Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by Sheryl Cooper
Inside: What happens when cars and trucks drive through snow? Young children love making tracks with this snowy day transportation art activity!
It’s no secret that my two year olds class loves to drive vehicles through paint.
In the past we have done:
Quite honestly, I think my students could drive vehicles through paint every week of the school year!
After reading White Snow, Bright Snow at circle time, I knew just what they would love to do during art the next day.
Drive vehicles through “snow” to make tracks!
This is definitely one we will be doing again.
Snowy Day Transportation Art
Watch the Video
I love attaching activities to picture books.
You will find books propped open all over my classroom!
When we read White Snow, Bright Snow during circle time, I just loved the illustrations.
I propped the book on the art table as a visual and reminder of what can happen to vehicles when they are in the snow, parked or driving.
Supplies
- A long sheet of paper (we use paper from a roll) – I suggest green or brown
- White tempera paint
- Vehicles (I used monster cars because of their large wheels)
- Optional: White Snow, Bright Snow
Set Up
Place paper on top of table, securing the edges with tape.
Pour paint onto a big tray and add cars.
Invitation to Paint
If you have read the book White Snow, Bright Snow, remind the children of how the parked cars were covered with snow and the cars driving on the snow were making tracks.
I propped the book open and slid the pages between plexiglass as a visual.
Watch: The Easiest Ways to Manage the Art Center
Show the children how to place the cars in the paint, roll them around to cover the wheels with paint, and then drive them across the paper.
Busy children especially love action art like this.
You can even pull away the chairs so that they can stand while moving the cars around.
This activity provides the opportunity for the children to work together in the same space.
They will be sharing cars and figuring out how to move their cars around while others are doing so, too.
They will notice the patterns in the tracks as well!
This is the type of activity that does not go home in a backpack.
During our open house I explain to the parents that a lot of what we do in preschool is hands-on and won’t come home.
This is why we document with photos and send home a photo show at the end of each week.
Modification
You can modify this activity so that it is independent.
Some teachers do not have access to a roll of paper, or they want to save the work.
In this case you will use individual sheets of paper instead of one big sheet, and the children will be working separately.
You can see an example in this activity: Painting Hearts with Cars
Rather than using heart-shaped paper, you would use standard rectangular paper.
Winter Activities Bundle
- 6 Winter-Themed Sets
- Download, Print, Enjoy!
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