.
Driving through the Mud: Invitation to Create Brown
Invite your preschooler to mix up colors to create the color brown and then drive vehicles through it to make tracks on paper. See the tutorial on the I Can Make Brown blog post.
3D Vehicle Art
Provide a variety of recyclables for preschoolers to create a vehicle of their choosing. Collect recyclables such as paper towel tubes, pouch food tops, plastic food containers, yogurt cups, cardboard boxes, milk rings, milk caps, milk cartons, straws, and egg cartons. Provide glue and tape for assembling the projects.
Create a Vehicle from a Box
Provide each student with a medium-large box (something they can sit inside of). Provide markers, paper plates (or circle cut outs for wheels and steering wheel) and glue. Invite students to decorate their box any way they choose. When complete students can pretend to drive their vehicle.
More Art & Creative Ideas:
- Transportation Stamping from Lindsey's Preschool Page
- Paper Plate Plane Craft from in the Playroom
- DIY Roads from Artsy Momma
- DIY Runway from Catch my Party
*Airport Dramatic Play
Pack your bags, it's time to explore the Airport!! The Pre-K Printable Fun Airport Dramatic Play Pack makes creating an Airport Dramatic Play Invitation a breeze!
Take a closer look at this fun pack here.
Take a closer look at this fun pack here.
Many children will be traveling this summer. Allow children to become familiar with the airport and ease some of their fears by transforming your Dramatic Play Area into an Airport.
You can do this by adding suitcases, backpacks, maps, airplane personnel dress-up items, Travel Magazines, Brochures, and Tickets to your Dramatic Play Space this week. Extra chairs can become passenger seats. Extend the fun by creating a cardboard plane.
This adorable pretend Airport was created by Pre-K Fun Community Member Brenda M. of Sweet Smiles Preschool.
You can do this by adding suitcases, backpacks, maps, airplane personnel dress-up items, Travel Magazines, Brochures, and Tickets to your Dramatic Play Space this week. Extra chairs can become passenger seats. Extend the fun by creating a cardboard plane.
This adorable pretend Airport was created by Pre-K Fun Community Member Brenda M. of Sweet Smiles Preschool.
Airport Virtual Field Trip
Take a virtual field trip to an airport to learn more about aircraft.
Car Wash
Paula's Daycare
Paula's Daycare
This fun DIY Carwash belongs to Pre-K Fun Community Member Paula's Daycare!
She used shower curtains, pool noodles and leis!
She used shower curtains, pool noodles and leis!
*Letters in the Sky
Invite your preschoolers to practice letter recognition with this fun activity.
Individualize this activity based on developmental level. Match up lowercase-to-lowercase or uppercase-to-lowercase.
This activity is included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
Individualize this activity based on developmental level. Match up lowercase-to-lowercase or uppercase-to-lowercase.
This activity is included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
Recognizing environmental print is an important part of preschoolers developing necessary skills for reading.
Signs Walk
Recognizing environmental print is an important part of preschoolers developing necessary skills for reading. Take a walk around the neighborhood to look for environmental print. Environmental print such as stop signs, store signs, as well as other signs with words and/or symbols are common for children to see and are among the first words they are able to recognize. Consider bringing along a clipboard to record all the signs spotted on your walk. Encourage students to see what signs they can recognize while driving home with their parents.
What's Your Sign?
After your Signs Walk invite your preschooler to show what they know with this activity included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
Use pom poms or dot markers to mark the correct answer or use with clothespins.
Use pom poms or dot markers to mark the correct answer or use with clothespins.
Make Vehicle Sounds
Making vehicle sounds is a great way for preschoolers to exercise the muscles in their mouth and practice many different types of sounds.
Gather photos of different types of vehicles, invite students to make the sounds of those vehicles.
Challenge children to change pitch and duration when making sounds.
Gather photos of different types of vehicles, invite students to make the sounds of those vehicles.
Challenge children to change pitch and duration when making sounds.
