Tracing Shapes with Trains: The Little Engine That Could Activity

 

Happy New Year! We are starting the year off with a classic book for our Virtual Book Club for Kids:  The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper.

 

 

I really enjoyed this book as a child and my boys have both enjoyed it as well. I couldn’t find our copy, so I had to check one out from the library to read before doing this activity. Little Sister (22 months) couldn’t quite sit through the entire book (the board book would have probably been a better version for her) but she definitely enjoyed the activities. :)

 

Activity One:  Trace Shapes Taped on the Floor

Materials : Painter’s Tape and Toy Trains

Please note:  I recommend that you test the tape on a small, hidden part of your hard flooring to make sure that it doesn’t take the finish off of your floor. I have never had any problems, but better to be safe than sorry!

 

1. Tear small sections of painter’s tape to create your shapes. I made a square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, and octagon.

 

 

2. Encourage your child to trace the shapes using the toy trains. Talk about each shape as you trace. (Even my big boys enjoyed this activity!)

 

 

 

 

Activity Two:  Trace Shapes using Trains Dipped in Paint

Materials:  Toy Trains, Paint, paper, and a permanent marker.

 

1. Draw simple shapes on the pieces of paper (we used cardstock).

 

2. Squirt some paint onto a plate and show your child how to dip the wheels of the train into the paint.

 

3. Start tracing the lines on the paper using the trains.

 

Little Sister didn’t know quite what to think about having paint on her hands. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out more awesome activities to do after reading The Little Engine that Could:

 

The Little Engine that Could ABC Activity  ::  Growing Book by Book

Train Color Sorting Activity  ::  Mom-Inspired Life

Train Challenge with The Little Engine that Could  ::  Preschool Powol Packets

Train Science with The Little Engine That Could  ::  Inspiration Laboratories

Counting On and Back with Trains  ::  Rainy Day Mum

Train-Themed Treat for Kids  ::  Toddler Approved

Easy-to-Make Train Math Game  ::  3 Dinosaurs

I Think I Can Sight Word Activity  ::  Still Playing School

Build a Train Game  ::  Mama Miss

Train Shapes Activity  ::  The Pleasantest Thing