Build A Train Game

A new year, a new Virtual Book Club for Kids month!  This month, January, our selected book is The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.

The past month’s so far have been:

• The book: Where the Wild Things Are with a Math Activity: Sailboat Tangrams
• The book: Llama Llama Red Pajama with a Math Activity: Patterns & Symmetry
• The book: Madeline with an Art & Color Activity: Exploring Art and Color

The Little Engine That Could is a favorite of V&T’s, and one that is usually kept in our character books section in our home classroom – it’s a great story of perseverance, motivation and the power of positive thinking.  It’s a timeless book to keep in your classics (even when you might think they’ve outgrown it) or to add to your collection now.

After we read the book, we played a little game that reinforced shapes & counting.

SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED

• The Little Engine That Could Book
• Printer
• Paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Wooden Block (1 1/4”) (31.8mm)
• Woodsies Rectangles
• Woodsies Squares
• Woodsies Circles
• Timer
• Block, Track, & Math Templates (template download at end of post)

Optional:

• Mod Podge Gloss
• Small Foam Brush
• Laminator

HOW TO MAKE

[1] Print out the three pages.  An optional step would be to laminate the addition sheet & train track sheet for extended play (this is what I did).  Don’t laminate the block/dice template though, it would make it difficult to glue. [2] Cut out the templates.  Glue and/or Mod Podge the block templates to the block – use one of each & then decide which of the extra two you want to add (we used an extra circle & a you pick).  You’ll have two extras left over that you can just trash.  I glued them to the block using Gloss Mod Podge & a small foam brush, it dried super quick too!

HOW TO PLAY

[1] Print out a track page for each player.

[2] Place square shapes, rectangle shapes, & circle shapes in different sizes in the center.

[3] With (or without) a timer have each kid roll the wooden die/block determining what shape they will have to use.

[4] There are several ways to play:

• Set the timer.  Have each child go back & forth rolling the die building a train (or lots of trains) as fast as they can before the timer is up.
• Set it up as an invitation to play with the shapes to build on the track page without the die.
• Just play openly, no one wins/loses, just keep taking turns rolling the die and building.
• Add a math twist to the mix and use the enclosed math tally sheets to count how many squares, rectangles, & circles each player used.
• Add other things to the track page besides the train – have them build other elements that utilize these shapes.  Perhaps a circle for a sun, and it’s rays small rectangles.  A tree or sign using rectangles.  Let their imaginations wander and build.

 

MORE AWESOME CRAFTS & ACTIVITES INSPIRED BY

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

for this month’s for Virtual Book Club for Kids.

 

INSPIRE OTHERS BY SHARING!!

 

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