Since a transportation theme in PreK is such a large topic, we usually spread it over two weeks.
Transportation Question of the Day
As always I started each day with our Question of the Day. Around this time of the year I change the student name tags to last names so that they can start recognizing those. I put first names on the back of the tags so that they can check to make sure they are correct as they grab their tags to answer the question. For the siblings in my class I put all of the first names on the back of each tag.
Fine Motor Ideas
This time I put the transportation theme pattern blocks on the fine motor table, although I do sometimes use contact paper and put them on the easel. You can find some pattern blocks sheets here and here.
Easel Activities
Since we are not doing a space theme during the school year this year, I decided to use my rocket drawing activity on the easel during transportation week. I found this at Making Learning Fun.
One of the letters we focused on during our transportation unit was letter K. We used letter magnets to build words that start with that letter from This Reading Mama. I use these magnet letters (affiliate link.)
More Transportation Fine Motor and Math
My Melissa & Doug Magnetic Picture Maker was really popular this year with a few of my students this year. I was fortunate enough to discover this on clearance at a craft store a few years ago. This requires fine motor control and stamina since it has so many pieces to fill in a picture.
My Transportation Bundle includes this roll and graph game that I had my students complete with stickers, although you might also use dot markers, or have your students write the letter the vehicle starts with in the boxes. This one is for my students who are still working on stamina so it only goes up to five. I try to balance the activities in my room to appeal to different levels of the students in my classroom.
Transportation Theme Writing Center
For my writing center I also chose a couple different activities from my Transportation Bundle to meet the interests and levels of my students. You can see the Stamp and Write pages above. I use the alphabet stamping set from Melissa & Doug (affiliate link) and crayons. Just trying out new stamp pads. Still looking for the perfect stamp pads, so if you have any you love, please let me know.
The other writing center activity from my bundle involves dry erase markers and writing transportation words for my students who are ready for that.
Transportation Theme Sensory and Science
I also used my transportation sort game in my sensory bin along with magnet fishing poles. In order to make the cards magnetic I just put a few staples in the edges of each one after laminating. This way I do not have to worry about paper clips falling off the cards, which is something I have tried in the past.
For the science table I started with magnet wands and magnetic trains. I showed the students how to use the wands to make the trains follow the taped paths without touching the trains.
The other science activity for transportation involved building bridges. I found some ideas here. I printed and laminated photo examples and provided the supplies and let the kids experiment.
Literacy
Another letter focus activity comes from my Alphabet Bundle. Students use dot markers to dot the letter and pictures of words that start with the letter. I purposely limit the letters and letter sounds on each page with this set of dot marker pages.
Transportation in the Block Area
In the block area I added my train set from IKEA. I have had this set since my girls were little, but there are many similar sets out there. This one looks fun as well.
Stencils
I was also gifted with some stencils that include transportation themed ones from Lakeshore. (not affiliate link) These are great because they are really sturdy. It does take a while for preschoolers to understand that they have to hold the stencil still while working with it, so the sturdy ones work best. I would like to try out the Melissa & Doug set as well.
Transportation Bundle
Those were my main centers activities during my Transportation theme. If you would like to check out my Transportation Bundle and Transportation Calendar set, you can click through to them below.
