![\"Building](\"https:\/\/theeducatorsspinonit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Building-a-Moving-Polar-Express-Train-Ride-with-Preschoolers-.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAffiliate links to amazon used<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our featured book this week for the Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids<\/a> is the popular book The Polar Express<\/a> by Chris Van Allsburg. We’ve shared so many fun learning ideas about trains on The Educators’ Spin On it. It’s such a popular theme for preschoolers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can peek at our Train Activities and Crafts Here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this activity, we’re going to work on a challenge with your child to see how they can build their own Polar Express train ride and make it move. I know you’ll be having quite a few boxes coming to your house this holiday season so it’s a perfect one for recycling boxes into a toy just like in our Chalkboard Town<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Polar Express<\/a>\u00a0by Chris Van Allsburg<\/p>\n\n\n\n Materials<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Instructions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Read the book The Polar Express<\/a> with your child. You’ll find this book brings to life the magic of Christmas for all who BELIEVE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Challenge them to find a way with you to make their own Polar Express Train that moves just like the one in the book. Have a pile of recycled cardboard ready for them to choose some pieces from with you. * This will be an adult guided train craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. First create your Polar Express Train by cutting out shapes to build your train. Below our train tutorial I’ve attached some ideas for inspiration. The goal is really to let you child be inspired. The ideal size would be around 4 inches. It doesn’t need to be very big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We ended up experimenting how to make a train together and come up with this design. I’m sharing in case you need some inspiration. The dotted lines mean folded lines and the solid lines are where you cut.<\/p>\n\n\n *If you want to opt-out of this DIY train craft you could always use an existing wooden train set<\/a> that you have at your house.<\/p>\n\n\n The pieces will all fold up into each other so that you can tape them down to make the train. Don’t forget the train wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Polar](\"https:\/\/theeducatorsspinonit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/the-polar-express.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMoving Polar Express Train Ride Craft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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