Trains have been a steadfast theme in preschool settings for years. Even though, many young children today will not even set foot onto a real train, there is something that remains magical and endearing for them about the train. So many theme and amusement parks have the miniature train rides, and young children can be found sitting there excitedly anticipating the train engine to start up. In addition, Thomas the Tank Engine has cemented the love for trains with many toddlers and preschool children. The following article provides various ideas to including into a train theme within a preschool or daycare curriculum.
Train Crafts for Preschoolers
The shape of a train transfers well to craft projects as the engine and cars require simple shapes to make them: rectangles, circles, squares and triangles. The train can be formed with paper shapes and glue, but another suggestion is to use stamps or sponges:
1) Sponge/Stamp Painting
Suggested Material Required:
- Rectangle shaped sponge
- Spools, or circle shaped stamps
- Liquid Paint
- Shallow containers, such as styrofoam trays from the grocery store
- Paper
A demonstration would work best with this painting project to illustrate to the preschool children how the shapes will create a train. The spools make wonderful wheels for a train car.
2) Train Craft Using Boxes
Depending on the size of boxes, this craft idea can be an individual activity or a group activity. The boxes, such as shoe boxes, can be decorated with crayons, felt pens or paint. Other collage items can be made available for children to add detail, like paper squares, paper towel tubes, egg cartons, glitter and so forth. This open ended art project provides young children an opportunity to be imaginative and creative in their art process.
Train Songs for Preschoolers
Down by the Station is a classic preschool song about trains. Another one which can be altered to a specific location or name is Engine Number Nine and is great to sing while leading a children train, marching around the room:
Engine Engine Number Nine
Engine engine number nine
Chugging down Chicago Line
If the train goes off the track
Do you want your money back?
Maybe yes, and maybe no
Choo, choo, choo choo
Felt Board Train Activity for Preschoolers
Trains can be used for concept learning, as each car can be numbered and with different colors. In a circle or group setting, each child can hold onto a car train. If the cars are numbered, then a child can bring his/her numbered car up to the felt board in numerical order. This activity fosters number recognition. Another idea for this felt activity is to use letters on the train. A song that can be sung after all the felt pieces have been brought to the flannel board creating the train is:
Sung to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
See the trains chugging chugging down the track
Engine in the front, caboose in the back
All the colors streaming past
This train’s going very fast!
Children's Train Books
"I think I can, I think I can" , a motto for life, are lines from a classic book, The Little Engine That Could. Some other book suggestions about trains for preschool and toddlers ages are:
My Big Train Book by Roger Priddy (Priddy Books, 2003)
The Goodnight Train by June Sobel and Laura Hulisha-Beith (Harcourt, 2006)
Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo by Kevin Lewis (Disney-Hyperion, 2001)
Dramatic Play
The simple act of lining up chairs, one behind the other, turns an area into a train dramatic scene for young children to engage in. Creating a train scene with a station, tickets, conductors, luggage and so forth will extend this dramatic play. Drama play is an essential part of meeting the needs of the whole child.
Trains are such a fun topic to include into a preschool curriculum and certainly this topic can be extended into learning about different types of trains that exist, from steam to electric.
Further reading : Preschool Transportation Theme
Christine Moore - Early Childhood Educator, Preschool/Daycare Resources, Online Workshop Instructor, ECE, BGS
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