Airplane Theme and Activities


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Airplane Songs and Fingerplays

Flying
The airplane had great big wings,
(Arms outstretched)
It's propeller spins around and sings,
 (Make one arm "propeller" spin)
The airplane goes up,
 (Arms up)
The airplane goes down,
 (Arms down)
The airplane flies high all over town.
 ("Fly" around room)

I'm a little airplane (Tune: I'm a Little Teapot)
I'm a little airplane.
 (children raise arms at sides to shoulder height)
Now watch me fly!
 (They spin one of their arms in front of them as if it were a propeller)
Here are my instruments
From down low to up high.
 (With their other arm, they reach from the ground to above their heads)
First I get revved up,
 (Children make engine-like noises while still spinning their arms)
Then I can fly.
 (Children raise arms to shoulder height)
Lifting off the runway
 (They start walking forward)
Up into the sky!
 (They go up on their tiptoes and continue to move forward. Let them circle a while before returning to their original positions.)

 

I'm an Airplane (Tune: Clementine)
I'm an airplane, I'm an airplane
Flying up into the sky.
Flying higher, Flying higher
As I watch the clouds go by.
I'm an airplane, I'm an airplane
See me flying all around.
Flying lower, flying lower,
Till I land down on the ground.

Did You Ever See an Airplane (Tune: Did You Ever See A Lassie)
Did you ever see an airplane,
An airplane, and airplane?
Did you ever see an airplane
Way up in the sky?
There are big ones and small ones
And short ones and tall ones.
Did you ever see an airplane
Way up in the sky?

Airplane Art Activities

Clothespin and Craft Stick Airplane
Hot glue a craft stick to the top and bottom of a clothespin (near the clamp). On the back of the clothespin, glue a half craft stick on top. Let children paint their airplanes any way they wish.

Paper Tube Airplane
Cut small slits in a toilet paper tube, and have children cut out wings from posterboard to place in the slit. Provide a variety of art supplies for children to decorate and color their plane.

Wooden Airplane Scene
Have children paint two craft sticks any way they want. When dry, glue them to look like an airplane on blue construction paper. Allow them to decorate the sky with clouds (cottonballs), or any other ideas they have.

Airplane Math and Science

Airplane Math
Buy a bag of plastic airplanes and use for counting, sorting, patterning, matching, adding and subtracting.

Airplane Graph
Ask children who has flown on an airplane. Graph the results.

Paper Airplane Measuring
Have children create paper airplanes. Take turns flying each airplane from the same spot. Measure the distance that each airplane flies. Make a chart depicting how far each airplane flew.

Airplane Motor Skills and Movement

Airplane Spatial Commands
Give each child a plastic airplane and give them commands, such as "Stand next to your airplane," "Jump over your airplane," "Stand under the airplane", etc.

Fly or Can't Fly
Have children pretend to "fly" around the room. Name things that can fly and things that can't fly (Examples: planes, butterflies, birds, boats, houses, cows, etc. Whenever the children hear the name of something that can't fly, have them slow down and gently "land" on the ground.

Airplane Snacks

Airline Snacks
Form an airplane 'cabin' by setting up two rows of chairs. Each day of the theme, pick different children to act as flight attendants and pass out drinks and bags of pretzels or peanuts to the rest of the children who act as passengers.

Celery Airplanes
Spread peanut butter on a piece of celery. Insert the toothpick into the celery where the airplane wheels would be. Add one grape to each side of the toothpick to give the appearance of wheels on the sides of the airplane. Place a half graham cracker on top for wings.

Banana Airplanes
Let children create an airplane using 1/2 of a banana for the body, 2 pretzel sticks for the wings 4 mini marshmallows for the windows.

More Airplane Resources