I’ve mentioned before how obsessed my son is with cars, trucks, trains…pretty much anything that is a vehicle.
We know the truck section at the library by heart. One of his favorite truck books he checked out this summer is I Am a Backhoe.
Once we had read the book several times, it just seemed natural to act out all the trucks the little boy in the book acted out.
Using our hands we pretended to be backhoes – scooping up dirt and rocks. Then we reached way up high on our tippy-toes and were cranes.

With our hands together and facing out, we pushed “dirt” like bulldozers…and then he spotted his red step-stool and decided to add it to the fun – making it the shovel for the bulldozer, and later it was on his back like a dump truck.
(To make it even more fun I crumpled up some paper “rocks” for us, too!)
I wanted a little craft to go with our book, so we decided to make construction vehicle puppets.
There are several sites where you can find coloring book pictures of cars/trucks. Print out the picture both
facing right and left. (Crayola.com has a few where they are already facing both ways!) Color the pictures and cut them out and then glue them together over a popsicle stick. So simple!(We made a dump truck and a bulldozer, which are in the book, but my Monkey HAD to have the fire truck, too!)
Have a little guy (or girl) who loves trucks as much as mine does? I highly recommend checking out this book!
Debbie says
Thanks for the ideas. I am going to get some of those printables to do with my grandchildren who are coming to visit today. This was a very timely post for me. Enjoy the weekend.
OneMommy says
I hope you and your grandkids have lots of fun crafting! 🙂
kassie says
What a awesome activity. My son would love that book too.
Thanks for stopping by on my SITS day!
OneMommy says
Bet your library has it! We love our library’s truck section!
Kristen says
Polly Pocket used to make these little cars that were all sparkly and girlie that had mini polly pocket dolls (without the pain in the bum clothes). My girls had tons of them. They had to collect all of the colors. We gave them a way about two years ago but my girls still remember them and talk about them. I love that they love cars the way I do.
OneMommy says
My daughter loves anything small and tiny (and yes, that includes Polly and her friends). I’ve never seen those particular cars, but she does have a few Hot Wheels that are “girly” colors she uses to play with her brother. I love that she is willing to play cars with him.
The Lovely One says
I think my 3 year old with love this book! He’s obsessed with all things that go!
OneMommy says
LOL- it must be something with that age and things that go! 🙂
Natalie says
Very fun activities to go with this book. Thanks for joining WMCIR!
karen says
stopping in from SITS sharefest. Will have to checkout that book for anthony. He is obsessed with cars and dinsaurs.
OneMommy says
It’s a pretty fun book to read with kids. There is a companion book about dinosaurs, too.
Ruth at number 29 says
Cool ideas! We love trucks in our house. (nearly as much as we love lego!) Thank you.
OneMommy says
Here it is all cars, trucks, trains… (anything with wheels) and lately, Octonauts. 🙂
Jenny says
My little boy is just like that! We’re definitely going to have to seek out this book! 🙂
Mackenzie says
What a great book and activity to go with it! I know my boys would love both! Thanks for linking up on Saturday Show and Tell. I hope you’ll be back again this week with some more of you great ideas.
-Mackenzie
http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com
OneMommy says
Thanks for hosting!
We love our trucks around here – now I have to see this fire truck cake in your latest post! 🙂
Donna says
What a fun activity and so imaginative