Play Together: Train Time

Standards

MA Standards:

English Language Arts/Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners during daily routines and play.

Head Start Outcomes:

Approaches to Learning/Persistence and Attentiveness: Maintains interest in a project or activity until completed.
Approaches to Learning/Persistence and Attentiveness: Resists distractions, maintains attention, and continues the task at hand through frustration or challenges.

PreK Learning Guidelines:

English Language Arts/Language 4: Engage in play experiences that involve naming and sorting common words into various classifications using general and specific language.

EEC Infant and Toddler Guidelines:

PW50: The older toddler engages in a variety of physical activities.

Play Together: Train Time

STEM Key Concepts: Identify tools and simple machines used for a specific purpose

ELA Focus Skills: Cause and Effect, Following Directions, Gross Motor Skills, Speaking and Listening, Vocabulary

Find a ramp that children can walk up and over, such as a board propped on a low support or a hill.

Have one group of children be the Little Blue Engine and another group be the little train that needed help.

Model how to move up and over the ramp by “chugging” along, moving your right arm to show the motion of the wheels.
As you lead children have the Little Blue Engine group say “I think I can! I think I can!” as they move to the top of the ramp, and “I thought I could! I thought I could!” as they pass over and move down the ramp. Have children move one at a time over the ramp.
Have groups switch roles and repeat.

After children have all had a turn being the Little Blue Engine ask, Why do you think the Little Blue Engine says “I think I can! I think I can!” as it was going up the ramp but not as it was going down the ramp?

Educator Tip: Be sure to discuss rules about holding gently but carefully, not pushing or pulling, and not running, just moving quickly.