Fall themed preschool lesson plans. Arts and crafts, games, math, science, group time activities, songs and snack ideas.

Art

Balloon Jack o Lanterns 
Blow up an orange balloon and let the child use a black marker, stickers, or finger paint to create facial features. Ask the child how does the jack o lantern feel?

Paper Plate Pumpkins 
Have your child paint a paper plate orange. When dry, have the child glue on a stem.

Pumpkin Puppets
Each child should cut out a pumpkin shape from orange construction paper. Then either cut out facial features, or color them on with a black crayon. Paste to the bottom of a paper lunch bag. Then add a green construction paper stem.

Pumpkin Seed Art
Collect pumpkin seeds from inside a pumpkin. Let them air dry and have the children use the pumpkin seeds to make a collage.

Pumpkin Seed Shakers
You need: dried pumpkin seeds from inside your pumpkin, two paper plates (for each child) and a stapler. Have the children put some seeds on one of the paper plates (bottom side down). Next, have them place the other plate on top of the first plate (bottom side up). Help the children staple their plates together with the seeds inside. Let the children paint, use markers or crayons to decorate their shakers.

Fingerprint Pumpkins
Have the children make orange fingerprints on a piece of paper. Use a non-toxic orange ink pad. Show the children how to use one finger at a time. Use a green pen to draw stems on the paper and draw vines to connect some of the pumpkins. (You can do this for younger children or have older children draw the vines and stems themselves.)


Fingerprint Apple Tree
Use brown ink along the side of the child’s hand to make the tree trunk. Use green ink on the child’s thumb to make as many leaves as the child wants. Use red ink on the child’s pinky finger to make the apples.


Eraser Apple Tree
Use brown ink along the side of the child’s hand to make the tree trunk. Use green ink on the child’s thumb to make as many leaves as the child wants. Use red ink on the eraser of a pencil to make the apples.

Play Dough Apples 
Let your child use red or green play dough to make apples. My play dough recipe is on my games page.


Apple Printing 
Cut an apple in half. (make a lateral cut, separating the top from the bottom) You should be able to see the “star” that the core forms in the apple. Put some red or green tempera paint in a shallow container, (a pie tin works well) and show your child how to paint the apple with the paint and press onto a piece of paper creating an apple print.


Apple Printing 
Cut an apple in half. (make a vertical cut) Put some red or green tempera paint in a shallow container, (a pie tin works well) and show your child how to paint the apple with the paint and press onto a piece of paper creating an apple print.


Easy Apple Art 
Give a child a paper plate and one of the following colors… red, yellow or green. Have them paint the paper plate. Attach a paper stem to create an apple. This one is great for younger children. You can also have the children glue real apple seeds to the plate after the paint dries. 


Torn paper apples 
Draw an apple on a piece of white paper or use a white paper plate. Tear red paper into dime sized bits (enough to cover your apple drawing.) Cut out one or two leafs for the apple from green paper. (Or if possible use real apple leaves.) Have your child glue the torn pieces of paper onto your drawing of an apple. Then have your child glue on the apple leaves.

Easy Apple Tree
Supply each child with a tree shape, and a red, green, or yellow non-toxic bingo dabber. Have the children put “apples” on the tree with the dabber.

Apple tree 
Cut out an apple tree from brown and green paper. Glue the pieces together. Supply your child with red tempera paint, and a pencil with an eraser. Have the child make prints on the tree with the eraser to make apples. After the picture has dried ask your child how many apples are on their tree.

Apple tree Variation:
Have the child dip a cork in paint to make the apple prints.

Apple Pictures 
Cut out apple shapes from white paper, and add some red finger paint, and let your child paint the apple red!!!

Seed Collage 
Save the seeds from a bunch of apples. Allow them to dry, and have your child glue them to a piece of paper.

A worm in my apple? 
Cut out one apple shape per child. Have them use a hole punch to punch about 4 holes in the apple. Have them weave a brown piece of yarn in the holes. Finally, glue on a stem.

Worm Art 
This one is a lot of fun, and has great results. Set out a piece of yarn (the worm) for each color of paint you intend to use. Have the child dip the yarn in one color of paint, and run it across the paper. Use a new piece of yarn for a different color.

Preschool Apple Tree 
Cut out a huge tree shape from butcher paper. (You probably want to piece it together from many different pieces. Let the children paint the trunk brown, and the tree top green. Then cut out an apple from red, green, or yellow construction paper for each student and teacher, help older students put their names on the apples, and write younger students names on the apples. Let the children choose where on the tree they want their apple, and glue them on the tree.

