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Home » Fall

8 Easy & Inexpensive Leaf Activities for Kids

By Marnie Craycroft 27 Comments Filed Under: Activities Tagged With: Fall, Infant & Toddler, Kindergarten, Preschool, Seasons This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more info.

[Please scroll down for resources mentioned in this post.]

September Sensory Tub

As I was thinking about Fall Activities for my 3 and 1.5-year-old, I discovered so many Easy, Inexpensive & Creative Leaf Activities on Pinterest, I decided I had to share my top 8 Easy, Inexpensive & Creative Leaf Activities.

Photos are sourced from respective blogs with a link back to the post. Please click through to their sites for more details!

leaf activities

8 Easy, Inexpensive & Creative Leaf Activities for Your Home & Classroom


Living Montessori Now has a great round up of activities including this one by To The Lesson! From practical life to math to science, you will find many Montessori inspired activities for your home and classroom.

Love the creativity in this leave activity from Full Circle. The greatest part is how the activity combines art and the senses. Children crumple dry leaves and create their own masterpiece! Process art at its best!

My Kids Make has two activities that I adore a Leaf Rubbing and a Leaf Connect the Dot. Leaf rubbing is easy to do and inexpensive. Take the kids out to gather leaves, pack paper, and crayons, and find a spot to rub leaves! A wonderful fall outdoor activity for children

These leaf prints from Kleas are gorgeous and so easy! Kids love this art activity. Go outside and gather leaves. Paint one side of the leave and make a gorgeous print.

outdoor leaf activities

One of my favorite blogs, Happy Hooligans, incorporates learning and movement into their fall activity.  How beautiful is this spiral of leaves?

I love the simplicity and honesty in working with younger children in this fall activity post by Gigi's Joy. Another leaf printing idea but the post is worth the read!

fun leaf activitiesThis “foliage friends” from Family Fun @ Disney are too adorable not to include in this list. Kids can get so creative with this activity. I love watching their imaginations run wild!

This Leaf Sun Catcher from Adventures in Reading With Kids is simple and beautiful. I love the use of branches for the frame. Grab some contact paper and create away!

I hope we inspired you today!
Marnie

Filed Under: Activities Tagged With: Fall, Infant & Toddler, Kindergarten, Preschool, Seasons

Explode a Pumpkin with Rubber Bands & Other Exciting Montessori Pumpkin Activities

By Marnie Craycroft 1 Comment Filed Under: Activities Tagged With: Fall, Life Science This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more info.

[Please scroll down for resources mentioned in this post.]

Are you looking for pumpkin activity ideas for your classroom or home? You have arrived at the right place, my Montessori friend! You will be please to know that this post includes loads of Montessori pumpkin activities!

Montessori Pumpkin Activities

Let me know what you think of these pumpkin activities! I tried to cover most areas of a Montessori early childhood classroom. I would love to hear any thoughts and ideas you have for adding to this pumpkin activities list.

Montessori Pumpkin Activities

Practical Life Activities

  • Pumpkin Guts Exploration from Stir the Wonder
  • Puffy Pumpkin Lacing from I Can Teach My Child
  • Pumpkin Pillow Sewing
  • Use a strainer to sift out pumpkin seeds in a sensory tub filled with rice or small beans
  • Roast and season pumpkin seeds for a snack (have kids help gut the pumpkin!)
  • Hammer tees into pumpkins (maybe the perfect seasonal fine motor work)
  • DIY Pumpkin Slime from Growing a Jeweled Rose

pumpkin activities

Sensorial Activities

  • Geo-pumpkin from Fun A Day
  • Pumpkin Patterns using stickers or stamps
  • Sort harvest gems

Math Activities

  • Basic numeration activity by cutting a pumpkin out, rolling dice, and using pumpkin seeds to match the roll
  • Replace card counters with pumpkin seeds
  • Measure circumference and diameter of various pumpkins
  • Grade pumpkins by size

Language Activities

  • Life Cycle of a Pumpkin Nomenclature Cards from Montessori for Everyone
  • Parts of a Pumpkin Nomenclature Cards from Montessori Printshop
  • Types of Pumpkins Cards from Montessori Printshop

Art Activities

  • DIY Pumpkin Puffy Paint from Growing a Jeweled Rose
  • Decorate mini pumpkins using melted crayons

pumpkin activities

Science Activities

  • Lifecycle of a Pumpkin paper plate craft
  • Grow a Pumpkin in a Pumpkin from Life with Moore Babies
  • Hands on Learn about Pollination 
  • Experiment with Pumpkins & Rubber Bands (how may rubber bands will cause the pumpkin to explode?)

