PeeWee Field Trip: Metro (and a bonus Hickman field trip!)

 What I think when I see this picture is, "Our little PeeWees are growing up!"

To go with Lisa's lessons a few weeks ago about trains (see here and here), we took the kids on a field trip to ride the metro. 

Before we went down the escalator into the station, Lisa reviewed what they had learned about passenger trains.  And firmly laid down some safety rules for our trip.

 Everyone was thrilled when they saw the metro map, larger than life, and they recognized it from the one Lisa had made with colored straws at home.

 We stand waaay back from the tracks, and watch for the blinking lights to tell us a train is coming.

 Zoom!  Wave to the passengers!

 We didn't want a long, exhausting trip into the city, but we did want some kind of destination.  What better place to take the train than...the airport!

 We got off the train, took an elevator and a short path, and we were in the terminal.

 We watched the planes and other airport vehicles and had a snack.

 Played in the terminal a bit, then used the bathroom, and took the metro back home!

I was so inspired by how much the PeeWees loved this field trip, talking about the trains, and the tickets, and the lights, and the stops, and the escalators and elevators, that I knew my other girls would love it, too.  We never take the metro anywhere, mostly because driving is faster, and we always seem to be pressed for time.  But last Saturday Ed was in class, and I had a whole empty day to do something fun with the girls.  I saw in the newspaper they were doing a family event at the National Museum of American Art for Presidents' Day.  That's right by a metro stop.  So we did it. 

 Ginger and Hazel loved reading the metro map, and doing their own tickets, and reading the station signs at each stop. 

It's kind of amazing - revelatory - to have big(-ish) kids.  It still surprises me to have big girls that understand so much, that I don't have to do everything for, that can help with things.  It is so freaking fun!  I loooove doing things with them!  When we got back to our starting place, we popped into a Starbucks on the corner for some hot chocolate (with whipped cream of course!) before heading back home.  Two awesome blossom metro field trips in one month!