September 22, 2008 marks the first official day of fall. It is this day in which the day and night are nearly the same length.
I love the fall. There is nothing more exciting to me then lighting a pumpkin spice candle and teaching kids to love the smells, sights and sounds of fall. What better way to celebrate fall than through some fun activities with your family or in your classroom? Here are a few suggestions to get you started on your way in celebrating this season.
Go for a nature walk
Depending on your kids' ages, there are several ways to maximize the value of a nature walk. If you have a young one, just strap them in the stroller and get walking. Be sure to point out the colors of the leaves and let them touch or feel their crispness. For toddlers, put masking tape, sticky side out, around their risk. Encourage them to pick up pieces of nature and stick to the tape. It makes a great fall bracelet when finished. For preschoolers and up, make sure to equip the kids with a paper sack. Allow the kids to explore and collect items from nature that reminds them of fall. It could be anything from leaves and pineneedles to pinecones. When you get back to the room, let them make a fall collage by gluing their findings to a piece of construction paper.
Art Activities
Print out a leaf template on brown construction paper. Then allow the kids to use fingers or sponges to paint the leaves with red, orange and yellow paints. You can also let the kids tear pieces of fall colored tissue paper and glue on the leaf. There are many activities you can do with fall leaves. Leave sketchings are always fun and are done by placing a sheet of typing paper over the leaves and shading the outline with crayons or pencils.
Water Table Activities
Place leaves in water and let the kids see how the leaves float in the water. Another option is to place red, orange and yellow playdoh with leaf cookie cutters. Or add food coloring to shaving cream for the kids to mush in their hands.
Music
Gather up some silk leaves to throw up while singing. There is a few songs that you can find on the internet, but it is just as fun to make up your own songs as well. Be creative and have fun. Here is a song to get you started to the tune of London Bridges.
Colored Leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down
Colored leaves are falling down
Red, yellow and orange
The kids can also pretend to be leaves as they sing the following song to the tuen of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
I can move like a floating leaf,
Watch my body, watch my feet,
Watch my head, watch my hands.
See me gently floating down.
I can move like a floating leaf.
Watch my body, watch my feet.
Homeliving
Take the silk leaves and clutter the floor. Allow the kids to rake the leaves with a child's rake. It is also a great time to pretend to camp out.
These are just a few suggestions to get you started. Please feel free to include any more in the comments.
