Toddlers: Trains

For more information on how I plan and prepare my toddler storytimes, check out this introduction post. And for a complete list of the repeating extension activities, visit this post. I starred the materials used in the plan; multiple stars indicate use for more than one session.

The Plan

Books

Freight Train by Donald Crews***
I Love Trains! by Philemon Sturges***
I’m Fast! by Kate and Jim McMullan
Trains by Byron Barton*

Early Literacy Tip
Be sure to share factual books with your children. Follow their interests, whether in a particular animal, in how things work, in trains, or in anything else the piques their curiosity.

Theme Extension Activities

Featured CD: Anna and the Cupcakes***

Featured Track: #3 Train Song***

Flannelboard: “Clickety-Clack”***

Repeating Extension Activities

• Clap Your Hands***
• Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
• This Is Big, Big, Big***
• Wiggle Your Finger & Stomp Your Feet**
• Zoom, Zoom, Zoom**

How It Went

Tuesday morning
My favorite thing about this morning is a toss-up between TWO things actually. One is a little boy who was so sad that his grandpa didn’t come in storytime and then found out our theme was trains and cheered up immediately! The second thing is leading a train around the room to the TRAIN SONG wearing a conductor hat, scarf, and blowing a train whistle. Also: getting toddlers up to move around and settling down with “Zoom Zoom Zoom” is perfection!

Thursday morning (9:30)
One of my newer toddlers high-fived me on the way into the storytime room — caregiver informed me that means I’m in the club. I consider that my proudest accomplishment this week! This group was more reserved, but that meant that I read through three books with them. Also in toddler news: we have a new big sister in the class and she was very proud to announce it during our “Name…Oops” fingerplay.

Thursday morning (10:30)
In this group, I only have three returning toddlers from last session. That meant that TODAY was the first time many of them had ever done “Zoom Zoom Zoom”. That, of course, meant that we repeated it three times to the delight of toddlers everywhere. This grouped absolutely needed to get up and move and TRAIN SONG was the perfect opportunity.