October is Apple Month: Engage Your Kids in Educational Activities

As I'm sitting here crunching on an apple, I often wonder how much my kids know about apples. First, the apple has been around for many generations. The Greeks and Romans brought apples to England. The Pilgrims later brought and planted apple seeds in America. Back in the 1800's, Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) is known for planting apple tree seedlings in Ohio. Share this tale with your children with storybooks such as The Story of Johnny Appleseed by Aliki or Who Was Johnny Appleseed? by Joan Holub found at your local library or bookstore.

There are literally thousands of varieties of apples, although it is the Delicious and Macintosh varieties that account for more than half of the apples grown in this country. Challenge your children with these activities on apples. They are fun projects for homeschooling or extra curricular learning. All of the ideas can be adapted to include other seasonal fruits and vegetables. You can try the same activities with different ones each season and compare the results.

Discussing apples promotes learning

Guide children in observing the likeness and differences of apples. Do they all have the same shape? What about the variety in colors? How would you describe the inside and outside of an apple? Do they have seeds? Because apples come in so many varieties, they can be used to illustrate a very important concept. Point out to the children that although the apples all look different, they are all apples. Just as we human beings all look different, we are all still humans.

Together prepare a timeline on a long strip of paper. Help the children draw sequence pictures showing from apple seed to sapling, to a tree making flowers, to apple fruit and then to seed again. Then fold the paper into a sequence picture book and encourage the kids to tell you what each picture shows as you unfold the pages. Pictures always help children learn the spoken word.

Using apples to teach simple math

Provide containers used for measuring apples: a quart, peck and a bushel. Get the family involved and predict how many apples will fill each container. Graph and chart the responses. Follow up all predictions with placing and counting the apples. Compare with the predictions. They can also predict the number of seeds inside before cutting open an apple.

Cutting apples into slices provides a lesson on fractions. Talk about parts and whole. Cut the apple in half and then into quarters. Excite the kids by cutting an apple in half horizontally to view a beautiful star shape in the middle from the placement of the seeds. As an extra activity, press this apple half onto an ink pad or container of paint to print star shapes on paper.

Why apples are healthy for us

Talk about apple nutrition with the kids before having a snack. Apples are low in calories, but high in fiber, which helps with our digestion. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals that help keep bodies healthy and give us energy through natural sugars. Apples even help to clean our teeth with the crunch as we eat them. Encourage your kids to grab an apple instead of a cookie when searching for a snack.

And for a tasty apple treat that kids love to make, try apple smiles. For each snack, you'll need two red apple wedges. Spread peanut butter between the two wedges with the red skins facing out to look like lips. Next, place miniature marshmallows in the peanut butter to look like teeth. SMILE and enjoy!

Note: If any child has a peanut allergy, try using processed cheese spread instead of the peanut butter.

Make a 3-D apple art project

Provide four sheets of white construction paper. Fold each sheet in half and trace half the apple shape on each fold (the inside part of the apple is on the fold) and cut them out. Using crayons or markers, draw the red skin along the apple edges and black seeds in the middle. You can make green or yellow apples too. Unfold the apple halves and stack all four, aligning the folds. Staple all together at the center fold. Make a hole at the top for hanging. Open all the sections to create a 3-D apple. Add a stem from green paper and glue it to the top. Place string or yarn though the holes and hang this apple in your kitchen or on a plant adding a fresh, colorful touch to the room.

Take advantage of the apple abundance during the fall season. They produce interesting lessons, decorate homes and make delicious treats.

Sources:

University of Illinois Extension; Apple Facts

The information offered in this article is based on the author's personal experience as an early childhood teacher and mother.

More from this contributor:

Pumpkin Art Projects for Kids of All Ages

8 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids

At-Home Zoo Animal Activities for Young Children