Fingerprint Apples
Supply each child with a piece of white paper and red or green non-toxic stamp pads. Show the child how to make fingerprints on the paper, using only one finger at a time. When finished, add leaves with a black pen.

Paper Plate Shaker
Take two sturdy paper plates. (The stronger the better)Place some apple seeds on one of the plates and place the other plate on top of the first so that both eating surface areas are facing each other. Use masking tape to seal the plates together. Have your child decorate with markers, glitter, construction paper, or ribbons. When dry, shake. Shake to music, shake it each time you take a step. Shake, Shake Shake!!!

Apple Necklaces
Cut out apple shapes from different colors of paper. Older children can do the cutting for themselves. Then depending on the ages.. either punch holes in the apples or allow the children to punch the holes. Then supply the children with yarn that is about 18 inches long with one end that is wrapped with a little piece of masking tape. Have the children lace the apples onto the yarn, then tie it to make a necklace.

Fall Collage
Go for a nature walk. Supply the children with a Ziploc bag to collect twigs, leaves, acorns, etc. When you arrive back at school, encourage the children to use the materials to create a fall collage. Use glue to affix the materials to the paper.

Nature Walk Bracelet
Place a piece of masking tape around each child’s wrist, sticky side out. Have the children place materials they find on their nature walk on the bracelet.

Acorn Painting
First you need a large plastic container with a lid. (I used a shallow peanut butter container.) Next, cut out paper that will fit in the lid of the container. Place a few drops of paint into the container with a few acorns (be sure to observe carefully as acorns are a choking hazard) then place a very small amount of paint on the lid and pre-cut paper on the paint. (I use the paint to make the paper stick to the lid.) Place the lid on the container, flip and have the children shake. When finished, remove paper and allow it to dry and place a clean piece of paper in the lid for the next child.

Acorn Prints
You can use the tops of acorns to make circles on paper. The children can press the top onto an ink pad, then onto the paper.

Torn Paper Acorns
Supply the children with an image of an acorn. Supply the children with light and dark brown paper to tear. Have the children glue light brown torn paper onto the bottom part and dark brown torn paper pieces onto the top.

Leaf Collages
Cut out different leaf shapes out of fall colors and have the children glue the shapes onto another piece of paper.

Leaf Rubbings
Have the child place a leaf under a piece of paper, and rub the paper with crayon, and the leaf shape will appear. This works much better with green leaves.

Leaf Prints
Obtain a leaf for each child. Have the child paint the vein side of the leaf. Press the leaf onto a piece of paper to create a leaf print.

Leaf Hands
Trace your child’s hand onto a fall color of construction paper, and cut it out to make it look like a maple leaf.

Leaf Tree
Use brown construction paper for the trunk of the tree, and tape up fall leaves to the wall to make a huge fall tree in your classroom.

Leaf Painting
Have the children paint, using leaves as paint brushes.

Beautiful Leaves
Place small amounts of colored water in small plastic cups. You can create this water with either food coloring and water or watered down paint. The children will then apply the water to a coffee filter by dipping it in the cups, using a paint brush or using a plastic eye dropper (or pipette).
Allow to dry, then cut out the coffee filter to the shape of a leaf.

Leaf Glitter
Find some old brown leaves. Have the children crumble them up and use them as glitter. You could even paint them before you crumble them to make different colored glitter.

Leaf People
Have the children glue a leaf on a piece of paper, and draw legs, arms, and a head to create a person.

Leaf Mobile
Have the children attach leaves to a hanger with different lengths of string to create a mobile. Hang around the classroom.

Torn Paper Tree
Have the children make a torn paper tree with brown paper for the trunk, and red, orange and yellow paper for the leaves. The children should be supplied with the paper and glue. they should tear the pieces of paper into the shape they want it to be.

Leaves
Supply each child with a piece of white paper and instruct them to paint it using red and yellow paint. they may mix the paints to create orange. Allow the papers to dry, then flip the papers over and draw leaf shapes on the back for the children to cut out. Have them cut out the leaves. You may then:
– Have them make a leaf mobile
– Have them glue them onto a piece of paper for a leaf collage
– Hang them from the ceiling
– Have them glue them onto a piece of paper with a trunk to make a tree
– Put them up on a bulletin board
– Hang them from a classroom size tree.

Leaf Wreath
Take the children outside and have them collect leaves, twigs and acorns. Cut out the center of a paper plate and have the children paint it brown. After the paint is dry, have the children glue their leaves, twigs and acorns to the plate.