Geography Activities

  • Create Pumpkin Globes like these globes from The Creative Classroom

I hope we inspired you today!
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Filed Under: Activities Tagged With: Fall, Life Science

Montessori Monthly Themes: Amazing, Fun, & Easy to Do

By Marnie Craycroft Leave a Comment Filed Under: Activities, At Home Tagged With: Fall, Holidays, Monthly Themes, Seasons, Spring, Summer, Winter This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more info.

[Please scroll down for resources mentioned in this post.]

Montessori Monthly Themes for Preschool

This page includes Montessori monthly themes for preschoolers including Montessori Activities by Season and Montessori Activities by Holiday.

I hope this content helps you create amazing Montessori Monthly Lesson Plans!

My goal is to add to this monthly content so that you have dozens of Montessori theme ideas for each month of the year!

Montessori Monthly Themes for Preschool

Montessori Month by Month Curriculum

The child's development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behaviour towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practised to perfection only when working among children. – Dr. Maria Montessori

Montessori Winter Activities

It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. ~John Burroughs, “Winter Sunshine”

  • Fresh & New Ideas for Winter Montessori Shelves
  • The Best & Most Heartwarming Children's Books about Winter
  • Diverse, Unique, & Easy Winter Solstice Activities Kids Will Love
  • 20 Fresh Montessori Winter Activities
  • Winter Botany Activity for Kids
  • Learn about Animals in the Winter
  • 5 Warm & Wonderful Winter Solstice Books for Kids
  • Winter Outdoor Tree Decorating for the Birds

Montessori New Years Activities

  • 10 Fun & Thoughtful New Year Activities for Kids & Families
  • The Power of Habit: Making New Year’s Resolutions Stick
  • New Year Activity Family Fun
  • Lunar New Year Activity for Kids
  • Chinese New Year Sensory Tub
  • New Year's Songs for Preschoolers
  • Chinese New Year Books for Kids

Montessori Martin Luther King Jr. Activities

  • 11 Simple Ways to Teach Kids Peace Starting TODAY
  • Martin Luther King Jr. How Do We Talk to Kids about Racism?
  • Teach Kids about Anti-Bias & Diversity
  • MLK Jr. Crafts Kids Love & Will Start the Conversation about Race

Montessori Valentine's Day Activities

  • Valentine's Activity Pack
  • Fun Valentine Montessori Language Activity
  • Celebrate Valentine's Day with Family or Your Class with this Cool Idea
  • Short Vowel Word Bingo; Fun Valentine's Day Language Activity
  • Preschool Valentine Math; Fine Motor Activity
  • Check out these Amazing Montessori Valentines Activities
  • Valentine Language Activity
  • Easy Valentine's Gifts for Teachers and Friends
  • 3 Easy Montessori Valentines Day Activities to Add to Your February Shelves
  • Unique Valentine Children's Books for Young Boys
  • 2 Easy Valentine Activities for Kids
  • Patten Activity – A Valentine Theme 
  • Early Reading Activity for Valentine's Day 
  • Valentine's Day Activities for Preschoolers with Hearts & Buttons
  • Montessori Activities for Valentine's Day
  • Toddler & Preschool Children's Books for Valentine's Day
  • Heart Crayons; Preschool Valentine's Day
  • Montessori Sorting Activity with a Valentine's Day Theme
  • Valentines Sensory Love Tub

Montessori St. Patrick's  Day Activities

  • St. Patrick's Day Activities for Preschoolers
  • DIY Clover Lacing Card for St. Patrick's Day
  • Fine Motor St. Patrick's Day Activities for Kids
  • 17 Ridiculously Awesome St. Patrick's Day Activities

Montessori Earth Day Activities

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of each. – Henry David Thoreau

  • Melted Crayon Art Activity for Earth Day
  • Baking Soda Vinegar Earth Day Science
  • Homemade Crayons for Earth Day
  • Torn Paper Earth Collage 
  • Unique Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Activities with Kids
  • Texture Art Earth – An Activity for Kids & the Home
  • Earth Day Activity for Kids
  • Simple Earth Day Craft
  • Introducing Earth Day: Recycling Sort Activity
  • 20 Earth Day Activities for Kids
  • Tons of Ideas for an Earth Day Play Date
  • Easy & Inexpensive Earth Day Activity
  • Make a Crystal Earth – Earth Day Science
  • Homemade Crayons for Earth Day
  • Montessori Earth Day Activities Pack

