Fall Activities

Here is a look at the activities we have for fall this year.  Nearly all of them our leftover from last year.  So nice just to pull something out at be done.

Maple Leaf stamping

Pom Pom transferring with a small spoon.

Scarecrow puzzle

Clothes Pin Counting

Patterns, Sorting, Counting etc

Fall Rice box

Line drawing practice

Felt Pumpkin Decorating 

Pumpkin Counting

Fits nicely in the bin.  Now I just need to remember to pull it out.

Our Thanksgiving Tree

2012 Thanksgiving Tree

This week, the kids and I made our Thanksgiving tree (see last years) as Thanksgiving approaches this weekend.  Last year, the tree that we made wasn't something that the kids could touch or play with so I thought we could change it a bit so that it becomes more interactive.

First, we painted the sky and added out tree trunk.  I searched for a tree trunk template that I liked and then traced it on the butcher paper.

Then I added little pieces of magnet to the back of the leaves and all over the tree.  I used a sheet of dollar store magnet stuff.  It works but if it was just the tiniest bit stronger it would have been better.

Then the kids and I came up with things that we are thankful for and wrote them on the leaves.

Hannah and Ethan playing with the leaves, Hannah is showing Ethan the "right" way to do it.

:D My sweet girl.

Fall Play Dough

I made a batch of fall play dough, yesterday.  I haven't had the best luck when it comes to homemade play dough recently.  I don't know if it's because I measured wrong or I happened across a faulty recipe, but I wanted to make sure that it came out right this time.  It did!!!  Here is the link for the recipe I used.  I added food coloring after I made up that batched and divided to use fall colors.  The color in my pictures are off slightly, they really look more earthy.

I wasn't planning on using it but after nap/rest time Ethan spotted it and wanted to use it right away.  I also pulled out the cookie cutters that I won at a baby shower.

Ethan made some leaves.

I love how Hannah needs to get her face right in there.

Happily playing away.

I think later this month we will use the play dough to make leave prints.  Have a look here and see what sparked the idea.

Pumpkin Patch

This morning, we along with some friends of ours went to a farm to go to the pumpkin patch.  Ironically, we spent the least amount of time in the pumpkin patch then we did everywhere else.  

Hannah was very excited this morning when I told her she would get to see Moses.
They are beyond adorable together.

First, we went to the petting zoo area and saw chickens, bunnies, goats, pigs and even a donkey.

Farmer Ethan.

The bunnies were very cute.

Next up was the play area.  Ethan rode a pony.

Hannah found a tractor.

We walked around and came to a fun area with more tractors to ride on.

Ethan enjoyed pushing Hannah around.

Andrew got himself tied up in knots.

You can't go to the pumpkin patch without taking a few pumpkin pictures.

Of course Ethan wanted a huge one.

Hannah thinks if it's small it's cute.

Last we walked through the corn maze.

Looking at a caterpillar.

Walking on the path is not nearly as fun as walking through the corn stalks.

Unfortunately, we had to end things short because Hannah got stuck in the mud and fell.  Poor girl hates having dirty hands.  The mud was even in her hair.

Fingerprint Leaves

Hannah and I did a very easy (and fun) fingerprint picture of fall leaves.  I printed out a copy of a blank tree (from Style Unveiled) and set out our stamp pad.

Hannah enjoyed tapping her fingerprint everywhere.

Ethan played with the play dough.

I had to keep asking her sit down.  

Our lovely fall trees.  They are decorating our door window now.

Note:  Keep a wet paper towel or cloth nearby to wash your fingers between colors.

Fall Activities

I am so excited, the storage unit I have had my eye on for at least a year whet on sale today, 50% off.  Yeah.  Andrew was nice enough to put it together for me too.  I so excited to use it because I can get each activity prepared for Hannah in advance and put it in one of the bins to use throughout the week.  No more   clutter on my table.  For now, I have it sitting beside my shelves but I foresee a problem with little fingers going into it when they should not.  If this does happen I will put it in the closet and pull it out during our activity time.

So organized.

 Here are the fall activities that I have inside right now.

Fall sensory bin.

Shadow matching (Homeschool Creations).

Transferring the pom poms to the pumpkin tray. (I still need to track down the tweezers).

Dot art. (Homeschool Creations)

Counting Pumpkins. (The Princess and the Tot)

Jack-o-lantern felt board.

Leaf size sorting. (2 Teaching Mommies) 

Apple and Leaves sorting. (Homeschool Creations)

I also put Hannah's pumpkin play dough in one drawer and several  others are still free.