Acorn Headbands
Measure your child’s head, and cut a piece of construction paper long enough to create a headband. Glue the paper together so the headband fits snugly on your child’s head but is loose enough to take off easily. Have the children cut out acorn shapes or use stickers and glue to the headband.

Fingerprint Acorns
Supply your children with white paper and a non-toxic brown stamp pad. Have the children make fingerprints on the paper to represent acorns.

Science, Math and Games

Sink or Float?
Ask the students to predict whether they think acorns will sink or float. Try it out!

Acorn Sort
Provide many acorns for the children to sort. They can sort by color, size, whether they have a cap or not.

Acorn Counting
Place small pieces of paper numbered 1 through 6 in the bottom of a muffin tin. Supply the children with 21 acorns. The children should place 1 acorn in the 1 tin and 2 in the 2 tin. And so on.

Acorn Counting 2
Have the children roll a large die. The child would then count out the number of acorns corresponding to the number on the die.

Acorn Science
Talk about the parts of an acorn. Where do they come from? What are they for? Allow the children to break open an acorn and observe with a microscope of magnifying lens.

Planting Acorns
Collect acorns with your students on a fall nature walk. Place the acorns in a damp paper towel and place in a sunny place. Keep the towels damp over the next few days. Watch the acorns sprout. Allow the children to observe the acorns with a magnifying lens. Place the acorns in potting soil in individual cups for the children to take home.

Acorn Bottle
Clean out an empty plastic pop bottle. Add acorns, leaves, twigs etc. Seal the bottle closed using a little hot glue, allow to completely dry before the children can play with it. Tip the bottle back and forth. Roll the bottle on the floor.

Number Acorns
Tie 3 feet of string to a wooden spoon. Attach a magnet to the end of the string. Cut out 6 small acorn shapes from the construction paper. Number the fish from 1 to 6. Attach paper clips to the acorns. Lay the acorns on the floor, spreading them out at first. Have the children use the fishing pole to try to catch the acorns. Have them try to get a certain number.

Number Acorn Game
Follow instructions for Number Acorns. Then, obtain a die. Have one child roll the die, then count the dots, to find the number. Then have the child try to catch the acorn with that number on it.

Acorn Game
Hide an acorn under one of three cups lined in a row. Move the cups around and have your child guess which cup the object is under.

Acorn Hunt
Fill a dishpan half full with sand and add a few acorns. Let your child find the acorns, and count them when they are done.

Play dough Acorns
Have the children create acorns shapes from play dough, or press acorns into the play dough and observe the impression it makes.

Acorn Jar
For older children. Fill a small jar with acorns. Ask each child to guess how many acorns are in the jar. For younger children, limit the number of acorns to less than ten. Record each child’s guess. Count the acorns.

Acorn Jar for Schoolagers
Provide three identical jars with pre-counted acorns of 20, 30, and 40. Label these jars 20, 30 and 40. Place 20 to 40 acorns in a fourth identical jar. Allow the children to examine all four jars before they guess. Record the children’s approximations. Count the acorns.

Lacing Cards
Cut colored poster board into an acorn shape and punch holes around the edges. Then let your child lace yarn or a shoestring into the cards.

Acorn Hop
Cut out large acorn shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor and ask the children to hop from one acorn to another. These may also be used at seat markers for group time.

Acorn Bean Bag Toss
Cut out three acorn shapes from a piece of cardboard. Paint around the shapes with three different colors. When dry, prop up the cardboard and have the children play bean bag toss, trying to get the bean bags in the acorn holes.

Collecting Leaves
Have the children collect different kinds of leaves.

Leaf Graph
Have the children count the number of leaves they collected from each type of tree, and graph the results.

Leaf Sort
Have the children sort the leaves they collected by color, size or type of leaf.

Leaf Blow
Have the children blow a leaf across a table with a straw. Have a leaf race. See who can blow their leaf across the table first.

Leaf Seriation
Find pictures of different stages of a tree’s life, in summer, spring, winter, and fall. Have the child arrange the pictures in order. (note children may start with any season)

Leaf Count
Have the children count how many leaves they have collected

Leaf Count II
Make pictures of trees with different numbers of leaves on the trees. Have the children count the number of leaves on the tree.

Leaf Match
Set out two of each kind of leaf and have the children find the matches.

Leave Sticker Match
You may be able to find leaf stickers. Make sure that you have at least two identical sheets. Place two identical stickers on one index card. One on the left side and one on the right. Then cut the card in half in a funny shape. Follow with all the stickers. Then set out the cards and ask the child to pick out one, then find it’s match. Next, place the cards together.

