Planes, Trains and Automobile Fun ~ Poppins Book Nook

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With a house full of boys, it is no great surprise that they’d be enthusiastic about at least one form of transportation.  Each of the boys has had a time when they obsessed over a particular mode of transportation.  And, the only thing that changes as they grow is what becomes their obsession.  So, I knew that the planes, trains and automobiles theme for this month’s Poppins Book Nook would be a hit in the house.

 

Planes, Trains and Automobile Fun for Younger Ages

While we have some books around the house for this ‘theme’, the boys enjoy visiting the library to find what appeals to them.  Above is the selection for the younger boys.  Even though non-fiction books seem to be easier to find, they enjoyed some of the story format selections as well.

 

How to Train a Train is a hoot as the child considers having a train for a pet.  Wouldn’t that be interesting?  Can you imagine the train following you around the neighborhood?  Is it any surprise that this one was a favorite for my 4 year old?

 

 

Planes, Trains and Automobile Fun for Tweens and Teens

My eldest son is quite taken with the notion of becoming a pilot, particularly for helicopters.  He spent a month in an intensive program for aviation this past fall and is now looking at different ways he can get his pilot’s license.  That included reading through the 2014 Private Pilot test prep book to keep everything learned in Galena fresh in his brain.

 

Planes are a huge part of Alaskan life as many locations are only reached by a bush plane.  That also means there are plenty of venues for flight training, although some are quite expensive.

 

He also spent time this February preparing a speech for Academic Decathlon with the focus on aviation history.  The DK Flight: The Complete History was one of his preferred references for the speech and I agree that there’s a wealth of interesting facts contained inside the pages.

 

Planes, Trains and Automobile Fun Put into Practice

Even though the boys are somewhat familiar with different modes of transportation, it is always nice to dig a little deeper. 

 

Help with Auto Maintenance:  Wheels are a part of both automobiles and planes and the younger boys got a little up close and personal while helping their dad change the tires on our minivan.  (Alaskans can use studded tires in the winter and need to switch over before May 1st..)  Pretty soon they will have the chance to learn about changing the oil and filters, too.

 

Visit a Museum with a Transportation Theme:  There are several museums around the country that have a particular theme (aviation, automobile, train, etc.) which can be a blast to visit.  When we lived in Maryland, we took a day trip to Dover, DE to visit the Air Mobility Command Museum.  Living in the Anchorage area, we have an aviation museum and the opportunity to attend an annual open house for the Alaska Railroad. 

 

Practice Rules of the Road with Matchbox Vehicles:  If your house is like mine, there is an abundance of these small vehicles.  We also have a play rug with roads which offers the opportunity to take the free play of driving vehicles around the rug into a more organized learning opportunity by adding rules of the road for the older kids.  The parent or a teenaged sibling who’s driving can call out different changes in the driving environment such as when a light is turning green, yellow or red.  Add to the adventure by finding small figures to be pedestrians. 

Explore Aviation by Constructing Different Flyers:  A perennial favorite for kids is building a paper airplane.  There are tons of resources in print or online format to help you with this.  I found a neat little book that shows several easy to make paper airplanes at a yard sale complete with stickers to decorate your plane, if so desired.

 

 

What are some ways you incorporate learning about planes, trains and automobiles in your home?

What is your child’s favorite mode of transportation?

 

 

This post is part of the Poppins Book Nook. Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God’s Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Faith and Good Works ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy’s Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy’s Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ Our Simple Kinda Life ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Simplicity Breeds Happiness ~ Raventhreads ~ Water on the Floor ~ Learning Fundamentals ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ Mom’s Heart ~ A Moment in our World ~ Every Bed of Roses ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ Suncoast Momma ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A “Peace” of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

 

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Curious about what is coming up with Poppins Book Nook? Check out the upcoming themes! Clip Art by Melon Headz.