I grew up in Michigan, not Chicago, where we didn’t have very many public transportation options, so I mostly got around by riding in (and later driving) cars. When I moved to Chicago, one of my favorite things to do very quickly became riding the CTA!
I love that on the CTA, I’m surrounded by my neighbors from all over Chicago. Being stuck in your car in traffic can be lonely, but on the train or the bus, I get to connect to other people as well as different parts of the city. There’s always something to learn on public transportation, too, whether it’s playing I Spy for numbers and colors or sounding out words you see in a new language.
Read
The Way Downtown: Welcome to the city of Zoom, where all kinds of public transits like ferries, trains and buses help families like the Zanies navigate their bustling town.
City Streets Are for People: What if our cities had less room for cars and more room for people? This fun picture book examines all the ways people can enjoy traveling their communities on foot, bicycle or public transit.
Last Stop on Market Street: When CJ and his nana wait for the bus on Sundays after church, he has lots of questions: Why do they have to wait in the rain? Why don't they have a car? And why do some parts of the city look different from others? As they arrive at their destination -- a soup kitchen to volunteer -- CJ realizes just how much variety of life there is on their city streets, and just how special that is.
And of course, there’s lots to learn about the physics of how we get from one place to another! This CTA balloon racer is a great hands-on activity to get you excited about zooming around our city.
Brain Builder
Make a Chicago “L” car and then explore Newton’s third law of motion. Build a flying balloon racer to investigate the idea that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Materials
- String
- Balloons
- Straws
- Tape
- Binder clip
- Scissors
- “L” car template (Print one or pick one up at your neighborhood Chicago Public Library)
- Crayons or markers
- Craft stick
Directions
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Make the “L” car
- Cut out and decorate the Chicago “L” car. (Print one here.)
- Fold and tape it together with a craft stick in the middle for support.
- Make the balloon racer
- Cut a long piece of string (at least 8 feet) and tape one end to a wall.
- Thread a straw on the string.
- Blow up a balloon and close the end with a binder clip or clothespin and tape it to the straw so that the neck of the balloon points in the opposite direction the balloon will travel.
- Hold the string so it is parallel to the floor, or even tape the other end to a chair or wall.
- Get ready to launch!
- Tape the “L” car to the straw above the balloon
- Position the balloon racer at the end of the string, remove the clip and watch it go!
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