Leaf Match Up
There are many ways to set this up depending on the skill level or the particular skill you wish to work on. Try these different set ups:
– Cut out leaf shapes from different colors of paper. Give each child one leaf. Ask the children to find one person with the same color leaf.
– Cut out leaf shapes from different colors of paper. Cut the leaves in half using a puzzle type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Give each child one half of a leaf, and ask them to find the person with the other half. Or Give the children two pieces and have the children make a circle, with one child that has one match on one side and the other match on the other side. You may end up with 2 or more circles depending on how the leaf pieces are distributed.
– Cut out leaf shapes from one color of paper. Cut the leaves in half using a puzzle type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Give each child one half of a heart, and ask them to find the person with the other half.
Or Give the children two pieces and have the children make a circle, with one child that has one match on one side and the other match on the other side. You may end up with 2 or more circles depending on how the heart pieces are distributed.
– Cut the leaf shapes from one color of paper. Label one set of leaves with numbers, i.e. if you have 20 children, label the leaves with the numbers one to ten. The other half, draw one dot on one, two on another, and so on until ten. Give each child one leaf and have them find the child with their match.
– Cut the leaf shapes from one color of paper. Place matching stickers on two leafves. Give each child one leaf and have them find the child with their match.
– Cut the leaf shapes from one color of paper. Cut the leaves in half using a puzzle type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Place matching stickers on each half of a leaf. Give each child one leaf half and have them find the child with their match.
– Place matching leaf stickers on separate index cards. Give each child a card and ask them to find the child with their match.

Try all the above, but in a file folder format. Glue one part of the leaf to the file folder and laminate it’s match.

Leaf Match II
Collect four or five leaves. Trace their shape onto a piece of paper. Place the leaves on the table next to the paper and have the child place the appropriate leaf over the tracing.

Leaf Fall
Make a pile of leaves and let the children fall or jump into the pile of leaves.

Bean Bag Toss
Obtain a large piece of cardboard. A large, unfolded box works well. Cut One or two leaf shapes out of the cardboard. Paint the cardboard orange, red and yellow. When dry let the children throw bean bags through the leaf shaped holes.

Leaf Hop
Cut out large leaf shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor and ask the children to hop from one leaf to another. These may also be used at seat markers for group time.

Leaf Hide and Seek
Have all the children hide their eyes while you “hide” a leaf in the room. (It should be placed in plain view) Tell the children to find the leaf, but not touch it. Once they spot it they should sit back down in their spot. The first one to sit down again will get to hide the leaf.

Leaf Hide and Seek
Play the game the same as above, except hide the leaf. Then tell the children individually whether they are “hot” or “cold” to the relation of the leaf. Allow the other children to have a change to hide the leaf, and tell children whether they are “hot or cold”. It may be a good idea to discuss the meaning of hot and cold before you play this game.

Leaf Fishing Game
Tie 3 feet of string to a wooden spoon. Attach a magnet to the end of the string. Cut and laminate many different colored, and sized leaves from construction paper (not too big though). Attach a paper clip to each leaf. Spread the leaf shapes on the floor and let your child try to catch the leaves. Have them try to catch the red leaf.. or the biggest leaf. For a twist, label the leaves with letters or numbers. Ask the children to catch a specific leaf, or ask them which leaf they caught.

Leaf Sorting
Collect many different sizes, shapes and colored leaves. Have the children sort the leaves by size, shape or color.

Leaf Sizing
Collect many different sized leaves. Have the children place the leaves in order from smallest to largest.

Apple Match Up 
There are many ways to set this up depending on the skill level or the particular skill you wish to work on. Try these different set ups:
-Cut out apple shapes from different colors of paper. Give each child one apple. Ask the children to find one person with the same color apple.
-Cut out apple shapes from different colors of paper. Cut the apple in half using a puzzle type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Give each child one half of a apple, and ask them to find the person with the other half. Or Give the children two pieces and have the children make a circle, with one child that has one match on one side and the other match on the other side. You may end up with 2 or more circles depending on how the apple pieces are distributed.
-Cut the apple shapes from one color of paper. Label one set of apple with numbers, i.e. if you have 20 children, label the apples with the numbers one to ten. The other half, draw one dot on one, two on another, and so on until ten. Give each child one apple and have them find the child with their match.
-Cut the apple shapes from one color of paper. Place matching stickers on two apple. Give each child one apple and have them find the child with their match.
-Cut the apple shapes from one color of paper. Cut the apple in half using a puzzle type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Place matching stickers on each half of a apple. Give each child one apple half and have them find the child with their match.
-Place matching apple stickers on separate index cards. Give each child a card and ask them to find the child with their match.
-Try all the above, but in a file folder format. Glue one part of the apple to the file folder and laminate it’s match.


