Cars and motorbikes are fast, colourful and noisy. Various components work together to do incredible things. They have powerful engines and speedy wheels. It is easy to understand why children love motorbikes and cars!
Cars are a prominent method of transport in Australia. Children see real cars in everyday life and toy cars can be driven by their imaginations.
Early childhood educators can use cars and motorbikes as a teaching opportunity within the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Playing with cars provokes curiosity, imagination, creativity (4.1), problem solving, experimentation and hypothesising (4.2).
Learning experiences
Paint with toy cars
Toy cars can have their wheels dipped in paint so children can make marks on paper. Discuss how cars have different patterns on their tyres.
Pretend to ride a motorbike
Encourage children to sit on balls and pretend they are sitting on motorbikes. They can hold rolled up pieces of paper, pretending they are the handlebars. Turn corners by leaning to the side.
Make cars from blocks
Most block sets have wheels, including LEGO, Duplo and Mobilo. Encourage children to make their own cars and race them with their friends. Educators can sit with the children while they build and talk about the different components of cars.
Drive on roads
Stick long strips of masking tape to the floor to form the streets of a town. Your children can now drive their toy cars through the town. Let them design, expand and improve the roads.
Build bridges and ramps
Anything flat and sturdy can be turned into a ramp. Try oven trays, long wooden blocks or even hardcover books. Show children how cars can go "under", "through" and "over" these structures.
Community connections
Watch a road
Children sit in a safe place where they can view a road. Younger children can call out the colour of each car that drives past. Older children can create a number tally on paper, using different coloured pens to record the colour of each passing car.
Visit a car or motorbike dealership
Children with a strong interest in cars and or motorbikes will be fascinated by visiting a dealership. They can inspect different vehicles and ask questions. Consider contacting a nearby dealership to explore the possibilities of arranging an excursion.
Music
- The Wiggles: Big red car
- Sesame Street: Let's go driving