Little Cars Stop at the Teacher's Gas Station

Children drive cars around the room using a hoop as a steering wheel and, when they run out of gas, come back to the teacher's gas station for a fill-up with a high five. It builds moving at different speeds and choosing on their own to return to the adult.

How to play

1. Each child takes a hoop as a steering wheel; the teacher sits in the gas station, marked with cones (1 min).
2. Drive slowly around the room going "vroom, vroom," then stop at the gas station to fill up with a high five (2 min).
3. The teacher calls "Highway!" and we go faster; "Town!" and we go slowly (3 min).
4. Whenever a car feels it's running out of gas, it goes to the station on its own; the teacher fills it up and says where to go: "Now drive to the window" (3 min).
5. It's raining: windshield wipers with our arms, and we drive very slowly back to the station (2 min).
6. Park the cars in a row by the teacher and turn off the engines by blowing (1 min).

Rules

• We drive without crashing into other cars.
• At the gas station we wait in line.
• When the teacher says "town," we go slowly.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child in the wheelchair drives their real wheels, and the gas station has a wide lane for them.
• Autism: stick to two speeds and show a highway or town picture.
• Hearing impairment: highway is a green card and town is a red card that the teacher holds up.

Learning goals

• Move while changing speed.
• Return to the adult on their own initiative.
• Move around the space without bumping.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hoops: 25
• Cones: 6

Teacher tip

The fill-up is a quick moment of connection with each child: look at them and say their name. If someone won't leave the gas station, let them be the attendant's helper for a while.

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