Transportation Theme Activities for Preschool
Weekly themes are such a great way to get preschoolers engaged in literacy and math practice! In this post, Iโm going to share some transportation theme activities for preschool that you can add to your lesson plans. These low-prep activities are a great addition to transportation week in your preschool classroom!
10 Transportation Theme Activities for Preschool
Each of the following activities includes a different mode of transportation, which is great vocabulary practice for preschoolers! These centers are easy to prep and store, which makes them perfect for daily learning stations or morning tubs. You can also easily modify them to best meet the needs of the students in your class.
1. Counting Task Cards
Give your students a chance to practice one-to-one correspondence and letter formation with one set of task cards! Students will count each picture on the task card, pointing to each one as they count. You can help students track their counting by giving them small manipulatives to cover each picture as they count. Pom poms or mini erasers are perfect for this!
After students have had a chance to practice counting, they can trace the number on the task card. They could also use the same manipulatives that they used for counting to fill in the number on the task card. Either way, this brings some additional engagement to number formation practice!
2. Number Train
Your preschoolers can practice their hand strength and coordination as they put together a number train! Students will put the numbers in order with link manipulatives that provide some additional fine motor practice.
You can easily modify this task to meet the needs of your students by adjusting which numbers you include for the activity. You can provide extra numbers and links for your preschoolers who need a little more of a challenge!
3. Parking Lot Count
For even more counting practice, students can count the number of cars on each parking lot task card. Once they have figured out the number, they will place the card on the correct stop sign mat.ย Each mat also has a blank ten-frame, so you could have students practice adding the correct number of objects to each mat. Pompoms and mini erasers are perfect for this!
4. Transportation Patterns
Could your students use some more practice with patterns? These transportation patterning task cards are perfect! Students can use the small pictures to finish the pattern on each strip.
5. Airplane Count and Cover
For this activity, students will choose a task card with a number of airplanes pictured. After counting the number of airplanes on the card, the student will use a small manipulative to cover the corresponding number on the mat. They will keep going until they have covered all of the numbers!
6. Race and Trace
This shape practice activity is always a hit with preschool students because it uses toy cars! Students can use a car to trace the shape road on each card. Once they have identified the shape, they will find the correct car that should go on that road.ย
The clip portion of this activity is a great opportunity for some additional fine motor practice. You can even make it self-correcting by placing a sticker on the back of the task card, directly behind the correct answer. Once students have added the clothespin to the card, they can flip it over to see if the clip is on the sticker.
7. Hot Air Balloon Letter Match
Your students can practice matching uppercase and lowercase letters with a fun transportation twist! Students will have a variety of hot air balloons with uppercase letters that are missing their baskets! Students will find the correct basket by matching the correct lowercase letter.
You can adjust this activity for your students by choosing letters that youโve already introduced in class. If you have students who need a little extra challenge, you can add more task cards to the mix.
8. Sailboat Beginning Sounds
In addition to putting hot air balloons together, students can match boats with their sails! Students will identify the pictures on each sail and figure out the beginning sound that they all have in common. They will then look at the letters on the different boats to decide which boat matches the sail.ย
9. Find the Pilot Alphabet Practice
This pocket chart game is always a hit with preschoolers because it feels like a treasure hunt! Students can take turns placing the airplane behind one of the letters on the pocket chart. The other partner will hide their eyes while the card is hidden.ย
For the game, the student will guess where the pilot is hidden by guessing letters one at a time. This is great letter identification practice! You can also modify the game by having the guesser say the letter sound when guessing.
10. Playdough Letter Formation
These alphabet play dough mats also add a bit of transportation fun to your studentsโ fine motor practice.ย They can use the playdough task cards to help them form each uppercase and lowercase letter. If you laminate these cards, you can also have students use the truck and road at the top of the playdough mat for some additional letter-writing practice. Just add a fine-tip dry erase marker!
More Transportation Activities for Preschool
I have put together a set of themed centers that you can use for your next transportation week! This resource has a total of 17 different transportation-themed literacy and math activities that you can use throughout your daily learning routine. Your students will be able to practice a variety of important skills with these hands-on and engaging transportation activities.
If youโd like to take a closer look at all of the skills included in this resource, just click below to find it in my shop.
Transportation Themed Math and Literacy Centers PreK & Kindergarten Activities
Save These Transportation Theme Activities
Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite board on Pinterest. Youโll be able to quickly find these activities when youโre planning a transportation theme for your preschool classroom!