Sight Word or Name Recognition
Pre-K Printables Club Members: use the Editable Sight Words Activity Pack (Found under letter S in the Member Printables A-Z section) to encourage children to recognize sight words or their names using the transportation theme.
Use the Car & Wheel, Spaceship and Astronaut, or Boat and Sail to compliment your Transportation Theme.
**Teacher Tip: For young preschoolers just starting to identify words, use this activity to support recognition of their favorite word in the whole world...their name! Simply type their name in the editable boxes for an engaging way to learn to recognize their name.
Use the Car & Wheel, Spaceship and Astronaut, or Boat and Sail to compliment your Transportation Theme.
**Teacher Tip: For young preschoolers just starting to identify words, use this activity to support recognition of their favorite word in the whole world...their name! Simply type their name in the editable boxes for an engaging way to learn to recognize their name.
More Language & Literacy Ideas:
- Literacy Ideas with Cars and Trucks from Growing Book by Book
- Zoomin Moovin Alphabet Printables from Royal Baloo
- Literacy Activity from And Next Comes L
Every great lesson plan is full of great books, both new and old.
Here are a few of my favorites for Transportation!
Here are a few of my favorites for Transportation!
*Transportation in My Neighborhood by Shelly Lyons
My Big Truck Book by Priddy Books
Freight Train by Donald Crews
Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street by Mark Lee
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
Transportation in Many Cultures by Martha E. Rustad
My Big Truck Book by Priddy Books
Freight Train by Donald Crews
Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street by Mark Lee
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
Transportation in Many Cultures by Martha E. Rustad
*Land, Air, and Sea Exploration
This fun transportation sorting activity was created by Community Member Kayla Harker! She used her FLISAT table from IKEA to sort transportation vehicles by air, land, and sea! Be sure to follow her on instagram @kaylasdayhome !
Keep the exploration going! Use this activity as an extension from the suggested invitation above or on it's own as a table activity. This printable set is included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
Making Predictions
Which vehicle will go the farthest?
Set up a ramp indoors or out. Provide a vehicles in a variety of shapes and sizes. Provide poster board, chalkboard, or clipboard and paper for recording predictions and results. Students will select two vehicles to roll down the ramp at the same time. Before they release the vehicles ask students to predict which vehicle will go the furthest, record their responses. After the vehicles are released provide chalk (if outdoors) or masking tape (if indoors) for students to mark where the vehicle landed. Record the results. Next, two more children will select vehicles and make predictions. When done invite children to discuss the results. Which vehicle went the furthest? Why?
Set up a ramp indoors or out. Provide a vehicles in a variety of shapes and sizes. Provide poster board, chalkboard, or clipboard and paper for recording predictions and results. Students will select two vehicles to roll down the ramp at the same time. Before they release the vehicles ask students to predict which vehicle will go the furthest, record their responses. After the vehicles are released provide chalk (if outdoors) or masking tape (if indoors) for students to mark where the vehicle landed. Record the results. Next, two more children will select vehicles and make predictions. When done invite children to discuss the results. Which vehicle went the furthest? Why?
More science & Discovery Ideas:
- Airplane Sensory Bin from My Mundane and Miraculous Life
Sailboat Shape Clip Cards
Clip cards a fun way to practice shape recognition skills.
Pair clip cards with clothespins to support children in developing finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
These Sail Shape Clip Cards are included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack
Pair clip cards with clothespins to support children in developing finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
These Sail Shape Clip Cards are included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack
Measuring Distance
Set up a race with toy cars.
Place masking tape on one end of a room with a hard floor (or do outdoors and use sidewalk chalk) for the starting line and a line on the other end of the room for the finish line. Provide a basket of vehicles. Students select their vehicle and place it on the starting line. When you count to three they launch their vehicle to see which one will go the farthest.
Provide measuring tape and paper for children to record data.
Place masking tape on one end of a room with a hard floor (or do outdoors and use sidewalk chalk) for the starting line and a line on the other end of the room for the finish line. Provide a basket of vehicles. Students select their vehicle and place it on the starting line. When you count to three they launch their vehicle to see which one will go the farthest.
