By contributing writer Colleen
Pulling together an autumn leaf study is super-easy and can be a lot of fun for your kids. These preschool leaf activities require only a few simple materials, most of which you probably have around the house already.
Get Outside
Start by taking your children on a nature walk, either at a local park or around your neighborhood, and gather fallen leaves. Using a tree identification guide, work together to identify the leaves and the trees from which they came.
Matching Leaves
Next, use those leaves to create a fall matching activity for the little learners in your home. Draw ten trees and cut them out of brown construction paper. Label them 1-10. Set them out for your preschooler and ask her to put the correct number of leaves on each tree.
Capture the Colors
With some of the prettiest leaves from your walk, make sun catchers. I did this when I was little, and I still remember them hanging in our kitchen window. Now I try to do it with my kids every year. Simply take the colorful leaves from your walk and place them between two pieces of waxed paper. Then iron the sheets together using a towel between the paper and iron. Make a simple frame out of construction paper if you want to, and hang in a sunny window.
Rake Leaves
There is something to be said for teaching kids responsibility when they’re young. Giving them life skills like raking, sweeping, cleaning, and pitching in around the house, prepares them for owning their own home when they’re older. And, by doing it when they’re young, you’ll be capitalizing on their desire to be just like Mommy and Daddy, so it’ll be easier than implementing chores later on.
Raking leaves (and jumping in them) is tons of fun for kids for all ages – especially preschoolers. And there are lots of benefits of raking leaves with your kids. Pick up a few kid-sized rakes online at Amazon or a Montessori shop, and get the kids into the yard to help you out.
For more great ideas, you can check out my Fall Themed Pinterest Board and The Happy Housewife Fall Pinterest Board.
What are some things you do to celebrate fall with your preschoolers?
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