Every child’s eyes light up when the big red firetruck goes by. Kids just can’t get enough of firetrucks. From the bright color to the lights and sirens, these are a favorite for kids of all ages.
Many curriculums feature firetrucks due to their bright colors and kid-friendliness. These are fun to make and imagine yourself in. Preschoolers will love and be engaged no matter which of the activities you choose. All are hands-on, fun, and entertaining for young kids. Inspire an appreciation and maybe even a career path for your child early on!
Great Firetruck Crafts for Preschool
Here are a variety of the best firetruck crafts we’ve come across. Whether you have lots of time or just need to add a quick craft, there are options for you here. Check out these crafts and you are sure to find one or more that piques your interest.
This adorable fire truck is perfect for display or playtime. All you need is a few supplies and kids can do this craft with minimal help from you. Start with 8 craft sticks. Set 4 of them next to each other and place the other 4 on top in the opposite direction (up and down or left to right). Glue the second set to the top of the first set. Let these dry fully before painting. Once dry, let your child loose with the red paint. Paint the entire front red.
While they are painting, get the “accessories” like a ladder, wheels, lights, and windows cut out from colored construction paper. Let the paint dry and then glue the construction paper cutouts to the truck. You can also add rhinestones, glitter, sequins, or other embellishments to this great craft from GluedToMyCraftsBlog.
Materials:
- Jumbo popsicle sticks
- Red craft paint
- Scissors
- Red, white, yellow, and black construction paper or cardstock
- Glue
- Paintbrush
- Paper plate
This easy craft uses the most common materials; construction paper, glue, and scissors. It doesn’t get much simpler and yet, this is a great way to practice shapes, colors, and make a firetruck in the process.
Start by cutting out basic shapes for your firetruck parts. You’ll need a large red rectangle and a smaller red square, 3 bottle cap-sized black circles, 3 smaller white circles, some small black squares and a long white rectangle for the ladder, and a white square. You can trace these shapes on colored paper and have your child cut them out to practice scissor skills, too! You can also discuss the various shapes, colors, and practice counting while putting all the pieces together. This multi-disciplinary activity from the OTToolbox has so many ways to practice and kids won’t even realize they are learning.
Materials:
- Colored construction paper (red, white, black, and a background sheet)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pen/pencil
Can you make a firetruck out of a handprint? Yes, you can! It’s simple, fun, and a great keepsake for the future. Whether you are working on teaching kids about vehicles, emergency vehicles, or just having fun, this idea from TheInspirationEdit is a great option.
First, paint your child’s hand red and help them press their palm onto a sheet of paper with their fingers evenly spaced apart. Allow this to dry completely. Next, add any details you and your child want. You can use directions like, “Paint 2 straight, yellow lines, then add small lines to connect them.” Use descriptive language including shapes, colors, and sizes to help your child follow directions and practice other vital skills. Once your truck is complete, allow it to dry and hang up anywhere for cool decoration.
Materials:
- Yellow, black, white, and red paint
- Paintbrush
- Sheet of paper or canvas
Reduce, reuse, recycle. Reinforce those concepts by turning an old egg carton into a fun firetruck your child can play with or display. For this, you’ll need 2 egg cartons. Cut two-thirds of the top off the first one and remove the top completely from the second. Use a small portion of one of those cut-off pieces to make the lights and sirens. Paint the egg cartons completely red and set them aside to dry. Next, paint the siren whatever color you desire.
While these are drying, cut 6 wheels from a sheet of cardboard (a recycled box is a great option). Decorate the wheels by painting, coloring, or adding paper to make them black on the outside with white on the inside. Now, glue the two red cartons together as shown in the images on MiniMadThings. Attach the wheels and siren using glue, as well. After the main parts are assembled, it’s time to get creative. Add bottle cap lights, a plastic screw and rope for a hose, popsicle stick ladder, or whatever else you and your child can dream up. This can be used for pretend play anytime or as a prop when reading books about firetrucks.
Materials:
- 2 egg cartons
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Craft sticks
- Glue
- Other recycled materials
- Cardboard
- Scissors
Don’t just give your child a firetruck to play with, give them a firetruck to play in. This fun craft uses large cardboard boxes to create a play environment for your child. Grab a couple of extra-large rectangle moving boxes from a recent move or you can purchase them at a home improvement store. Set one box up horizontally for the cab and the other vertically for the truck’s body. Attach the boxes together with red duct tape as shown on OneTimeThrough.
Cut the top of the horizontal box down the middle and fold it down to create extra support for the sides of the truck. Next, cut a swinging door, two windows for the front and doors, and a door leading from the cab to the rear portion. Now, you can start painting. Use a white base coat to cover any words/writing/etc, then add several layers of red paint until completely covered. Let this dry completely before adding details such as silver duct tape for striping, construction paper lights and panels, a piece of duct tape for the door handle, and a clear plastic container lined with red paper for the light at the top. Finally, use markers to draw a steering wheel, dials, buttons, and anything else that might enhance the pretend-to-play aspect. This will keep your child(ren) occupied for weeks and is well worth the time it takes.
