Play Together: Train Time

  • incline
  • ramp

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

© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.

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.

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