Dear Parents:
Today we used some of these books, fingerplays, and
other materials in our toddler and preschool storytimes.
Please continue helping your child develop a love for
books and reading by sharing these rhymes, books, and
other activities with your child.
Books To Share
Shark vs. Train
by Chris Barton
I Love Trains!
by Philemon Sturges
Two Little Trains
by Margaret Wise Brown
Dinosaur Train
by John Steven Gurney
Trains: Steaming! Pulling! Huffing!
by Patricia Hubbell
Steam Train, Dream Train
by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Terrific Trains
by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker
How to Train a Train
by Jason Carter Eaton
Whoo! Whoo! Goes the Train
by Anne Rockwell
The Little Engine That Could
retold by Piper Watty
Peek-a-Choo-Choo!
by Marie Torres Cimarusti
Freight Train
by Donald Crews
Fun With Fingerplays and Songs
Engine on the Track
Here is the engine on the track. (thumb)
Here is the coal car just in back. (pointer finger)
Here in the boxcar to carry freight. (middle finger)
Here is the mailcar. Don’t be late! (ring finger)
Way back here at the end of the train (pinky finger)
Rides the caboose through the sun and rain.
Choo-Choo Train
This is the choo-choo train,
(bend arms at elbows)
Puffing down the track.
(rotate forearms in rhythm)
Now it’s going forward,
(move forward)
Now it’s going back.
(move backwards)
Now the bell is ringing,
(pull cord with closed fist)
Now the whistle blows.
(hold fist near mouth)
What a lot of noise it makes everywhere it goes.
(cover ears)
Down by the Station
Down by the station,
Early in the morning.
See the little puffer bellies,
All in a row.
See the station master
Turn the little handle.
Puff, puff, toot, toot, off we go.
Other Fun Things
The Wheels on the Train
(Tune: “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The wheels on the train go clickety-clack,
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack!
The wheels on the train go clickety clack,
All around the track.
All Aboard the Pretend Train
Line up some chairs. Gather some stuffed animals for
passengers. Choose a destination. And let your child
be the Conductor.
Additional verses:
The whistle on the train goes whoo-woo-woo…
The engine on the train goes choo-choo-choo…
The boxcars on the train go rattley-bang…
The caboose on the train goes bye-bye-bye…
Train Snack
Use club crackers for the cars, cheerios for wheels, and
any other food you want for cargo. Your children will
love their edible train.
Pack it up
It’s Time to go on a Trip, Hurray!
Get out a suitcase and pack for a pretend trip. Help
your child think of all the things he/she would need to
take on a trip.
(Tune: “Old Mac Donald Had a Farm”)
It’s time to go on a trip, Hurray! E I E I O,
I pack some socks and fold them tight, E I E I O,
With a sock sock here, and a sock sock there,
Here a sock, there a sock, everywhere a sock sock.
It’s time to go on a trip Hurray! E I E I O.
A to Z
Make an Alphabet Train by lining up something that
begins with each letter of the alphabet (apple, box,
crayon, etc).
Additional verses:
I pack some shirts
I pack some pants
I pack some shoes
I pack some underwear
Zoo Train
Boarding the train next to the zoo
On came an animal,
Do you know who?
We picked up a kangaroo
And what do you know
This is the way the train started to go…
Hop, hop, hop down the track.
Hop, hop, hop now it’s back.
Additional verses
…we picked up a penguin…waddle, waddle, waddle…
…we picked up a bird…flap, flap, flap…
…we picked up a snake…slither, slither, slither…
Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library®
Learning to read begins before your child starts school.
Help your children develop early literacy skills now; this makes it
easier for children to learn to read once they begin school.
Five of the best ways to help your child get ready to read are:



Talking
Singing
Reading


Writing
Playing
If you would like more information, please ask the staff in the
children’s area.
Every Child Ready to Read® is a project of the Association for Library Service to
Children and the Public Library Association, divisions of the American Library
Association.
Updated 12/13
Old Town Library  Council Tree Library  Harmony Library
201 Peterson
2733 Council Tree Avenue
4616 South Shields
A joint-use facility of
Front Range Community College
and Poudre River Public Library District
www.PoudreLibraries.org
221.6740
Reasonable accommodations will be made for access to programs for
people with disabilities. Please call 221.6740 for assistance.