Age
⚙ 3 years and up
Time and Place
⚙ Any time of day
⚙ Any time of year (unless ground/sand is frozen)
⚙ Outdoors
Materials
⚙ 3 or 4 used tires
⚙ Shovels and buckets
⚙ A sandbox or open area with dirt where children can dig
Safety
⚙ Supervise children at all times
⚙ Assist children if needed when moving tires or placing them in the holes
Instructions
Let the children explore the tires. Ask what the tires could be used for. If the children do not come up with the idea on your own, adults may suggest burying the tires sideways in the ground. The children will dig holes, test the stability of the tires, and make sure they can play on them safely.
Questions You May Ask
⚙ What can you use the tires for?
⚙ What do you notice about the sand as you dig?
⚙ How can you test to see if the tires are stable? How do you know?
⚙ What other way could we place the tires (e.g., closer together, on their side, deeper)?
Play-based Context
The children were moving tires around in the yard randomly. The educator asked the children, "What can we do with the tires?" The children asked if they could place the tires vertically to create a little play structure.
Related Children's Books
⚙Tires, Spokes, and Sprockets: A Book about Wheels and Axels by Denise Shea
⚙Why Do Tractors Have Such Big Tires? by Tg Tjornehof
⚙The Spooky Tire by Jon Scieszka
