Trains

The boys LOVE trains, the girls also like trains (not as much as the boys, but still quite a bit) so it was definitely one of the kids favorite theme weeks we have done.

We started Saturday by taking the train to Union Station for National Train Day.  It was crowded, but we picked up some kids materials that we were able to use for the week.  We went home to get kids back for nap time.  Gavin was very upset that he hadn't seen enough of the trains yet.

We ended the week by going to Travel Town on Friday.  There were a couple of new Engines open for climbing on.  Brielle and Gavin took over the controls and were pretending to drive the Steam Train all over the country!

And as for the week in between...we played with trains A LOT!

National Train Day Activities

(well, at least a few of them.  I have a lot of pictures of various coloring, crafts and worksheets, but I'll try to keep it shorter)

The Junior Conductor Hats were a big hit.  I love what simple prop can do to get the imaginations going.

I loved the idea of these edible markers.  The train picture was printed onto the cookie.  Of course it didn't taste great, but the idea was fun and the kids enjoyed it.  Brielle kept licking her colors off so she could re-color again.

These Jr. Conductor books had a lot of information about trains and activities to do.  I loved Gavin's design of a train.  His had a swimming pool inside of it, and lots of wheels so it could go really fast.

Building Tracks 

  set it all up, take it all down a new track is exciting all over again the next day, or the next hour

we had train tracks stretching all over our front room 

The trains and tracks were the only toys we had out all week long.  They were very well used and the kids still didn't want to put them away at the end of the week.

 Books

TrainStop by Barbara Lemman was the one that was chosen the most.  It is a wordless picture book.  The kids also loved Dinosaur Train by John Gurney

I love The Caboose who got Loose by Bill Peet.  The story is too long for the younger kids to sit through, but the older kids enjoy it.

Preschool Pack Activities (links below)

numerical order and introduction to odds/evens by homeschool creations

measuring trains by 2 teaching mommies

First letter sound clipcards by 2 teaching mommies

Ethan just likes to put the clothespins on the cards, which is good fine motor practice.  Brielle easily was able to identify the beginning letter for each word.

Word puzzles by 2 teaching mommies

Preschool Packs (will also be used later this summer for our boat and airplane themes)
http://homeschoolcreations.com/transportationpreschoolpack.html
http://www.2teachingmommies.com/2011/02/ways-we-get-around.html
http://misskindergartenlove.blogspot.com/2011/05/community-helpers-transportation.html