Montessori Spring Themed Activities

  • 12 Unique & Creative Activities with Seeds
  • Six Nature Themed Math Activities
  • Spring Activities Pack
  • Garden Activities Pack
  • Montessori Preschool Bird Unit
  • Children's Books about Seeds

Montessori Mother's Day Themed Activities

  • Learn What Montessori Has to Say about Motherhood
  • Creative DIY Nature Themed Mother's Day Gifts
  • Children's Books for Mother's Day

Montessori Memorial Day Themed Activities

  • Memorial Day Preschool Activities
  • American Flag Memorial Day Preschool Activity 
  • 40 Beautiful Children's Books that Help Teach a Child about Courage & Bravery
  • Easy & Fun Red Poppy Craft & Other Activities for Remembrance Day
  • Memorial Day Ideas for Kids

Montessori Father's Day Themed Activities

  • Montessori Inspired Father's Day Gifts
  • Father's Day Gifts from Kids
  • 10 Amazingly Adorable Father's Day Ideas

Montessori Summer Themed Activities

  • September Activities Pack
  • Easy & Inexpensive Summer Activity for Kids

Montessori July 4th Themed Activities

  • Pony Bead Craft for July 4th
  • Check out these Fun Fourth of July Art Activities for Kids
  • Easy July 4th Activities for Kids
  • Patriotic Activities for Preschoolers

Montessori Fall Themed Activities

  • October Activities Pack
  • November Activities Pack
  • December Activities Pack
  • Fall Paper Plate Activity for Kids – Lifecycle of a Pumpkin
  • Montessori Apple Unit – Montessori Fall Theme
  • 8 Easy & Inexpensive Leaf Activities for Kids

Filed Under: Activities, At Home Tagged With: Fall, Holidays, Monthly Themes, Seasons, Spring, Summer, Winter

5 Fun Montessori Practical Life Fall Shelf

By Marnie Craycroft Leave a Comment Filed Under: Montessori Tagged With: Fall, Practical Life, Shelf Work This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more info.

[Please scroll down for resources mentioned in this post.]

Practical Life Tray Ideas

If you are anything like me, refreshing shelf work is huge whether you are a homeschooler or in a classroom. Shelf work should get a refresher once a month at least to keep the kids interested and to honor “following the child”. In this case, I have a Montessori Practical Life fall shelf theme. I hope you enjoy these Montessori Practical Life Fall Shelf Ideas.

RAINBOW_LETTERS_FALL_1024x1024

Check out my fall themed Rainbow letters!

Practical Life Cutting Strips

“All our handling of the child will bear fruit, not only at the moment, but in the adult they are destined to become.” ~ Maria Montessori

Math Paperclip Tray

Paperclip Tray

This tray is great because you can place it on the Math Shelf! Pretty simple. A small bowl or paperclips, a piece of chalk, a die, and a chalkboard. Have the child roll the die for the numerals to add (or subtract).

Related Read: Practical Life Activity with Corn

If the child rolls a “3”, the child then clips 3 paperclips together, and so on. Add the paperclips together to get the sum. This tray works fine motor skills and introduces math concepts in a concrete way.

Practical Life Tray Ideas

Acorn Transfer Tray

I found plastic Christmas ornaments and decided to make a work from them! This tray has the ornament placed on a geometric solid base, a small bowl of acorn “gems”, and small tongs. You can use tweezers, too. Simply tweeze an acorn and drop it into the ornament!

Montessori Practical Life Math Tray

Daisy Counters Tray

This tray is versatile, too. Like the Paperclip Tray above, this tray works the fine motor skills of “clicking” the counter while introducing numeration with counting. Honestly this idea came about when we were cutting the dead flowers from our yard. We started to count the daisies and group them into 2s, 5s, and 10s. Voila! We have a work!

Montessori Leaf Counters

I also introduced this tray with “leaf gems” from Michaels. Simple, small, and festive! This fall math activity with leaves is easy to put together and a fun variation on card counters.

