It is time for Virtual Book Club for Kids. Our featured author this month is Donald Crews. We picked Freight Train to read and then created a learning your name activity.
If you are new to Virtual Book Club for Kids here is a little background. The Educators’ Spin On It, Toddler Approved and Rainy Day Mum have put together a wonderful line-up of great authors to explore. On the second Thursday of each month, talented bloggers will be sharing one of the three featured books by the highlighted author that month. Each blogger shares an activity or craft to compliment one of the three books. You are invited to try out as many of the ideas that you feel would be a good fit for your kids.
Now, onto the Donald Crews’ book and activity we chose this month.
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Freight Train Book and Learning Your Name Activity
The Book: Freight Train
Train lovers will enjoy this simple book that also teaches about colors. It’s neat to see the movement of the train through the illustrations as it barrels down the track. Freight Train is a simple book that packs a lot of punch!
Learning Your Name Activity
We often use hands-on activities to help my son learn the letters in his name. Even if you are just working on letter identification, using the letters in your child’s name is the best place to start.
Materials Needed: wooden track and trains, small blocks, sticky notes, markers, construction paper (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and black)
1. Set up your train track and place the train cars on the track.
2. Place enough blocks along the inside of the track to hold each letter of your child’s name.
3. Write each letter of your child’s name on a sticky note. You will need seven sets. Put each letter on a building block.
4. Fold each piece of construction the long way (hot dog fold).
5. If your child need helps ordering the letters in his name, you can write his name on each piece of construction paper.
You are now ready to play and learn.
Have your child move the train along the track collecting the letter loads.
When all letters have been collected, he should deliver them to the color dock (one of the pieces of construction paper). There he will place the sticky notes in the correct order on the paper to spell his nam
Place the next set of sticky notes on the blocks and let your child move the train to collect the next load. Repeat the series above.
Additional Fun
1. Move to the floor and let your child arrange the “name cars” on the floor to create a long name train.
2. Put each “name car” inside of another to create a book. Your child can read and spell his name over and over again!
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Now, it’s time to explore some other great activities and crafts to compliment Donald Crews’ books.
Three Truck Inspired Activities by Lalymom
Carrie Groneman says
Such a clever idea! Stopping by from Sat. Evening Family Friendly Party. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Jodie Rodriguez says
Thanks Carrie!
Cerys says
What a great activity – and now I won’t be putting our train track to the charity box instead will keep this and use it for learning names and sight words.
Jodie Rodriguez says
Isn’t it fun to find new uses for old toys Cerys!
Kristina says
This is so creative and such a great way to build names!! Love it
Trisha @ Inspiration Laboratories says
I love this way to practice names. I’m going to use it to practice sight words with my son. It really does compliment our train counting activity. 🙂
Jodie Rodriguez says
I loved your train idea too Trisha!