Fall Science Activities for Preschool

Fall is a fascinating time of change for students to learn about and observe. The following fall activities will give your students hands on practice learning about the science of the season.

Fall Leaves Observation

Collect a variety of different leaves in different colors. Place them on a table with magnifying glasses for children to observe. Help them find the stems and the veins of the leaves. Observe what happens to leaves in areas where bugs chew holes through them. Look for hints of green in leaves that are otherwise all red or yellow or orange.

Weather Calendar

Record the weather the weather during the fall months on a classroom calendar. Use symbols to indicate sunny days, windy days, rainy days, foggy days, snowy days, cold days, and warm days. At the end of the season, point out all of the different types of weather you experienced during the fall.

Leaf Identification

Collect a variety of leaves in different shapes from different trees. Bring in pictures of the leaves you collected with the name of the tree they come from, such as oak leaves, maple leaves, mulberry leaves, and ash leaves. Have students match the leaves to their pictures and sort them into piles.

Five Senses Observation

Bring in an assortment of fall foods, such as apples, corn, pumpkin pie, and nuts. Have students describe fall objects using all five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound. Check for food allergies before letting students taste items.

Fall Leaf Scavenger Hunt Walk

Go on a walk around town and bring clipboards with a list of fall items on it. Search for the items and let children check off items as they see them. A few of the items you may want to include are: pumpkin, corn stalk, tree with yellow leaves, a stack of firewood, tree with red leaves, a bird flying south, and a gourd. As you find each item, talk to your students about how each item signifies the change in seasons.

Signs of Fall

Songs and poems are useful tools to teach children facts. To teach your students the signs of fall, teach a poem or song such as the following one. After singing the song ask students what signs of fall they see outside:

When the birds fly south (flap arms)
And the wind blows cool (shiver)
And the green (hold up hands) on the trees turn red. (flip palms over)
And the days grow shorter (bring hands close together from far apart)
And the nights grow long (separate hands from close together)
And Jack Frost freezes grass dead, (point fingers straight up, then curl slowly)
Then summer is gone (wave by-by, rub eyes)
And Autumn has come
To prepare us for winter's white bed.