Car, trucks, trains, boats, and anything that rolls, flies, or moves keep preschoolers engaged and entertained! This is why adding cars to a block area, construction vehicles to a sandbox or table, and playing with boats in water are all great activities to add to a transportation or vehicle theme in preschool. Our transportation emergent reader encourages pre-reading and reading skills that are still developmentally appropriate and fun!
Transportation Emergent Reader
Our free printable transportation emergent reader is a low prep (almost no prep!) reading activity for preschoolers to use during a vehicle or transportation theme.
Simply print the emergent reader file from the pink button below.
When you download the file, the pages are set up to be used in whatever order you prefer. It includes a cover page and 5 pages of the story. You could also take out a page if needed before making copies for your preschoolers.
To prep the transportation emergent reader all you will need to do is print, cut and staple. Each printed page of the emergent reader has 2 of the same page of the story on it – one on the top and one on the bottom. This means that after you print, all you have to do is stack the pages in order, and then use the paper cutter to cut down the gray dotted line in the middle. After you cut the book in 1/2, staple the pages together in the upper left corner.
Each page of the ocean emergent reader has the name of a vehicle word and the same high frequency words on it.
The text is repetitive except for the transportation themed word. That is the only word that changes on each page. This allows early readers to be able to pick up on the high frequency sight words and that do not change on each page.
Early Reading With Preschoolers
Adding emergent readers and other early reading learning activities to a preschool classroom builds confidence and encourages preschoolers to practice and become independent readers of their little book collection, including the transportation emergent reader.
When I am working with a small group of preschoolers, I will have the group go through each page with me. We are looking for the repeating high frequency words that we have been working with or a themed word.
We take the time to use the same color crayon to color the high frequency or themed word on each page. Then we go back to the beginning, so that I can read the first page to the group.
In this transportation emergent reader, this would be the vehicle and the word go.
We practice bouncing our finger under each words as it’s read aloud. With the repetitive text, the group quickly picks up on the words. With the vehicle word and the word go colored, the group already knows what the word will be, and is able to bounce and read fluidly across the page.
A second group will color the same words, but with more direction. I will read the page and show the group where the words are on their pages.
After the transportation themed words are colored in, I will read the words on the first page again. This group will usually read along with me!
I have a couple of preschoolers who are able to sit down and just read. So I take cues from this group whether they need to color the words at all, or if they are good to go.
No matter which group comes to my table though, they all leave just a little more confident. And that’s really all I can ask for as they are getting ready to head into kindergarten next year!
Beyond the Emergent Reader
In my classroom, we will keep the emergent reader around for the week. By Friday, we are reading it with partners, reading it as a whole group, etc. and then it goes into their school bags to go home.
I encourage my families to add each of our emergent readers to a reusable gallon freezer bag to keep. I tell them that keeping them through kindergarten is a great idea so that they will have something to read on their level at home.
Over the past school year, I have wished that we could practice our emergent readers as a whole group. I was looking for a quick idea instead of taking the time to pass out all of the emergent readers, find the first page, getting our reading fingers ready – which all takes so many minutes.
So I started creating pocket chart versions of our emergent readers. We have helpers point and we read, which is fun. And we are able to take reading and our high frequency words to another level. Some of my preschoolers love having the pocket chart up, so that they can access even more words to write with. When we are actively using the words all week, they are able to better use those big kids skills to bring their reading and writing skills even further.
My goal is to have pocket chart readers available for all of my current and future emergent readers.
Club Preschool members can find the ones that are already created in the emergent reader or circle time section of the Printables by Skill on the dashboard.
Not a Club Preschool member yet?
Get on our invite list ASAP! Doors are opening in the next few weeks and our exclusive member discount will only be available for a few days this year.
Grab your copy of the transportation emergent reader now!
