Image: funlearningforkids.com

This week’s Camp Au Pair theme is Cars & Trucks.

Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to all kinds of vehicles can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Cars & Trucks pinboard.

Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Here are a few places that fit this theme:

• Smithsonian Museum of American History has an exhibit with cars and trucks from a variety of different time periods.
• Port Discovery in Baltimore has a fun gas station exhibit where kids can pretend they are driving a car and filling it up at the gas station.
• Look for construction areas where the kids can observe big machines in action. Kids should observe from the car or a safe area.
• Keep an eye out for the trash truck and let them watch the truck in action.
• Playseum in Bethesda has fun interactive activities for kids to try.
• Go to a drive-through car wash or let the kids make their own car wash at home.
• Touch a Truck is a free, family-friendly event taking place at the Bowie Baysox stadium on August 3.

Videos – Amazing Big Trucks is a kid-friendly video showing big trucks in action. Look for fun videos on YouTube about cars and trucks.

Movies – Cars, Turbo, The Love Bug, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Bob the Builder Mega Machines movies all fit this theme. Common Sense Media’s list of Best Car Movies for Kids and Teens has more suggestions. (Always check with your host parents first, as some of these movies are rated PG or PG-13.)

Books – Common Sense Media’s list of books about Cars, Trucks, and Trains has lots of great suggestions, including Let’s Go for a Drive! An Elephant and Piggie Book, Bulldozer’s Big Day, and Go, Dog, Go! Stop by your local library for these and other books about cars and trucks.