Looking for traffic

There are lots of fun ways we can engage children with the types of vehicles on our roads.

For nursery and primary school levels:

  • ELC
  • P1

Activity idea: Looking for traffic

This activity helps children learn how to look carefully for all sorts of traffic, not just cars.

What you need:

  • Two matching sets of pictures of vehicles – cars, vans, emergency vehicles, bikes, tractors, buses, etc. (or you could use matching sets of toy vehicles)
  • Hoop
  • A variety of small pieces of equipment – markers, cones, rubber rings

Organisation:

  1. Set up an obstacle course using the equipment
  2. Place the hoop at the other end with one set of pictures spread out in the hoop, lying face up
  3. Sit the children in a line at one end of the obstacle course, or in two lines and make it a team game

Activity:

  • Hand the first child a picture and ask them to weave through the obstacle course to the hoop and find the matching picture and bring it back
  • The next child can go before the one in front is finished. Tell the children to LOOK and LISTEN carefully to avoid bumping into obstacles and other children. You can develop this activity by:
    • decreasing the space between the obstacles
    • encouraging children to move a little faster
    • asking the children to move like the vehicle in their picture (for example moving slowly up and down like a tractor or whizzing in and out like a motorbike)
    • leaving the picture behind at the start and matching by memory
  • At the end of the activity discuss the importance of looking for all sorts of traffic when crossing the road, not just cars

Suggested Curriculum for Excellence outcomes this content may relate to:

  • I am learning to assess and manage risk, to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm where possible. HWB 0-16a
  • I can match objects, and sort using my own and others’ criteria, sharing my ideas with others. MNU 0-20c
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