Provide measuring tape and paper for children to record data.
Cars & Keys Color Matching
Invite your preschooler to practice color matching and sorting skills with this engaging Cars & Keys Color Matching activity included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
Transportation Block Mats
Pattern blocks are great for children developing fine-motor skills and geometry.
The printables in the PKPF Transportation Pattern Block Mats set include 9 different vehicles and 3 different levels of building mats for each vehicle.
The printables in the PKPF Transportation Pattern Block Mats set include 9 different vehicles and 3 different levels of building mats for each vehicle.
More math Ideas:
- Shape Train from Kiddie Crafts 365 Blog
- Counting Trains Activity from School Time Snippets
- Pattern Cards from The Measured Mom
*Add Transportation to the Construction Center
- Add a variety of Transportation vehicles to your Construction Space this week. Include Cars, Trucks, Planes, Trains, Rocket ships, and Boats.
- Set up an invitation to create garages for vehicles. Provide vehicles in a variety of sizes. Consider having a planning session where students can draft a blueprint of their project and plan what type of materials they will need. Support planning by encouraging students to consider the size of blocks and quantity they will need. **Teacher Tip: Take pictures of their completed projects, place in their portfolio next to their blueprint.
- Be sure to encourage literacy by adding books about Traveling, and Vehicles to your space as well. Add Roadways, Signs, and Railroad Tracks. Add a pretend felt Lake for Boats, a Runway for planes.
Make Ramps
Get brains working hard by inviting preschoolers to build ramps.
Start by offering a planning stage to encouraging critical thinking and planning skills by inviting children to plan out their ramp. How tall will it be? What materials are needed? What vehicles will the ramp support? How will success be measured?
Next, start building and testing!
If the ramp isn't successful use the opportunity to encourage persistence and practice the scientific process.
What do you think will happen?
What could you do different next time?
Provide measuring tape and paper to record data.
Extend the activity: Keep children engaged all week! The next day challenge children to make a longer, wider, taller, or curvier ramp. Can they design a ramp with stops? Can they design a ramp to make vehicles go faster/slower?
Start by offering a planning stage to encouraging critical thinking and planning skills by inviting children to plan out their ramp. How tall will it be? What materials are needed? What vehicles will the ramp support? How will success be measured?
Next, start building and testing!
If the ramp isn't successful use the opportunity to encourage persistence and practice the scientific process.
What do you think will happen?
What could you do different next time?
Provide measuring tape and paper to record data.
Extend the activity: Keep children engaged all week! The next day challenge children to make a longer, wider, taller, or curvier ramp. Can they design a ramp with stops? Can they design a ramp to make vehicles go faster/slower?
Building Challenge
Set out materials that inspire building vehicles.
Use a variety of materials that can be used in creative ways. Gather items from both your block center and loose parts area as well as recyclables!
This vehicle was built by one of the children from Building Blocks Family Childcare.
Use a variety of materials that can be used in creative ways. Gather items from both your block center and loose parts area as well as recyclables!
This vehicle was built by one of the children from Building Blocks Family Childcare.
*Transportation Dough Mats
Pre-K Printables Club Members: use the member exclusive Transportation Dough Mats (Found under letter T in the Member Printables A-Z section) to support physical development with dough mats that compliment your transportation theme.
Twist and Build
Add take apart vehicles to your learning space. To encourage fine motor development provide hand turn screwdrivers rather than pretend drills that are often included.
Build with Lego
Work on fine motor skills by setting up an invitation to create vehicles with LEGO Duplo
Laundry basket Racing
Give little muscles a big workout!
Pair off children and provide sturdy laundry baskets to each pair. Children take turns pushing the vehicle and driving the vehicle. Each pair will decide what type their vehicle is. The driver will make the vehicle sounds from inside the basket.
Pair off children and provide sturdy laundry baskets to each pair. Children take turns pushing the vehicle and driving the vehicle. Each pair will decide what type their vehicle is. The driver will make the vehicle sounds from inside the basket.
