Create Your Own Race Course

45 minutes

Intended for 24 guests, grades 1-3

It can be easy to get caught up in frilly, lacy tea parties, and Pinkalicious programs, but we are leaving some guests out.  The boys -- who are typically harder to reach out to in the first place.  Well, this program is for the boys! 

Supplies

Cars: Rushing! Honking! Zooming! by Patricia Hubbell
Wiki-sticks
24 scissors
Poster board
Markers
Crayons

Set-up

Set up 6 tables in the room how ever you like for crafting.  I don't use chairs, I think kids craft better on their feet.  Plus, if this program is after school, they have been sitting all day...  At each table place 6 poster boards, 2 hand fulls of wiki-sticks, 6 scissors, and assorted markers and crayons. 

Program

Waiting for guests to arrive can be a little awkward.  No one arrives at the same time, and some come late.  To avoid any weirdness, play a game of Red light, Green light, 1, 2, 3! as the children come in.  When new guests arrive, they can just hop into the action. 

If you have never played Red light, Green light, 1, 2, 3!, it is simple enough.  Have the librarian stand at one end of the room and the children at the other.  (It is best to play this length wise in the room and not width wise.)  The librarian turns towards the wall, away from the children and says "Red light, Green light, 1, 2, 3!" and while the librarian is turned around the children try to make it to the other side of the room.  The librarian can say it fast or slow or any variation there in.  If the librarian turned around and catches a child moving, he/she can send the child back to start.  The children need to be stealth!  It's fun. 

Once all of the guests have arrives, it's story time!  Read through "Cars: Rushing! Honking! Zooming!" by Patricia Hubbell. 

After the book, it's time for a your craft.  Making a race track!  You want to make sure you have enough time, which is why I only suggested one book.  Each child gets a piece of poster board.  It doesn't have to be huge just sturdy.  In fact, you could cut the standard size poster board in half and that would be great.  The piece I used was 14.5" by 18".  Have the children place the wiki-sticks on the board as though they are outlining a race track.  Wiki-sticks are string covered in wax.  The wax makes them sticky so they can stick to the board, and they are pliable, so they can put as many twists and turns in the race track as they can dream up.  They can then color in the track to decorate it and add personality.