Materials:
- 2 extra-large rectangular boxes
- Red, white, and black acrylic paint
- Construction paper
- Paintbrush
- Glue
- Scissors
- Silver duct tape
- Gold/silver fun foam
- Markers
- Clear, round plastic container
- Red tissue paper (optional)
- Electric candle (optional)
Another creative way to use your body to make art is this fun footprint firetruck. Start by painting the bottom of your child’s foot red and firmly press down on paper to make a footprint. Let this dry before adding details. For images and more details, check out SweetandLovelyCrafts.
Cut various shapes from sheets of paper including lines for the ladder, circles for wheels, gumdrop shapes for lights, and squares and rectangles for doors and windows. These can also be painted on if desired. Give your engine a number (your child’s age is a great option as part of your keepsake).
Materials:
- Colored construction paper
- Red paint
- White construction paper
- Paintbrush
Need a place to put things? Help your child stay organized or prepare for your next party by making this firetruck box. Grab a large cardboard box and paint it entirely red. Next, cut cardstock or white construction paper into rectangles for windows and doors (this can be done by your child or for younger kids, you might precut these shapes). Use some decorative tape to put a ladder on the side of your truck.
Now, take some black craft foam and trace a bowl or cup to create 4 circles for wheels. Glue all the accessories onto the box using PVA glue. Add colored or glitter glue to add details to your truck. That’s all there is to it. Now you’re ready to fill the box with party favors, toys, art supplies, or anything you want. Check out this craft on PlayLearnEveryday for more information.
Materials:
- Large cardboard box
- Red paint
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- PVA glue
- Decorative tape (optional)
- Colored/glitter clue
- Black craft foam
- Scissors
Show your child the role of a fireman with this craft. This is great for emergency services curriculums, for discussing vehicles and roles in the community, or just for kids who love firetrucks. First, sponge paint the background of a red piece of construction paper with yellow and orange paint to make a fiery scene. Draw or paint some grass or a road at the bottom. Grab another sheet of red paper to cut the back and cab of the firetruck out of.
Out of black paper, cut 2 wheels, and out of blue paper, cut a square for a window. Glue the pieces of the truck together and then glue the finished product to the background scene. Cut straws to make a ladder and glue these to the paper at an angle so the ladder can reach the fire. Draw or print a firefighter. You can find templates and more detailed instructions at FirstPalette. Once your firefighter is colored and ready, glue him/her onto the ladder. Use a string or cord piece as a fire hose and glue one end to the back of the truck and the other end to the firefighter’s hands. Glue a small piece of straw to the end in the firefighter’s hand and add some blue paint spraying onto the fire. Now your creation is complete!
Materials:
- Red construction paper
- Orange, yellow, and blue tempera paint
- Construction paper or craft foam (black, red, blue)
- Sponge or spongebrush
- Paintbrush
- Straws
- Glue
- Scissors
- String
Introduce your child to printmaking with this sponge craft. Dip a rectangular sponge into red paint. Press the sponge horizontally onto the middle of a piece of construction paper. Dip the sponge again and press it vertically on one side of the first rectangle, overlapping (see images on MomsTown for a clearer idea and further instructions).
Cut 2 thin strips of gray paper for the ladder that are the same length as the horizontal portion of the firetruck. Draw lines between the two strips to make ladder rungs. Out of construction paper, cut 2 black wheels, a yellow light, a white rectangle window, a door, and a gray rectangle control panel. Glue all pieces into place and add any additional details you desire with pens or markers.
Materials:
- Rectangle sponge
- Red paint
- Colored construction paper
- Pens/markers
- Glue
- Scissors
Put your child in the action with this interactive craft. First, grab the template found on AllKidsNetwork. Once printed, trace the firetruck onto red construction paper. Trace wheels onto black construction paper and cut all pieces out. Break and glue popsicle sticks into the shape of a ladder on the side of the truck. Glue on wheels and add any details. Print out a picture of your child, cut it out and glue it to the back of the firetruck to put them in the driver’s seat. Now your child can pretend to be a firefighter! This is great for retelling stories or making up your own fun tale of heroics.
Materials:
- Red and black construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Popsicle sticks
- Picture of your child(ren)
Conclusion
For kids who love all things firetrucks or for curriculums where firetrucks come into play, the crafts above are excellent choices. Kids will love making the crafts and you’ll love all the things they are learning and the skills they are practicing.
Just choose the craft(s) that fit your needs best and get started! From pretend play to display art, this list gives you lots of choices. Thanks for stopping in, hope to see you again soon!
Other preschool crafts and activities you might like:
