Materials
Simple props related to nursery rhymes, such as a cylinder block for a candle
("Jack Be Nimble"), a cushion ("Little Miss Muffet"), and a horn ("Little Boy Blue")
Instructions
1. When outside, encourage the children to notice different cars, trucks, trains,
airplanes, or helicopters that pass by.
2. Encourage the children to pretend to be different vehicles. For example, as a
vehicle passes by, ask the children what it is. Then encourage them to
pretend to be that type of vehicle as you walk around the playground
together.
3. Point out the vehicle again and say, "I wonder how many people are in
there." Encourage the children to guess where the vehicle might be going.
Encourage them to name places in the town or city in which they live, nearby
cities, or other countries.
4. Say, "I wonder what they will do when they get there?" Let the children guess
what the people might do when they reach their destination.
5. If the trucks you see have signs on them, ask the children what they think the
signs mean. Encourage them to identify any letters, shapes, or numbers on
the trucks.
6. When another interesting vehicle goes by, switch! Repeat steps 1 through 4.
7. Sing a song for each vehicle. Use any familiar tune you know or make one
up. For example:
(Tune: "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean")
The airplanes are flying up in the sky,
Flying from here to there.
If I could fly up in the sky
I'd be able to go anywhere.
More to do
Art: Create an "I can go anywhere" collage. Divide a large sheet of poster board
into three sections: sky, water, and land. Ask the children to color the three
sections and draw roads on the bottom section. Then ask them to cut out
magazine pictures of airplanes, boats, cars, and trucks. Glue these in the
appropriate places on the poster board. As the children do this, ask them to tell
you where they would go if they could travel in an airplane, boat, or car. Record
their answers and post them near the collage.
Blocks: In the block area, provide cars and trucks for the children to use. Create
streets on the floor using masking tape or buy a rug with a street pattern on it.
Encourage the children to drive their cars and trucks through the streets.
Language: Ask, "Where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?"
Record the children's answers. Make a poster with the headline: IF I COULD GO
ANYWHERE. List the children's responses on it.
