Toddler Programs Chapter
“Convoy”
- Books To Share
- Books to Show or Booktalk
- Bulletin Boards
- Nametags
- Displays
- Refreshments
- Rhymes and Poetry
- Songs
- Audio Recordings
- Crafts
- Early Literacy Skills Activities
- Videos/DVDs/Films
- Web Sites
- Professional Resources
- Craft Materials
Books To Share
- Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus by Mo Willems.
- Matthew's Truck by Katherine Ayres.
- On the Road by Susan Steggall.
- Red Light, Green Light by Anastasia Suen.
- A Truck Goes Rattley-Bumpa by Jonathan London.
Books to Show or Booktalk
- B Is For Bulldozer: A Construction ABC by June Sobel.
- Delivery by Anastasia Suen.
- Dig Dig Digging by Margaret Mayo.
- My Car by Byron Barton.
- Trucks by Byron Barton.
- Wheels Around by Shelley Rotner.
Bulletin Boards
Convoy! Booking On Down the Road
Design a bulletin board with a convoy of 18-wheelers with the truck cab pulling trailers made of books. Alternately, design a highway scene by placing squares of black construction paper on the bulletin board with a yellow or white strip down the center of the paper. Let the children decorate the bulletin board with trucks cut from die cuts.
Nametags
Truckin’
Create a nametag using a truck-shaped die cut.
Displays
A Dozen Books for Toddlers from the 1970’s
Display the following books along with memorabilia from the 1970’s such as Big Wheels®, eight track tapes, pet rocks, Bionic Man and/or Woman or Star Wars action figures.
- Whose Mouse are You? by Robert Kraus. (1970)
- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. (1970)
- Look Again! by Tana Hoban. (1971)
- Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham. (1971)
- Good Night Owl by Pat Hutchins. (1972)
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone. (1973)
- Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells. (1973)
- Little Gorilla by Ruth Bornstein. (1976)
- Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice. (1977)
- Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet Ahlberg. (1978)
- Freight Train by Donald Crews. (1978)
- Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue? by Tana Hoban. (1978)
Refreshments
Serve some of these popular foods that originated in the 1970’s.
- Famous Amos® Chocolate Chip Cookies (1972)
- Starburst® Fruit Chews (1976)
- Cookie Crisp Cereal (1971)
- Snapple (1972)
Rhymes and Poetry
Two Little Trucks
(By Laura Douglas. Adapted from“Two Little Black Birds.”)
Two little trucks driving down the hill. (Hold fists together in front of yourself as if they are moving trucks)
One names Mack, (Hold right fist out)
The other named Bill, (Hold left fist out)
Drive away Mack! (Swerve right fist behind back)
Drive away Bill! (Swerve left fist behind back)
Come back Mack! (Bring right fist back in front of yourself)
Come back Bill! (Bring left fist back in front of yourself)
Traffic Lights
(Traditional.)
“Stop,” says the red light, (Put hand up)
“Go,” says the green, (Point finger)
“Wait,” says the yellow light
Blinking in between. (Open and shut hand)
That’s what they say and (Indicate stop)
That’s what they mean. (Indicate go)
We all must obey them (Open and shut hand in blinking signal)
Even the Queen. (Put hands on top of head for a crown)
Songs
The Wheels on the Truck
(Adapted by Laura Douglas. Sing to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus.")
The wheels on the truck go round and round
Round and round
Round and round
The wheels on the truck go round and round
All through the town.
The driver of the truck goes up and down
The horn on the truck goes honk, honk, honk
The brakes on the truck go ssss, ssss, ssss
The motor on the truck goes vroom, vroom, vroom
Bumping Up And Down
(Adapted by Laura Douglas. Sing to the tune of "Little Red Wagon." The tune can be found at Songs for Teaching,www.songsforteaching.com/folk/littleredwagon.htm.)
(1st verse bounce/jump and sing at normal speed)
Bumping up and down in my big red truck.
