Before the activity take the children to a safe spot where they can observe the traffic.
Ask them to tally the number of cars, buses and lorries and the special features
of each vehicle.

In the classroom, discuss their findings and what they observed. You could also
have pictures and models at hand.

• How many of each vehicle did they see? What vehicle did they see most/least of?
• Why do we need these different vehicles? What do lorries carry? Why?
• Can you name the different parts of a car? A lorry?
• What are the different parts for?
• What makes a car or a bus or a lorry go?
• How are all these vehicles the same/different.
• If you could be a vehicle which would you choose to be. Close your eyes and
  visualise the front view of your vehicle and paint it very carefully onto your Top or
  Tabard so that people will know that you are a car, bus or lorry. How many
  wheels, lights and windows will you see? Are there any wing mirrors on your
  vehicle? Will there be a number plate?

• When your Top or Tabard is dry, wear it. How do you think your car, bus or lorry feels every day. It has to go out in all
  weathers and has to carry people about from one place to another. Will itenjoy doing this every day? Role-play how
  your vehicle might feel on a windy day, a snowy day, a foggy day? How might it move? How might it move on a bright,
  sunny day? Does it always do as the driver tells it?
• Write a story about your car or bus or lorry while you are wearing your Top or Tabard. What might it do on a typical day?
  How might it feel? For example, does it enjoy the school run every morning? Might it like to go somewhere else
  instead? Make a list of words describing how your car might feel on different days and a list of words to describe how
  it moves. This will help with your writing.

Meeting curriculum requirements:

This activity uses dressing up and role-play to stimulate language development and creative writing. It requires observation,
recollection, imagination and painting skills. It will extend the children’s knowledge and understanding of road safety.

Tips for Painting:

Tops and Tabards must be kept flat when they are being painted
Have different brush sizes available
Keep one set of brushes for each colour
Encourage the children to paint boldly
If things go wrong, wipe out with a damp cloth

Useful Reference:

Pictures and models of vehicles.

What you will need:

Tops or Tabards , paints, paint trays, water jars, paper towels, rags and brushes. Your community policeman or woman or
school crossing keeper could be involved in this activity.

Activity 0017 Driving what? Driving how?
Activity 0018 Road signs
Activity 0019 Play trains