Bear loves everything garbage trucks! when they come thundering up the street, he goes tearing off to the window to catch a glimpse of them. so what better theme than garbage trucks for me to plan learning activities around?
for a garbage truck literacy activity, i got out some of our easy word flashcards with pictures on them and our alphabet milk caps. using a Little People garbage man and a toy garbage truck, we set to work. Bear's "job" was to help "Mario" {the trash man} to load up the letters that matched the word on the card into the trash truck.
i set out the milk caps needed to spell the word along with a few others. and he set to work finding the correct letters. after he had laid them out in order, i helped him sound out the words.
we also used this same up to do a garbage truck math activity to practice counting. we used wooden number pieces from a puzzles, colored craft pom poms, and tongs. this is an extended idea from our math with tongs activity. Bear chose a number, then dropped the corresponding number of pom poms into the "trash can" {empty fruit cup}. after he had done that, he helped "Mario" dump it in the back of the garbage truck.
the next activity was a garbage truck color and size sorting activity. i originally saw this idea on No Time for Flashcards done as a recycling center. to correspond to our garbage truck theme, Bear pretended that his Matchbox flatbed was a sanitation truck that delivered trash cans. all of the various sizes and colors of legos were put off to the side. then i pretended to call him and tell him what color houses needed whatever sizes. he then found the correct color and appropriate size (big, medium, or little) and "delivered" it to the corresponding house.
we also did a garbage bag windsock using a drawstring trash bag. i laid it out flat and Bear drew on it with permanent markers. he asked me to draw with him, so we ended up working together. to turn it into a windsock, i cut the seam on the bottom so it was open. then i sliced strips up towards the top. i think that it turned out really cute!
here are also some of our favorite books about garbage trucks. {and a link to the garbage truck we have}







Oh I love this! Miss Daisy also runs to the front window to see the garbage truck each week - I love that you've used it to promote engaging learning! :) Will have to give this a try with some of our Little People! :)
ReplyDeleteI love the garbage truck video! that is lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas for incorporating literacy and math skills into play! I know the little boys that join us for home preschool would love these activities.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post from another mom who's boys love Garbage trucks!
ReplyDeletewww.littlegarbagecollectors.com
Fantastic garbage truck learning and fun! I am in love with the wind sock. Did your son decorate both sides?
ReplyDeleteGotta love anything with Garbage Trucks !
ReplyDeleteThis is so great - I love all of the activities you did, especially the recycling/color matching. Every activity is so clever and such a fun way to learn. Glad to finally see the garbage trucks in action!
ReplyDeleteAll four of mine go running as soon as they hear the trucks! We get three (garbage, recycle and greens), and they get really upset if we leave the house before all three stop by. Fantastic activities, all of them. I've pinned several. I know J-Bug will love them, and I might adapt a few for JZ's age, too. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to feature this post tomorrow on The Sunday Showcase as well.
DeleteFun idea! I featured you today! Thanks for sharing at mom’s library!
ReplyDeletehttp://chickenbabies.blogspot.com/2013/02/moms-library-linky-11.html
Nico would LOVE this! Just gotta find a functional garbage truck like that one and we'll be able to do it :) I'm sure we'll do the other ones too. (We also featured your post in this week's The Kids Co-op post on our blog http://glitteringmuffins.com/2013/02/07/kids-co-op-40/)
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