theme for January tips needed

[kims kingdom]

I was thinking of doing a transport theme for january and maybe longer but need some ideas??
Going on a bus taking pictures of all different forms of transport coloring pictures painting with cars using they wheels
making a car out of a box is what I had so far any others ideas would be gratefully received
thank you lovely forum

[Kidston]

Using electrical tape to make roads on the floor or tuff spot for cars.
Put a roll of lining paper on the floor and put paint on the wheels and get children to see how far children can push them and measure the paint marks.
Junk model vehicles
Make a traffic light
Maybe look at road safety?

[sarah707]

I try to focus my themes on the time of year / seasons/ weather conditions / special events in the community etc. January we are doing winter and will be exploring ice, snow, winter animals, birds (and RSPB big garden birdwatch) - then at the end of Jan we will think about summer in Australia because it's Australia Day lol!!

I find it easier to go with what is happening outside ...

If you have children who are really into transport then maybe take their favourite ways of travelling and do a few days on each - car, bus, train ... then introduce them to boat travel as something different.

Hth :D

[Maza]

Sorting - those that have wheels and those that don't, sorting by air/land/water, sort cars by colour
adding ramps to car area
role play bus/train - mine loved 'swiping' tickets that I collected and then they made their own in the writing area - just little squiggles on each but a lovely mark making activity
Make a track on large paper, add blocks to make bridges, farm animals so that they can pass a farm, a bowl of water so that they can go around he pond - lots of lovely positional language
Make a little construction site with diggers etc using natural materials - pebbles/sand
How old are the children?

[kims kingdom]

Sorting - those that have wheels and those that don't, sorting by air/land/water, sort cars by colour
adding ramps to car area
role play bus/train - mine loved 'swiping' tickets that I collected and then they made their own in the writing area - just little squiggles on each but a lovely mark making activity
Make a track on large paper, add blocks to make bridges, farm animals so that they can pass a farm, a bowl of water so that they can go around he pond - lots of lovely positional language
Make a little construction site with diggers etc using natural materials - pebbles/sand
How old are the children?

Thank u everyone some really great ideas
ive got one 17 month old and a new girl starting who is nearly 4 .

[kims kingdom]

Using electrical tape to make roads on the floor or tuff spot for cars.
Put a roll of lining paper on the floor and put paint on the wheels and get children to see how far children can push them and measure the paint marks.
Junk model vehicles
Make a traffic light
Maybe look at road safety?

Thank u I just thought of doing that on the floor gpnna have fun doing tape everywhere
yes junk modeling great idea ill do that

[blue bear]

Counting cars, doing a survey of the types of vehicles on the road, colour counting, so you each have a colour as you walk you count each persons chosen colour to see who wins.
Cardboard box made into a bus or boats etc.
Junk modelling vehicle making.
Books from the library
Play doh vehicle cutters
Clay make vehicles
The range do a lovely wooden vehicle modelling lit it's about £1,50 per model I think.
Vehicle tracks in differnt medium, so shaving foam, sand, mud, cocoa powder, corn flour
Diggers with cereal, great crunchy sounds.

[Shivvi]

I need to start my planning. I have been doing it very adhoc really and need to knuckle down and do some forward planning.
Other than weather what else do people do for Jan?

[chriss]

Is it only me ? But I think the under 3s especially are too young to really plan for ? I just go with the flow really, if they show a special interest out come more of the same, or colouring in pictures related to it, or playdough, anything to sort of link it and bring them on. But no real plan.

Even over 3s are not so easy to plan for, they do their own thing, I will leave, say, winter related things and gently show them etc and follow it thriugh, but mostly its following their lead.

Maybe it should be more structured ? I dont know:panic:

[Shivvi]

Is it only me ? But I think the under 3s especially are too young to really plan for ? I just go with the flow really, if they show a special interest out come more of the same, or colouring in pictures related to it, or playdough, anything to sort of link it and bring them on. But no real plan. Even over 3s are not so easy to plan for, they do their own thing, I will leave, say, winter related things and gently show them etc and follow it thriugh, but mostly its following their lead. Maybe it should be more structured ? I dont know:panic:

That sounds very sensible to me. Anytime I try and do something even remotely structured with the two year old she is not interested. Following her interests gets more results.

[loocyloo]

I've usually done winter or being healthy in Jan but this year I'm going to have a book of the week and my first bunch are all about the world and the different people and countries which will link in to Australia Day and Chinese New year.

[bunnyjess]

I've never properly planned before, just gone with what special days there are etc. I'm considering starting planning now though as I think it might be easier for me. How do you link Australia Day and Chinese New Year into the eyfs? Probably a silly question

[hectors house]

Counting cars, doing a survey of the types of vehicles on the road, colour counting, so you each have a colour as you walk you count each persons chosen colour to see who wins.
Cardboard box made into a bus or boats etc.
Junk modelling vehicle making.
Books from the library
Play doh vehicle cutters
Clay make vehicles
The range do a lovely wooden vehicle modelling lit it's about £1,50 per model I think.
Vehicle tracks in differnt medium, so shaving foam, sand, mud, cocoa powder, corn flour
Diggers with cereal, great crunchy sounds.

I found lovely survey sheets on Sparklebox - one was for colour of cars, so we sat on a bench on our housing estate and recorded those, the other one was for types of vehicles - so we sat on a bench at a bus stop on a busier junction and recorded those - then we made a pictogram (again the chart and cars from sparklebox) to visually show the number of which coloured cars.

But we did this to follow a couple of childrens interest in transport and also we did it in the Summer (when it was warm and dry)! So maybe change planning to weather recording for the time being - we couldn't keep up yesterday with changing our weather chart - in the South West we had rain, wind, hail stones (that were big enough to smash through barn roof sheets - My hubby works in a Builders Merchants and had lots of calls), thunder and lightening and then occasional sunshine!