The Bus Project – Toddler F Class

The Toddler F class just completed “The Bus Project.” The project came after I noticed the children lining up and sitting in chairs. Each time I asked what they were doing, they replied, “Ms. Susan, we’re going to Hobby Lobby!” I wasn’t sure if they were interested in Hobby Lobby or how to get to Hobby Lobby. After exploring Hobby Lobby by viewing pictures, drawing and a virtual tour, I realized the children were interested not in the store, but the means of getting there.

We began with an investigation: What kind of vehicle was big enough to fit everyone? We explored real vehicles. The children decided a car was too small, an SUV didn’t provide enough seats, but a bus was perfect. Every child had his or her own seat and seatbelt, and everyone was happy! The children learned that the bus has three doors. While trying to open one of the doors, they discovered the handle was inside. The children learned about the different parts of the bus and their functions. We asked questions including, “Which of the parts are circles? Squares? Rectangles?” “What does the steering wheel do?” Why do we wear seat belts?” “Why does the bus need gas?”

The children made a list of parts they wanted to create for the bus mural and classified them by shape. They used various materials and loved painting glue on the mural to hold each part in place. I was surprised that they actually understood where each part should be placed, according to their experiences analyzing the CDC bus! We had a lot of fun exploring and creating the bus mural.