Sailboat Racing
Fill your sensory bin (or a small plastic bin) with water, and place small plastic boats inside. Provide turkey basters for each child. Show them how to squeeze the baster to draw up the water, and squeeze it near their boat to propel it around the water.
Wheels on the bus
Songs that contain movement activities like The Wheels on the Bus contain are great for building gross motor skills and coordination.
More physical development Ideas:
- The Importance for Stop and GO games from Still Playing School
- Build a Road Play Dough invitation from Kitchen Floor Crafts
- Car Wash Fine Motor Activity from the Inspired Treehouse
- Transportation Yoga Poses from Kids Yoga Stories
- *Stoplight Bean Bag Toss from I can Teach my Child
- Play Red Light Green Light
Community Worker Vehicles
Talk about community workers that use interesting vehicles as part of their jobs.
Invite a community worker to your program to show off their vehicles.
Some ideas: Fire department, trash collectors, police officers, construction. Does a parent have an interesting vehicle they can come and show off? Motorcycle, big truck, electric car, or ATV?
Invite a community worker to your program to show off their vehicles.
Some ideas: Fire department, trash collectors, police officers, construction. Does a parent have an interesting vehicle they can come and show off? Motorcycle, big truck, electric car, or ATV?
Traffic Sign Safety
Learning about traffic signs is great for literacy development and even more important for health & safety and interacting in the community.
Consider inviting a police officer to your program, or take a field trip, to learn more about how traffic signs help keep people safe.
Understanding traffic signs is especially important for preschoolers that will be attending kindergarten soon.
If field trips aren't an option, consider watching this video together as a virtual field trip!
Consider inviting a police officer to your program, or take a field trip, to learn more about how traffic signs help keep people safe.
Understanding traffic signs is especially important for preschoolers that will be attending kindergarten soon.
If field trips aren't an option, consider watching this video together as a virtual field trip!
Resources for Educators: Circle Time, Group Activities, and Parent Engagement
*It's a Race Cooperative Game
Invite preschoolers to play a cooperative racing game.
This roll and play game to race vehicles. Which color will finish first?
This activity is included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
This roll and play game to race vehicles. Which color will finish first?
This activity is included in the PKPF Transportation Activity Pack.
Read Aloud Activity
Explore all different types of trucks and get counting with the book 20 Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street by Mark Lee.
Read this book aloud and follow-up with a fun truck activity.
Don't have this book? Borrow from your local library or listen to this read aloud
Read this book aloud and follow-up with a fun truck activity.
Don't have this book? Borrow from your local library or listen to this read aloud
After reading/hearing the story discuss with children...
What was the problem in the story?
Who solved the problem?
How was the problem solved?
What was the problem in the story?
Who solved the problem?
How was the problem solved?
Extension Activity
Challenge children to create a traffic problem in the construction center using blocks and a variety of vehicles. Encourage children to discuss how the problem could be solved. Or they may simply wish to re-enact the story!
Challenge children to create a traffic problem in the construction center using blocks and a variety of vehicles. Encourage children to discuss how the problem could be solved. Or they may simply wish to re-enact the story!
Fast and slow
Listen to Beep, Beep Nash Rambler! This is a fun song to practice going slow and fast!
- Invite parents that have interesting vehicles or work with interesting vehicles to show off and talk about them.
- Ask parents to donate recyclable materials for creating 3D Vehicle Art
- Invite parents to challenge their children to see how many different types and colors of vehicles they see while driving. Encourage children to share the experience with the group.
- Spend some time outside washing the car! Talk about the different parts on the car as you wash them.
- As you drive in the car, point out different types of transportation. Do you see plans, trains, or boats?
- Count the number of stop signs you see when you go out for a walk this week! This is also a good time to talk about octagons!
- Stand outside when the sanitation engineer visits this week, in addition to getting a closer look at a garbage truck in action, it's also a great time to thank this amazing community helper!
These resources are available FREE to Pre-K Printable Club Members inside the the Member Download Area or they can be purchased in my shop!
