Art: Safe Crossing

Preschool·Creative Arts, Physical Development and Health, Approaches to Learning

Children create an interactive prop to reinforce crosswalk safety.

Children create an interactive prop to reinforce crosswalk safety.

What you'll need
  • crosswalk patterns and person cutouts (see Resources)
  • craft sticks
  • twist ties
  • pedestrian sign stickers
  • glue
  • tape
  • coloring tools
  • utility knife
Step by step

Step 1

Distribute the crosswalk patterns (see Resources). Do the children recognize the picture? Invite them to color the crosswalk as they wish.

Step 2

Divide the person cutouts (see Resources) and craft sticks among the children. Invite them to color the person cutout and tape the craft stick to the back to create a handle. While the children do this, cut a slit along each crosswalk pattern where indicated.

Step 3

Give each child one pedestrian sign sticker to color. Distribute the twist ties so the children can create a sign and pole near the crosswalk. The children can glue the twist tie in place. Explain that the sign is a symbol that helps drivers and walkers notice crosswalks.

Step 4

Show children how to slide the person prop through the slit in the paper and "walk" it across the crosswalk. Review the rule of looking both ways before crossing the street. Allow the children to play with their interactive props until interest fades.

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Learning outcomes

Creative Arts

Visual Arts

  • Creates art with different types of materials and techniques across learning domains

  • Creates art using various art media, techniques, colors, textures, and shapes across learning domains; responds to literature, depicts experiences, or demonstrates feelings via art experiences

Physical Development and Health

Fine Motor Development

  • Refines wrist and finger movements for more control (pours without spilling from small container, successful with some fasteners on clothing, folds paper, manipulates playdough and clay)

  • Uses small, precise hand movements to complete tasks (fastens clothing, folds paper with accuracy and symmetry; begins attempting to tie shoes, uses a dominant hand)

  • Demonstrates growing hand-eye coordination (strings beads, completes multi-piece puzzles, uses lacing cards, tears paper, uses a keyboard); uses eating utensils with ease

  • Demonstrates more precise hand-eye coordination (uses connecting blocks, small pop beads, Lego bricks, forms playdough into more recognizable shapes, builds more intricate block structures, weaves)

  • Uses tools requiring small muscle dexterity (crayons, markers, scissors to cut straight lines, etc.)

  • Uses tools that require strength and dexterity of small muscles with moderate control (holds scissors correctly to cut shapes and curved lines; controls use of writing, drawing, art tools, and art/craft media; uses spray bottles, paper punch)

Physical Development and Health

Safety Awareness and Self-Care

  • Recognizes and avoids potentially harmful items and situations with guidance; begins to follow basic safety and health rules

  • Identifies and alerts others to potentially harmful items, behaviors, situations with guidance; identifies and follows basic safety and health rules

Approaches to Learning

Memory and Reflection

  • Recalls and applies routine knowledge (looks for seatbelt in vehicle, expects ball to come back when bounced); plays memory games

  • Reflects and applies knowledge of past experiences to new situations; makes predictions based on past experiences; uses strategy during memory games

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