Thank you for taking the time to read this Montessori Practical Life fall shelf post. Be sure to stop by our awesome Carrots Are Orange Facebook community for more inspiration!  Lastly, please let me know what is on your shelf!

Marnie

PS. I have some super fun Halloween themed cutting strips in my shop! Check them out!

Filed Under: Montessori Tagged With: Fall, Practical Life, Shelf Work

Make a Melted Pony Bead Sun Catcher

By Marnie Craycroft 9 Comments Filed Under: Montessori Tagged With: Elementary, Fall, Kindergarten, Preschool, Seasons This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more info.

[Please scroll down for resources mentioned in this post.]

Melted Pony Beads Feature

I love the colors of fall. The turning leaves, the harvest, the light. I love all of it. This post includes a Make a Melted Pony Bead Sun Catcher activity, perfect to brighten your home with a little fall decor.

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Wilton Mold

Melted Pony Beads Sun Catcher

Melted Pony Bead Activity

Materials

  • Transparent and Opaque fall colored Pony Beads
  • Silicone Mini Leaf and Pumpkin Mold
  • Heat Source like an outdoor oven or grill works best to mitigate the toxins from melting plastic. We used our inside oven, cranked the fan, and opened windows and doors. The smell was a bit much so definitely over do it with the ventilation.

how to make a melted pony bead sun catcher

Approach

  • Decorate your pumpkins and leaves however you wish in the mold
  • Carefully place onto baking sheet
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes
  • Allow time to cool
  • Display by mounting on a window, or drilling a hole into the sun catcher and threading string through for a hanging display

A fun and simple way to bring light and creativity to your child's day and into your home! Be sure to check out The Artful Parent's Melted Pony Bead Sun Catcher posts. They are wonderful and are sure to inspire you!

Melted Pony Bead Sun Catcher Collage

 

 

I hope we inspired you today!
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Filed Under: Montessori Tagged With: Elementary, Fall, Kindergarten, Preschool, Seasons

Fun Fall Themed Pumpkin Sewing Activity for Preschoolers

By Marnie Craycroft 1 Comment Filed Under: Activities, Montessori Tagged With: Fall, Fine Motor Skills, Kindergarten, Practical Life, Preschool, Seasons This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more info.

[Please scroll down for resources mentioned in this post.]

Sewing a wonderful early learning activity for children. We recently used felt, yarn, and cotton balls to create a pumpkin. The great part about this activity is that you can adjust it to the age of the child with the type of needle, the type of thread, and how much the child owns the process. Here is how we did our Fall Montessori Activities – Pumpkin Activity for Preschoolers.

Sewing Pumpkin Activity for Kids

Fall Montessori Pumpkin Sewing Activity for Preschoolers

Pumpkin Craft for Kids

Materials

  • Orange felt, fabric, card stock, or construction paper
  • Large Needle
  • Paper Hold Punch (if completed with a younger child)
  • Yarn or String (depending on the younger child)
  • Cotton or Paper for stuffing
  • Scissors
  • Marker


Felt Stuffed Pumpkin Activity

Montessori Approach

  • Trace a pumpkin shape onto the orange felt, card stock, or construction paper
  • You or the child cut out the pumpkin shape
  • If using a blunt large needle, you won't be able to poke through the felt. I punched holes into the felt with a paper hole punch. So, for my 3.5-year-old, the exercise became more of a lacing activity. If you have an older child, you can use a standard needle and thread. You can also play with materials, using thinner felt pieces or cloth.
  • Demonstrate how to proceed by “sewing” with the yarn or string the two pumpkins together. We went around the pumpkin twice.
  • Leave a hole at the “stem” to stuff with cotton or paper
  • Color the stem or glue a brown/green piece of felt, paper, or fabric to create the look of the stem
  • Gently stuff the pumpkin
  • You can either glue the pumpkin shut at the stem, “sew”, or staple it closed

Other Fun Pumpkin Activities

  • Parts of the pumpkin
  • Explore the guts of a pumpkin
  • Bake pumpkin seeds
  • Pumpkin seed sensory bag
  • Pumpkin Playdough and Slime

Related Resource: Montessori Fall Activities Pack – Pumpkin Theme

Montessori Activities Pack - Pumpkin Theme

Before you go, check out this DIY Heart Felt Pillows Sewing Activity for Kids!

Filed Under: Activities, Montessori Tagged With: Fall, Fine Motor Skills, Kindergarten, Practical Life, Preschool, Seasons

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