Transportation Themed Daily Busy Bins

If your toddler or preschooler is obsessed with Things That Go, you’ll absolutely want to make these transportation themed daily busy bins ASAP!

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We’re back with more busy bins and these are probably my favorite so far!

Around here we truly just love to put things in bins & baskets: Morning baskets, car bag, quiet time bins, busy boxes, you name it. 

And daily busy bins, or boxes, are truly a game-changer – especially if you’re home with a 2-5 year old! 

In today’s guide we’ll cover:

• Transportation activities for preschoolers 
• Best supplies
• Storage & organization ideas

More Ultimate Guides:

• Ultimate Guide to Play Dough (Activities, Recipes, Storage)
• Ultimate Stay at Home Mom Course
• Ultimate Bento Box Lunch Guide
• Ultimate List Back-to-School Freezer Meals

A busy bin is exactly what it sounds like: a box or bin filled with various items to keep kids busy!

I like to include:

• Fine motor activities
• Tinkering/building toys
• Coloring activities
• Magnetic toys 
• Small figurines

The best part about creating these is using what you already have but in a new and different way.

As I shared in my Ultimate Guide to Busy Bins:

Generally, there’s no need to go out and buy a bunch of stuff, most of us already have a “bunch of stuff” – what we’re doing here is grouping it together in a different way that feels new and interesting to our kids. 

Of course I will link all of my go-to supplies for your convenience, but I really recommend “shopping” what you already have! 

Shop my Busy Bins supplies on Amazon

The idea is simple:

• Set out 5 small bins (Monday-Friday) and add toys such as blocks, vehicles, figurines, puzzles, small games, and activities such as coloring or stickers to each bin. 
• Label each bin Monday through Friday and store out of sight until ready to use!

Busy Bins Tips:

1. I’ve saved all of the supplies I used here to this Amazon list to make it easier for you! 
2. I definitely encourage you to “shop” what you already have, but if you need additional books, toys, or the bins themselves, everything is linked here. 
3. You can put these bins together any way you want, but I’ll share a couple of ideas with you below – both what the materials look like inside the busy bins and out on the play table.

Transportation Themed Daily Busy Bins

Below you’ll find the preschool curriculum resources and supplies used to make these Things That Go Busy Bins!

Printable transportation activities for preschoolers

Inside The Preschool Playbook I used the Transportation theme week to inspire some of the activities shared here, like the Number Parking lot!

What transportation activities can I do with toddlers?

• Build a road using craft tape & small cars
• Use construction paper or wooden rainbow set to make tunnels
• Color pictures of trucks, cars, or construction machines
• Read board books and picture books
• Build cars out of Duplos or Hedgehog blocks
• Do a paint by sticker or other construction theme activity book
• Play memory match games with cars & trucks

The coloring page above is from this coloring book – my toddler’s favorite!

Transportation theme busy bins for toddlers/preschoolers 

Let’s assemble a bin!

1. Set out 5 bins (or you can make them one at a time)
2. Add one coloring sheet and twistable crayons or colored pencils to each bin
3. Then add one board book
4. Put in blocks (try to add a different type for each day – favorite building blocks saved here)
5. Add a few mini cars (like Hotwheels) or mini construction trucks
6. Put in a small puzzle, memory match game or other type of challenge activity 

And I know independent play sounds great and all, but it’s the How that often stumps us as parents!

We know that our kids need to learn to play independently without us, and yet this always seems easier said than done.

Here are a few practical tips for teaching your toddler or preschooler to play independently:

• Start off by playing together and modeling the process 
• Make the routine predictable (ex: every day after lunch)
• Use a visual routine chart that includes their busy bin time
• Allow them to play close by with their bin (instead of in another room)
• Be realistic with yourself about how long you expect them to play
• It’s ok if they only play for a few minutes at first (it will build over time)

I like to store my busy bins in our activity closet in a cube organizer as shown below!

My best advice would be to store your bins out of sight – an upper kitchen cabinet also works!

shop Things That Go books for preschoolers

What to Read Next:

• How to Make a Toddler Morning Basket
• Best Toy Storage Ideas
• 3 Year Old Learning Activities at Home
• How to Organize & Store Preschool Activity Supplies 
• My Favorite Morning Basket Supplies
• Toddler Morning Routine + Screen-Free Activities