Fun and Educational Fall Activities for Preschoolers

Just because summer is over that doesn't have to mean that the outdoor fun has to come to an end as well. Getting outdoors in the fall is a breeze and can also be very educational. Here are some excellent activities for you to do with your preschooler to make the most of this spectacular season.

Help strengthen your child's gross motor skills with a fun obstacle course. Use all of the wonderful items in nature that autumn has to offer for this super fun activity. Strategically place pumpkins in your yard for your child to run around, rakes to jump over, a pile of leaves to jump in, etc. You can take this activity as far as your imagination will allow. Not only will you be enhancing your preschooler's gross motor skills but, you will also be helping your child to begin to understand the concepts of over, under, and around.

Go on a nature hunt and collect different types of leaves and other gifts from nature. Provide your preschooler with a brown lunch bag to use to collect the items. Prepare a list of items you would like your child to find (twig, pine cone, acorn, leaf, etc.) and attach it to the front of the bag. This will help your child to remember what he/she is searching for and to help them associated printed words with spoken words. It is also helpful to have a picture of the item next to its name.

After you have finished collecting all of the items on the list you can create yet another fun and educational activity for your child. Have him/her sort the items by type, size, and/or color. Sorting is actually very useful for helping your child to understand early math skills.

Use the items collect to make crafts. When children participate in arts and crafts, they are expressing their creativity and building on their fine motor skills. Make a photo frame out of twigs or create a beautiful, seasonal wreath out of the pine cones you have gathered. For an extra special touch, spray on some glitter. Or, consider creating a mobile with all of the beautiful leaves you have collected.

You could also go on a shape hunt. Take a walk out in nature and point out all of the different shapes you see. Have a list of the shapes that you would like your child to discover.

If you are fortunate enough to live in a state where apples are grown, visit a cider mill and see how the magic happens. You could even pick your own apples and/or berries. Once you have all of the fruit you want, put it to good use. Get in the kitchen and get cooking! Children love to cook and there is a lot to be learned in the kitchen. When cooking with your children, help them measure out the amounts. This is a wonderful way to instill early math concepts. Try homemade applesauce, pie, or caramel apples. Talk about the different textures and tastes.

Music and movement are essential parts of early childhood development. Make up silly songs about fall. It is very easy to create a unique song to sing with your child. Simply think of a popular, catchy song you already know. Use the melody and change the words to suit your song. Some easy songs to start out with are: The Addams Family theme song, Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.

Of course, fall wouldn't be complete without pumpkins. Carve a pumpkin with your child. Roast the seeds and use the insides to make a homemade pumpkin pie from scratch. Another fun idea is to make a Mr. Pumpkin head. Using a permanent marker, draw eyes, noses and mouths onto felt with adhesive backing. Cut out the shapes. These will be your templates. Then, using your newly made templates, cut out the same shapes onto cardboard from cereal boxes. Attach the cardboard pieces to the matching pieces of adhesive felt by pressing a thumbtack through the cardboard. Then, stick on the matching pieces of felt.

Read books about fall to your preschooler. Here are a couple books that are highly recommended. Autumn is for Apples by Michelle Knudsen and Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night by Anne Rockwell. Consider reading aloud to your children outside under a large oak tree.

There are so many ways to help your preschooler enjoy this glorious season and learn a thing or two in the process. All you need is a little creativity and an open mind.