🍎 In the classroom
Planned for a toddler class
A fellow blogger who teaches a tot class loved the activity and planned to try it with her group.
“loving this activity! Will try at my tot class!”
The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · February 2013
Ages3–6 yrs
Prep15 min
Activity20 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class
Kids paint a toilet paper roll, add stickers for windows, and glue on construction paper strips for the wings and a pinch-folded tail wing. Then they fly their planes and talk about the parts of an airplane.
⚠️ Safety first
- An adult cuts the construction paper strips. Kids should use child-safe scissors only if they snip strips to length themselves.
- Use non-toxic, washable paint and supervise painting.
- Stickers are small. Watch younger children so they don't put them in their mouths.
Before the kids arrive
- Cut long strips of construction paper for the wings and smaller strips for the tail wings. You can cut them longer and snip them to length later.
- Set up the paint, plus brushes if your kids want them.
Steps
Paint the toilet paper roll all over with your fingers or a brush.
Let the paint dry.
Press on stickers for the windows.
Glue a long paper strip across the top of the roll for the 2 big wings.
Pinch fold a small strip and glue it near the back for the tail wing.
Talk about the parts of your plane: the big wings, the tail wing, the doors and the windows.
Get ready to soar! Fly your airplane and bring it in for a landing.
Tips
- Talk about what you're making while you work. We talked about the 2 large wings, a rear/tail wing (just keeping it kid-friendly) and the doors and windows.from the author
- Mine just went all in with the painting, but if your child prefers a brush, by all means.from the author
- Cut the wing strips a bit long and snip them to your length later.from the author
- Remember to do a pinch fold for the tail wing.from the author
- Any simple craft is a wonderful tool to introduce new concepts. This one is just the humble beginning of an extended learning opportunity.from the author
Make it your own
- Build an airport on the floor with painter's tape, with runways for taxi and take off.
- Play pilot and control tower operations with the finished planes.
What readers say
💬 3 comments 🍎 tried with 1 classes or groups
Read all 3 comments
Varya @ littleartists · Feb 2013
Hopping over from Kids Co-Op! loving this activity! Will try at my tot class!
Buzzin · Feb 2013 · replying to Carla
Glad you like it. Thanks for sharing :-)