Count the seeds 
Before you cut an apple, have your child try to guess how many seeds will be inside. Cut open the apple and count them. How close was he/she. Write down your child’s guess.. and how many seeds that were in the apple. The next day repeat the process. Compare your results. Were there more, less, or the same amount of seeds in the two apples.

Different Apples 
Next time you go to the grocery store with your child. Point out all the different kinds of apples. Tell your child their names. Buy a few different kinds, and when you get home, let your child try them. Ask your child how each one tastes. Ask your child how each one is different.

Apple Sequencing 
Gather three to five different sized apple. Set them on a table and ask your child to arrange the apple according to size. For younger children, you can just start with two apples and ask which is the smallest.

Apple Lacing Cards 
Cut colored poster board into an apple shape and punch holes around the edges. Them let your child lace yarn or a shoestring into the cards.

Apple Chart 
Prepare sliced apples for lunch, red and yellow. Ask each child which color apple that they ate. Allow them to mark the column on a graph that corresponds to their answer.

Apple Toss 
Obtain a laundry basket, or a bushel basket, and red bean bags, or small red balls. Use masking tape to tape a line on the floor. Place the basket a couple of feet away from the line. Have the child stand behind the line, and try to toss the balls or bags (apples) into the basket.

Match the Apples 
Cut out two apple shapes from 4 or 5 different colors of construction paper. You may laminate them to make them last longer. Have the children pick an apple and then find it’s mate. Variation: Use the same color for the apples, and draw on different designs.

Apples in the Basket 
You need apples and a small laundry or buschel basket. Ask your child to place 5 apples in the basket. Count with your child as they place the apples in the basket. How many apples will fit in the basket? Have your child guess how many will fit, and then see how many it takes to fill the basket. You can also tape numbers onto the bottom of the baskets, and have your child place the appropriate number of apples into each basket.

Apple Hide and Seek 
Have all the children hide their eyes while you “hide” an apple in the room. (It should be placed in plain view) Tell the children to find the Apple, but not touch it. Once they spot it they should sit back down in their spot. The first one to sit down again will get to hide the Apple.

Apple Hide and Seek 
Play the game the same as above, except hide the Apple. Then tell the children individually whether they are “hot” or “cold” to the relation of the Apple. Allow the other children to have a chance to hide the Apple, and tell children whether they are “hot or cold”. It may be a good idea to discuss the meaning of hot and cold before you play this game.

Apple Fishing Game 
Tie 3 feet of string to a wooden spoon. Attach a magnet to the end of the string. Cut and laminate many different colored, and sized Apples from construction paper (not too big though). Attach a paper clip to each Apple. Spread the Apple shapes on the floor and let your child try to catch the Apples. Have them try to catch the red Apple.. or the biggest Apple. For a twist, label the Apples with letters or numbers. Ask the children to catch a specific Apple, or ask them which Apple they caught.

Apple Shaped Games 
The following games require you to cut out many different Apple shapes from construction paper. You may choose to laminate these Apples so they last longer.

Apple Sizing 
Cut out many different sized Apples. Ask the children to line up the Apples from largest to smallest.

Apple Numbers 
Cut out ten Apple shapes. Number them one to ten. Ask the children to line up the Apples from one to ten.

Apple Colors 
Ask the children to sort the Apples by color.

Apple Sort 
Ask the children to sort the Apples by size.

Pass the Apple
Played like hot potato… have the children sit in a circle and pass an apple around the circle when music is playing, when the music stops the child holding the apple sits in the middle or the “apple pie pot” until the music stops again and the next child replaces the first. You may also chant “hot apple, hot apple 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10” and the child who has the apple on 10 is in the “apple pie pot.”

Pass the Apple II
For older children. Have one child hold an apple under his/her chin and try to pass the apple to a friend. You could do this in a circle or you can do a relay race where the children have to run with the apple under their chin.

Pumpkin Science 
What is inside a pumpkin? Let the children explore the insides of a pumpkin. It’s a great sensory experience.

Pumpkin Seeds 
Save the pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin. Boil 2 cups seeds in 1 quart water with 2 tbs salt for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds and toss them in 1 tbs of butter. Spread the seeds on a baking pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Stir frequently.

Pumpkin Faces 
Provide the children with many different pumpkin faces. Ask the children which pumpkin is happy? How does this pumpkin feel? How does that pumpkin make you feel?