First Trip

Ask the children if they have ever travelled on a train, underground train or tram.

Where did they go?
Tell them they’re going to play the choo choo train game!

• Have the children line up and put their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
• Explain that when you say, “go” they will move around the classroom like a choo choo train, and when you say, “red light” they will slow the train down and stop.
• Play a few rounds of the choo choo train game.

• Have each group pick a building card and build one of the models shown in the sidebar.
• When the children have finished building, ask them to work together to build a double-ended track.
• Make sure the track is long enough to fit the train station and the destination (using eight track pieces is recommended).
• Start at the train station and use a LEGO^® DUPLO^® figure as a passenger.
• Tell the children that the passenger would like to go fishing at the harbour.
• Can you help them get to the harbour?

Tip: The children don’t have to build what’s on the building cards. They can build any feature they would like.

The children are likely to stop the train one of three ways:

• By hand, which they’ve learned in the getting started activities
• Using the red action brick
• Using the red end points

Show the three different ways of stopping the train.
Talk to the children about the red action bricks.

Ask questions like:

• How many red action bricks did you use?
• Where did you place the red action brick(s) and why?
• Where did the train stop?

Encourage the children to build a longer track and to create more stops.
Pique their interest in using the green action bricks on the track.

Ask questions like:

• What did you see when the train went over green action bricks?
• How can we help the train get back to the station?

Evaluate the children’s skills development by observing if they’re:

• Identifying cause and effect relationships
• Observing and describing objects and events
• Asking questions about concepts related to science and technology