Bumping up and down in my big red truck
Bumping up and down in my big red truck
Watch me go so slow.
(2nd verse bounce/jump and sing very fast)
Bumping up and down in my big red truck.
Bumping up and down in my big red truck
Bumping up and down in my big red truck
Watch me go so fast.
(3rd verse bounce/jump and sing very slow)
Bumping up and down in my big red truck.
Bumping up and down in my big red truck
Bumping up and down in my big red truck
Now I am home at last.
Audio Recordings
- “Ah Bos Cee Dah” on The Johnny Cash Children’s Album by Johnny Cash.
- “Little Hunk of Tin” on Honk, Honk, Rattle, Rattle by Richele Bartkowiak.
Crafts
Shape Truck
Materials
- 8½-inch x 11-inch sheets of blank paper
- Precut one large rectangle, one triangle, one square, one small rectangle, and four circles for each child
- Glue sticks
- Crayons or markers
Directions
In advance, cut out the shapes using the patterns provided in this program. Distribute one set of shapes and a blank piece of paper to each child. Ask the parent or adult caregiver to help the children arrange the shapes on the page to look like a semi-truck. The large rectangle is the trailer, the square the cab, the triangle the vent, the small rectangle the engine compartment and the four circles the wheels. After they glue their pieces onto a blank sheet of paper, they can color their trucks and the background.
Early Literacy Skills Activities
These activities support six early literacy skills that children need to know before they learn how to read: letter knowledge, phonological awareness, print awareness, narrative skills, vocabulary, and print motivation. For more information, see the introduction to this manual, or visit the Every Child Ready to Read @ your library web site, www.ala.org/ala/alsc/ECRR/ECRRHomePage.htm.
A Truck Goes Rattley-Bumpa
As you read the story, A Truck Goes Rattley-Bumpa by Jonathan London, illustrate the concepts presented with motions, voice, and by pointing to the pictures. For example use a “big voice” and big gestures when reading about the big trucks. Then a “small voice” and hold your fingers about an inch apart when you come to the short truck.
Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus
Create a sign with the word NO on it. As you introduce the story, Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus by Mo Willems, tell the children that it is up to them not to let the Pigeon drive the bus. Hold up the sign and tell them that the word on it is “No.” Have them practice saying “No” when you hold up the sign. Then as you read the story aloud hold up the sign in the appropriate places when the children should respond “No.”
Red Light, Green Light
Create a simple stoplight. As you introduce the story, Red Light, Green Light by Anastasia Suen, use the stoplight as a prop. Ask the children what the colors are, and if they know what each one means. “Red means stop” etc. Then use the stoplight as a prop to begin and end the story.
Statements about the six early literacy skills that may be used in the program to educate and inform parents about the importance of early literacy may be found in the book, Early Literacy Storytimes @ Your Library by Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting and Pamela Martin-Diaz.
Videos/DVDs/Films
If you have public performance rights, show these videos and DVDs, or segments of them, to the children. Otherwise, display them for home use. The length listed is for the entire film.
- Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel: And Three More Stories About Trucks! (50 minutes)
- Trashy Town. (7 minutes)
Web Sites
Wonder Time: Name that Sound Idea Card
http://awondertime.go.com/resources/pdf/create-and-play/cutting-pages/idea-cards/name-that-sound.pdf
Parents can help their child create a “wonder time” card to keep track of the vehicles they hear outside.
Professional Resources
- Age-Right Play: Playful Learning for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers by Susan L. Lingo.
- Early Literacy Storytimes @ Your Library by Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting and Pamela Martin-Diaz.
- Songs for Teaching
www.songsforteaching.com/folk/littleredwagon.htm
This site provides lyrics and music downloads for songs that are suitable for teaching preschool and grade school concepts and language arts.
Craft Materials
Shape Truck Craft (Page 1 of 3)
Shape Truck Craft (Page 2 of 3)
Shape Truck Craft (Page 3 of 3)
