Our toddlers had a great time learning about fall. The children learned through many hands-on activities as well as science and sensory experiences. We also included literacy and art into our daily learning. We read books, such as “The Fall Colors”, “From Seeds to Pumpkin”, “The Hungry Caterpillar’s First Fall” and many more.
We started our journey, by creating our centerpiece with some decorative leaves, pumpkins, acorns and pinecones for our Thanksgiving lunch. The children used a light table to observe the veins and other details of the leaves. Our toddlers enjoyed using a magnifying glass to have a closer look and to get a different perspective.
Some children decided to explore other materials using a magnifying glass. The teachers put out pumpkins and gourds with various colors, shapes and textures for them to see and feel. After looking at the pumpkins and gourds from the outside, the children showed their curiosity about the insides of pumpkins and gourds. We then decided to take it to the next level by cutting the pumpkin open, allowing the children to hold the seeds and scoop out the flesh.
We also took the opportunity to incorporate a science-based experiment where the children were able to use both sight and smell. We created a “pumpkin volcano”! The visual aspect came from the chemical reaction when adding baking soda and vinegar together. To emphasize the visual learning opportunity, we decided to add some red food coloring to enhance the experiment. The scent-based portion of this experience came from the children smelling the vinegar before the chemical reaction took place.
To continue with sensory activities, we also made pumpkin spice scented play dough where children manipulated various tools to enhance the experience. Some used rolling pins while other used cookie cutters to further develop their fine motor skill as well as hand eye coordination. This also allowed the children to have a tactile experience where they poked, pinched and flattened the play dough using varied palmer and pincer grasps to strengthen fine motor skills. The children made cookies, pies, and pizzas while some made rocks and animals.
Our toddlers were also introduced to the concept of seriating natural material wooden pumpkins. The teacher brought in a set of wooden pumpkins that varied in size. They also fit into matching cut outs based on the size. The teacher displayed the pumpkins and challenged the children to fit the pumpkins into the corresponding slots. This activity allowed the children to use a combination of hand eye coordination to pick up and place the pumpkins, as well as critical thinking to work through the sizing via trial and error.
For one of our last activities with pumpkins and gourds, the teacher simply asked each child what paint colors they wanted. She put their chosen paint in a tub with a small gourd, and left it as an open-ended activity. The children began to roll the gourd within the container and created unique patterns of swirls and streaks on the surface. Our toddlers had a fun- filled time seeing the gourd toss and turn!
Hope you enjoyed these lovely pictures of our class!