Means of Transportation Lesson Plan & Activities for Kids
When setting up transportation theme/lesson plans or learning themes about various means of transport and vehicles for preschoolers & toddlers, it is important to give information and different examples of transportation used today.
You can start your transportation lesson plans for preschoolers like this, by talking about and educating kids first.
Transportation is everywhere in our society today and the world around us. It is responsible for the advancement of the entire world.
With our many modern methods of travel and transportation using various machines and vehicles, you can virtually travel anywhere. Transportation gets us supplies, food and other essentials so we can survive. It’s also essential for shipping these items around the world.
Toddlers and preschoolers are fascinated with machines, airplanes and different vehicles.
Why not try teaching preschool children about the different types of travel or teaching means of transportation by using and building your own, simple transport lesson plans or theme ideas based on vehicles like cars, trucks, boats and airplanes and teach children why they are important.
Transportation Lesson Plan for Kindergarten & Pre K
You want to use basic, common vehicles and means of transportation that are familiar, interesting and easy to remember for preschoolers and young children when using this lesson plan.
Use transportation vehicles that are in your local community, or that they see in everyday life and find interesting.
The preschool children will be eager to learn about all the different machines, vehicles and equipment they see in the world around them and on TV.
Vehicle Ideas for This Lesson Plan
- Bus
- Car
- Truck
- Garbage truck/Recycling truck
- Airplane
- Train
- Dump truck
- Backhoe
- Police car
- Ambulance
- Fire truck
- Boat/Ship
- Motorcycle
- Transport Trucks
- Helicopters
- Subways
How to Start Your Kids Transportation Theme
Be sure to provide a variety of books about types of cars and trucks as well as magazines that show colorful pictures of different vehicles in the class library area.
You want to have coloring pages on various means of transportation available for the preschool kids and toddlers to color and study.
Coloring Pages or printables with the names of the transportation vehicles are also great for them to become familiar with the names of the vehicle as shown.
Art Activities About Transportation Vehicles
Build a Car or Vehicle from a Box:
Try building a car or vehicle out of a cardboard box and use it as part of a dramatic play center area. The children could pretend to wash it and fix it. Place an empty bucket with some sponges, and some toy tools and watch the children have a blast washing and fixing it.
You could also make a fire truck from a cardboard box and place that in the dramatic play area for the next week along with a firefighter play activity etc. This is a great way to extend the subject of vehicles while keeping it interesting.
Real Life Car Wash for Kids
You could set up a real life car wash on a nice warm day – You could use your car or one of the other staff members vehicles. We have done this before and it was so much fun!
Set the preschool children and toddlers up with some simple items so that they can wash it like a bucket with warm soapy water and some sponges. (the kids will get to see a car or truck up close and will have fun checking it out and exploring.)
Use the following carwash items with your preschoolers:
- Bucket of warm water
- Carwash Soap
- Sponges
- Brushes
- Soft rags or cloths
*Obviously you would NEVER have the keys available to the children and always SUPERVISE the children.
Talk About Being Safe Around Vehicles:
This would be a good time to discuss safety when around certain vehicles and transportation with the children.
You can emphasize that children should NEVER play around cars or any vehicles. Children should NEVER stand behind vehicles and should always be aware of vehicles backing out of driveways and parking lots and that these are NOT areas to play.
Toy Trucks & Cars for Play Learning
You can click on any of the above -toy vehicle’ images to search on Amazon for toys you can buy to go along with your transit lesson plan. *The above links are affiliate links for Amazon, and we will receive a small commission should you go ahead and buy anything*
Toy Transportation Vehicles for Play
It is a great idea to bring in some model or toy cars and trucks etc. that depict the mode of transportation you are discussing.
Try to have toy cars and vehicles on the toy shelf and possibly a small play carpet that has a city or neighborhood on it with small roads and waterways.
This will give the children an opportunity to use the toys and put them into action.
Activity Extension Activities:
Use masking tape* to map out some simple roadways for the children to use their toy trucks and cars on. You can do this by putting masking tape on a small area of flooring in the classroom or outside in a suitable area. Make the masking tape criss-cross to make intersections and roadways that turn.
If possible try to find small road accessories such as small trees and road signs (dollar store) to add this activity.
*Masking tape will not leave residue on low pile carpet. Always test in a small area and make sure you take it off at the end of the day.
If you are outside, sidewalk chalk is a great simple way to draw some roadways, bridges and waterways that can be cleaned up by spraying with a water hose or a few good rainfalls.
Talk About Different Vehicles & Transportation:
During circle time, discuss with the pre k children the different vehicle types and what they do.
Pick 1 or 2 vehicles a day and discuss them so as to not overwhelm the kids. During circle time you can read books on different modes of transportation that are age appropriate to the kids in your class.
Find Real Life Vehicle & Transportation Images for Your Class Library:
Find real life, colorful pictures of vehicles from magazines, calendars etc. and be sure to have them posted on the walls around the school classroom so the children can see the different transportation vehicles.
Plan a Community Field Trip:
Plan a field trip to a local community fire station and/or police station. You can simply call these places and request setting up a simple visit with your preschool class. The kids will get a tour and learn about everything that happens at the station and how they use the equipment etc.
Books About Vehicles & Transportation
There are some kids books about transportation on Amazon. Your kids will enjoy these books and learning about different vehicles. *These are affiliate links, so we will receive a small commission if you decide to buyon amazon*
Kids Songs About Transportation & Vehicles
It is important to always try and be creative when setting up your preschool themes and lesson plans for preschoolers and kindergarten children.
Take the time to really pay attention to the pre k children and who knows, you may get a new lesson idea from observing them and listening to their conversations and discover what they like and do not like.
This is where some of the best educational ideas and lesson plan ideas come from, watching and observing the kids.