Mindee mad on trains......

[Bitsy Beans]

OK it's been my first week with new mindee and I can say with some certainty he's train (in particular Thomas the Tank Engine) obsessed.

My question is although we are still getting to know one another in all likelihood the thing that will get his juices going is trains. So do any of you have any ideas/suggestions for planning using his interest in trains as a starting point?

TIA

[pinklady]

Plan activities but let him use his trains as part of it.
e.g drive the train through gloop, or paint or sand if you don't mind them getting messy.
Read train stories
Sing the Thomas theme tune (I quite like that myself:blush: )
Make a train out of junk modelling
Go the local train station
Make little train tickets and role play being passengers/conductors
Once he feels more comfortable with you it will be easier to broaden his horizon with other resources.

[Joannechildmind]

Visit the library looking for books with trains in.:thumbsup:

[babs]

cardboard boxs build ur own train ... i did have one but it got sat on last week ....

[The Juggler]

two of my mindees are thomas mad and one knew all the numbers 1-10 by age 2! lots of books with numbers and letters linked to Thomas.

We went on mini train rides locally.

Always had the train set out which if they help build it can provide all sorts of learning (especially the sets with magnets on trains or where you need to change the signals to make trains change direction).

My lo, 3 could build a 3 loop train track with bridges and turntable included - all linked up without any help:eek: I can't even do that with brio- I always end up with two pieces with the wrong edges needing to join together.:laughing:

you could then use it to introduce a more general transport theme to extend his learning.

[nannymcflea]

Get a large piece of paper, or wallpaper lining paper and make a large track. You can also draw trees, houses, ponds, roads, people etc and use the trains on the picture.

Do some welly painting and cut them out and use them as smoke for train pictures.

See how big tunnels need to be to get trains under, use books or make brick tunnels.

Line the trains up and do big and small, colours, numbers.

Make a local map(you can take photos when out walking to help) and draw a train track around your local area, put or draw flags on the places he knows, this is good to start conversations.

Do the "coffee, coffee" train song around the room!

Put chairs in a row and go on an imaginary train ride, make tickets and posters, perhaps a trip to the seaside.

have fun:thumbsup:

[mrs.h]

hi there,


:) my new lo is train mad as well!

singing the thomas tune is a great idea and making trains out of junk as well.

have fun,
mrs.h

[The Juggler]

oh yes and pop to the supermarket for a couple of large empty boxes to play trains with! hours of fun

[sweets]

there 2
there 4
there 6
there 8
shunting trucks and hauling freight
la la la la la la la
thomas and his friends!!!!!!



sorry just felt like a song:blush:

[mama2three]

what on earth is the coffee coffee song? everyone has hot drinks on the brain today!

[caz3007]

I have two train mad mindies here as well, so the ideas are brilliant, thanks

[Bitsy Beans]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone - they're great :thumbsup:

PS. What's the coffee coffee song?!

[Alibali]

Colours too! My lo learned all his colours and numbers from Thomas

[georgie456]

there 2
there 4
there 6
there 8
shunting trucks and hauling freight
la la la la la la la
thomas and his friends!!!!!!



sorry just felt like a song:blush:

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

That's going to be stuck in my head all night now!!!