4 Activities to Teach about Transportation

Planes, trains and automobiles are fun subjects to bring into the classroom environment to excite young learners. Here are four easy activities to fascinate little transport fans. 

1. Adjectives, comparatives and superlatives

Arrange some realia of a range of transport types in the classroom. Ask your learners to make sentences (orally) using adjectives, comparatives and superlatives. For example:

The aeroplane is the fastest.
The train is faster than the car.
The car is slower than the plane.

You can use four or five basic adjectives to construct many sentences. The transport realia will help learners get on with the task and provide some inspiration as they work.

2. Aeroplane design

Ask the class to design a new aeroplane exterior using blank templates. Encourage them to be as creative as possible, using colour and pattern on their bespoke aeroplane. Learners can work in groups and once complete, ask them to give mini-presentations to talk through the design of their aeroplanes.

3. Guessing game

Ask your pupils to work in small groups and give them clues to guess all the transport types. An alternative for higher-level learners is for the learners to make the clues themselves and pass between groups.

It is very big and very fast …….. (aeroplane)
I go to school every day in my …….. (car)
A lot of people go on the …… (bus) together.
It travels on the water. (a boat)
Using this type of transport is better for your health. (a bicycle)

4. Make paper aeroplanes

Give each learner a piece of paper or template for a paper aeroplane. Once they have created it, ask them to write three words on the wing of the aeroplane which relate to aeroplanes. Next, ask them to stand at the front of the class and throw their paper aeroplanes. Once they have thrown their own, they should collect another aeroplane and read what is written on the wing. This activity allows everyone to speak about aeroplanes in a fun and engaging manner while involving the whole class.

Discover two fantastic new books about transport in the Ladybird Readers family.