Melissa and Doug Wooden Vehicles & Traffic Signs 16 Wooden Pieces Item # 774 Ages 3+ Melissa and Doug Shop Online

Help the child identify the colors on each of the vehicles. Challenge him or her to find the same color on more than one vehicle (for example, the red stop sign on the school bus and the red fire engine, or the green stripe on the city bus and the green recycling truck).

Talk to the child about what each of the vehicles is called (recycling truck, ice cream truck, school bus, tow truck, fire engine, mail truck, mail truck, ambulance, delivery truck) and how they are used.

Help the child count the wheels on one of the vehicles. When he or she is able to count them independently, ask him or her to count the wheels on two vehicles, then three, etc. Help the child to count other details, such as windows, rectangles, or steps on the fire ladder.

Challenge the child to sort the vehicles based on details, such as those with red on them and those without, or those that have two windows, four windows, and more than four windows. Ask the child to count the number of vehicles in each group.

Ask the child to choose two vehicles and place them on a “starting line” on a flat surface. Ask the child to identify the vehicle on the right and the vehicle on the left, ask him or her to push the right vehicle with the right hand the left hand left vehicle with the left hand and see which vehicle rolls farther!

Encourage the child to tell a story using the vehicles. Ask him or her to give names to the imaginary drivers and passengers, and talk about where they are going and why. Use string, yarn, blocks, or chalk (if surface is erasable) to create streets which the vehicles can navigate.