{Intentional Toddler Time} Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

{Samuel is currently 21 months old}

This week our theme was planes, trains, and automobiles, or better known around our home – AY-PLANE, CHU-CHU, AND CARS!!! Samuel literally yells these words all.the.time.

Why transportation theme in the middle of October when you should be focusing on leaves and pumpkins? It’s simple. Samuel is incredibly interested in cars and anything else with wheels at the moment. I went with his interests this week, and he was in love.

We did a lot of reading this week. I mean A LOT! There was one book in particular that we read over and over and over. On the Move has quickly become Samuel’s favorite book. Below are all of the books we enjoyed this week. We found all of these at our local library. I try to put books on hold a week in advance for the next week’s theme.

We continued with our sensory bin idea.

Cars Sensory Bin

• Pinto beans
• scoops
• bowls
• pom poms
• cars
• stir sticks (not pictured  they were an afterthought)

We had a lot of table time this week. Samuel is now requesting it. It is sort of unbelievable. We used 1+1+1=1′s Transportation Tot Pack for several table activities.

I called out the objects and let him color them with his dry erase marker. We did this no less than twenty times … in one sitting. I’m amazed how much he learned this week. He can now identify cars, trucks, boats, airplanes, helicopters, trains, motorcycles, bicycles, bus, van, and hot air balloons. We also sang “The Wheels on the Bus” several times. He loved it. Mommy got really tired of it.

I made an easy colored colored circle printable for Samuel to use for matching colors. We did some counting and color matching. He loves matching shapes and colors, so this was a big hit for him. I got the counting chips super cheap at Staples.

Our craft for the week was an easy train paper craft. I got the idea from Little Page Turners. But instead of showing him where the pieces go, I drew the shapes with pencil. He had to match the shapes to make his train. Can we say, score? He kept asking for “more, more” when he was finished. Next time, I’ll be more prepared and make a few of these for him to do.

While I was freezer cooking, I set Samuel up with some play dough, transportation cookie cutters, and toothpicks. This was great easy, fun for him.

His jumbo cars puzzle was a big hit. He’d work the puzzle, dump it out, and start all over again.

I pulled out his Alphabet Nesting and Stacking Blocks for the first time. He did so great! He would concentrate really hard on stacking them, but was never disappointed or frustrated when they would fall. He was happy if they stayed, but ecstatic when they fell. It was win-win for him. This is by far his favorite toy at the moment.

We continued with spending a lot of time out of doors, including eating our lunch outside several times. We enjoyed play dates and free toddler time at our library. We love intentional toddler time!

What did you do this week?

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