Ice Cream Shop

A little while ago I added planters to our cardboard house.

We started with flowers and pinwheels in them. 

 Then one of the children mentioned ice cream.

So I grabbed some small funnels and she collected pom poms from the art area.

And that was the beginning of our Ice Cream Shop

I'm always amazed how things show up when we need them before

we know we need them.

As we were playing with ice cream, a family asked if I wanted 

their lemonade stand.

I rarely say no to an offer and this was a perfect addition to our classroom.

I set it up beside our house so the children

could transfer from one box to the other.

A cash register was added as well as other ice cream props.

It was a busy shop.

With lots of customers

and hard workers.

Where's the Fire?

Now that we have a fire truck we need to practice our fire fighting skills,

but where?

We built a house from another cardboard box.

Gotta love cardboard boxes.

We used an old orange cheer leader's pom pom for fire.

So much action play.

Day after day.

Transforming Airplane to Fire Truck Part 2

Our next step was to convert our Buffalo search and rescue plane to a fire truck.

The propellers and wings needed to be removed first.

Then we started to paint.

Day 1 and the painting was completed we started to work on the inside.

We added a steering wheel on a table with foot pedals below it

as well as some seats.

Of course a fire hose was a necessity.

Day 2 and I put out materials to help decorate the outside of the truck.

Wheels, ladders and lights were made.

 I attached a bell in lieu of a siren.

I set up an area with information that we received from the fire station

and the clothing fire fighters wear.

Finally we finished with a thank you card for 

fire fighter Jonathan and his crew

that did an awesome job.

How We Transitioned from an Airplane to Fire Truck Part 1

It started with changing our table from an airport to roads.

Then the kindergarten class lent us their fire station.

Then we built a ramp to connect the two.

We played for this for awhile then I organized a tour to the fire station.

We learned about fire safety and got to climb in the trucks.

Once we were back at school we started thinking and planning.

How do airplanes and fire trucks differ?

What does a fire truck need?

Ready to Fly

While the children were busy buying their tickets and checking their luggage

they wondered where the plane was.

Here it is.

A control panel that we have used for several years.

Lots of buttons and switches to push and move.

This is the beginning of our airplane.

Cardboard panels define the body of the plane.

Classroom chairs fill it up.

The windows are photos printed from the internet.

We've since added front window photos for the pilot.

They are images of our airport.

Watch for future photos.

The seats have bags on the back to hold the safety cards.

Each chair has it's own seat belt.

We are ready to fly!