Let's go out… on a train ride
Let's go on a sensory journey though the countryside. Let's take the train to the sea side. Watch as the trees zoom past the window, listen to the train travel along the train lines and maybe we can bring a snack to eat as we travel.
Choo choo, the Let's Go Out train is ready to leave the station.
Make your journey more sensory. Try using any of these items while watching. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything or there are things you don’t want to include. Make your sensory journey one you will enjoy.
- Say hello: Look at yourself in a mirror.
- Touch: Model or toy trains, train tickets.
- Smell: Carpet or material upholstery.
- Taste: A snack you would like to eat on your journey.
- See: Look out the window and play ‘i Spy’.
- Sound: What sounds does a train make? What do we hear during an announcement?
Let's head to the railway station
We're off on an adventure, not by car, boat, or flight,
Today we'll board a busy train, hold your to your ticket tight.
First, we reach the station, bustling and bright,
We weave through the busy crowds, our platform is in sight.
Let's get active
- Look at pictures of your local railway stations and describe what you see
- Get paper and pens to design your own ticket station.
- Hold some coins and pretend to buy to buy a train ticket. Swap your coins for a ticket, and if you can, have a conversation with the ticket person i.e. “I’d like one ticket to…”, “How much will that cost me”?
- Make the sounds you’ll hear at the station.
How to find out when your train will arrive
Check the board to find our train, the time and destination.
Find your platform number from the signs up in the station.
On the platform, safety first, stand right back.
And as you board onto the carriage, please mind the gap.
Let's get active
- Get a paper timetable or look it up online. Can you find the right train to get you home on time?
- Create four ‘platforms’ and a screen with locations and platform numbers. Locations can be swapped for visual support if needed.
- Play a call and response game.
An Adult shouts, ‘the train for … is leaving from platform 1’ etc. Travellers must then head to the correct platform.
- Stepping onto the train activity.
Step from the platform onto the train. Mark the gap with something messy such as flour and let pupils take turns taking their step. Create wider ‘gaps’ for fun.
Take a seat, the train is about to leave
The train is ready to depart but you’re still on your feet,
Don’t worry there is plenty of time for you to find a seat.
A whistle blows from outside, the doors shut with a beep,
The train begins to roll along, then takes off with a leap!
Let's get active
- Pretend to be the train conductor. Create a countdown timer and blow the whistle when it reaches zero
- Make a mini tabletop train that your action figures or dolls can ride.
- Create a life-size train in a room with seats and a door. Can you get everyone seated and ready to depart before the whistle is blown?
You can feel the train shake as it moves along.
The train glides smoothly, not on road, but on its winding track,
Gently rocking passengers, first forward and then back.
Relax and get comfortable in your own train seat,
Play away with your toys or have a tasty treat.
Let's get active
- Sit in a chair and recreate the rocking motion of the train
- Make a list of all the things you would bring with you on your train journey
- What are your favourite snacks that you would like to eat on the train?
Watch as the trees and cows zoom past
When you look out of the window, as we speed along,
Lots of pretty sights you’ll see, but not for very long.
Buildings, fields, and forests or some traffic lights and cows,
But trains move faster than you think, so blink and miss it now.
Let's get active
- Play the journey part of the sensory film at the top of this page.
- Come up with some fun games to play whilst watching like “Make the sound of any animal you see along the journey.” or "Stand up when you see a tractor or cow".
There are different types of trains
Most trains are diesel, but others run by steam.
You’ll find some clues in how they look to see what I mean.
Diesel trains look smooth and sleek and modern to the eye.
While old steam trains have chimneys that shoot steam into the sky.
Let's get active
- Look a different photos of trains and describe what is different
- Group trains by type or colour.
- Use a smoke machine to recreate an old choo-choo train
Time to get off the train
As the train begins to slow and rounds the final bend,
Your journey’s almost over as you reach the track’s end.
As the train door opens you can feel a gust of wind,
You’ve reached your destination, now the real adventure begins.
Let's get active
- Look at a map that includes a local station – what exciting things are there to do nearby?
- Find pictures of famous landmarks in towns and cities you could travel to.
- Make visual cue cards for what you are going to do at your destination.
Time to head home
What a lot of fun we had, but it’s time to head home,
And now you know the steps you took, you can do it on your own.
Arrive at the station, buy tickets, find the platform and the track.
Enjoy your return journey, you can always come right back.
Let's get active
- Talk about a journey you have made that you really enjoyed – what did you see, hear, smell, taste and touch?
- Tough trays, model trains, tracks and stations.
- Try some role playing and interaction for any part of the journey home.
Where next?
Discover more from around Bitesize.
Let's go out... to the supermarket. revision-guide
Lets go on a sensory journey to a supermarket
Let's go out... to the zoo. revision-guide
What sensory thing will we find at the Zoo?
The Parents' Toolkit. collection
Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.
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