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Train Reading Game: Railroad Word Crash

May 3, 2013 By Jessica Petersen 14 Comments

While I was taking photos for Word Family Freight Yard, my guest post on Train Up a Child, the Little Engineer was not entirely enthused about doing the activity.  While we had happily played this train reading game together in the past, this time he wanted to use his regular wooden train freight, not letter dice, to play in the freight yard train layout we’d built together.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the first kid blogger to run up against this problem.  It can break your heart a little, because even when you’re brainstorming with your blog in mind, you want your ideas to bring fun and learning into your own child’s life.

On this occasion, he was willing wait while I took my photos — as long as I did so quickly — and then go back to playing trains the normal way.  But I knew I wouldn’t enjoy writing about an activity he hadn’t been a part of, even if we had done it together on a previous occasion.  I had to come up with a way to get him involved.

Train Reading Game: Railroad Word Crash

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Practice Game @ Play Trains!

I set Percy and Thomas up at the top of two bridges in our layout, and built two words as block towers at the bottom of the ramps down.

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Game @ Play Trains!

Then I said to the Little Engineer, “Crash ‘FOX’!”

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Game @ Play Trains!

Over his laughter, I added, “Crash ‘CAB’!”

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Game @ Play Trains!

It’s amazing how fast he read those words when there was crashing to be done.

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Game @ Play Trains!

And then the really cool part happened.  As Thomas and Percy lay there, waiting for the breakdown train to rescue them, the Little Engineer swooped in and started building his own word towers.

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Game @ Play Trains!

Most of them weren’t actual words, of course, but he carefully stacked them. Carefully, and enthusiastically…before he crashed them once again.

Railroad Word Crash: Train Reading Game @ Play Trains!

Which reminded me just how important it is to know what you can do to engage your child in an activity.  For mine, it tends to be pretend play.  Pretend play…and knocking things down.  I’ll officially add that one to the list.

While I used this as an ice breaker to get my son into another activity, this train reading game could be used on its own to practice word families or sight words — and spelling, as the Little Engineer demonstrated.  I think we’ll be playing this a lot in the future, along with Angry Birds Space Letter and Word Crash with Thomas and Percy, another favorite game that combines crashing and reading (and trains and Angry Birds!).

What can you count on to engage your child in an activity?

 

Jessica PetersenJessica Petersen is a full-time track building assistant to her three-year-old son, the Little Engineer.  She shares activities, adventures, and other fun for kids who love trains at Play Trains!  When not playing with the Little Engineer, she is usually writing children’s books.  You can connect with Jessica on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Google+.

Filed Under: Literacy Activities with Trains, Making Trains Exciting Again, Preschoolers, Train Obsessed, Uncategorized, Wooden Train Play

« Exploring the Art of Steam Train, Dream Train (Part 1)
Exploring the Art of Steam Train, Dream Train (Part 2) »

Comments

  1. Georgina says

    May 3, 2013 at 2:57 am

    Some days these kids just have their own agendas. Sheesh! 🙂 Well done for rescuing the situation!

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:22 am

      Haha, yes. He’s just about to hit three-and-a-half, so he has even more of his own agendas than usual! 🙂 Thanks…I was pretty proud of myself!

      Reply
  2. Marsha says

    May 3, 2013 at 4:14 am

    Love Play Trains. Very creative and great activities. You and the Little Engineer have amazing stories and ideas. I will keep checking in.

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:22 am

      Thanks, Marsha! I’m so happy to hear that.

      Reply
  3. Ann @ My Nearest and Dearest says

    May 5, 2013 at 12:07 am

    What a fun literacy activity! My son would love this as he also loves crashes things. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:23 am

      It definitely delivers on the crashes! 🙂

      Reply
  4. katepickle says

    May 5, 2013 at 6:04 am

    oooh crashing into blocks.. so simple and yet so fun! I think I might set this up for my toddler, minus the letters for now! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:24 am

      That would be fun! I love when there are so many different things you can do with the basic concept of an activity. Thanks for visiting!

      Reply
  5. Asia Citro says

    May 5, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    Such a great idea for a game, Jessica! S loves to create nonsense words and have me read them, so she’d love the turn this game took! Crashing is always a win! Fab idea! 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:25 am

      The Little Engineer is really big into nonsense words right now, too! And yes, crashing really does not get old. Or so I’ve observed. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Mama Carmody says

    May 11, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    What a great idea. Kids and crashing things turned into a learning experience. I LOVE the idea.

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:27 am

      Thank you! I’m so glad I remembered how much fun crashing is. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Mary Catherine says

    May 12, 2013 at 1:18 am

    I just love this activity — both as the mama of a train-lover and as an early literacy enthusiast! I’m sure I’ll be using this activity both at home and at preschool. Thanks for sharing at Stress-Free Sunday last weekend.

    Reply
    • Jessica Petersen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:28 am

      I’m so glad you like it, Mary Catherine! I love getting your double seal of approval. 🙂

      Reply

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Jessica Petersen, author of Old Tracks, New Tricks
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