Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Day 13 - Car Wash

We learned about the car wash today.  We did our Opening Circle activities and then went straight into the 20 spots lesson.  Lachlan saw the picture of the car with diamonds on it in the lesson plan book and was interested.  I got out the blueprint paper we use and asked him what kind of car he wanted me to draw.  He said he wanted a race car so I did my best.  It looked like a standard car with a spoiler on the back.  He wasn't quite convinced.  Next he wanted a motorcycle.  I asked him to go get one of his toy motorcycles for me to look at while I drew.  He ran to the front bedroom to find his motorcycle and so did Peter of course.  Lachlan came back with a motorcycle and Peter came back with a truck he called a race car.

I set the motorcycle on the corner of the paper while I drew.  Peter followed suit by putting his "race car" on the paper with the race car already drawn on it.

I put the counting card on the corner of the paper and threw the diamonds on the motorcycle to make it "dirty".  Next they had to clean the motorcycle by removing the diamonds and putting them on the Counting Card.


At this point I still only had my two boys and the other 2 boys I watch on Monday's weren't here yet so I thought we would do the messiest activity next.  Actually, depending on how you look at it, it could be the cleanest activity.  Playing with soap.  The Washing Bubbles lesson is so much fun.  Another activity I will keep in mind to do again.  They instruct you to cut the bottom of a plastic disposable water bottle.  Then put a sock over the end.  Instead of using a cut off sock I chose to use a child size sock.  Then in a shallow tray mix dish soap and water.  Dip the sock covered water bottle in the water and blow through the mouth of the bottle.  What followed shocked and amazed my boys as a stream of bubbles came flowing out the end.  We were covered in suds and so was the picnic table.  At the very end I had to hose the whole thing down because it was very slippery.  Something to keep in mind when you choose your location for bubble fun.
Slippery picnic table
Towards the end I could feel them starting to get a little antsy so I told them to go get their vehicles to wash in the bubbles.  Why not, we are learning about the car wash today.

We didn't actually do the Stop and Go lesson, Lachlan and I just had the discussion, the day just ended up getting too busy.  This lesson had you talk to them about riding in an elevator or on an escalator and ask them what it's like.  Then tie that to how at some car washes the car is automatically moved through the wash like you are moved on an escalator.  Then you were to drape a blanket over a table and have them go through it like a car in a car wash following your "stop" and "go" commands.  However, asking this question was enough to make Lachlan's eyes get all big and excited.  In the last couple of weeks he not only got to drop his Grandma and Grandpa off at the airport but he also to go pick them up.  When he and Peter saw the escalators it was all we could do to keep them off them long enough for Grandma and Grandpa to check in.  But once they were all checked in we went for a ride.  Up and down we went.  The looks from the airport staff and patrons were great.  Everyone actually really enjoyed seeing our little guys filled with wonder over these amazing stairs that moved and their excitement over successfully getting off at the top and bottom.  It was so fun to hear Lachlan recall the details of how an escalator works. 

1 comment:

  1. Awesome I'm saving this idea to use for our states of mater (gas). Love it!

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