Painting Pumpkins

Fall Leaves

Celebrating Fall is so much fun!

We made Leaf Prince and Princess headbands.

With the little ones I let them explore in paint.

Using fall colors they dipped the tips of their tiny fingers. 

I showed them how to place finger prints on the tree to make fall color leaves.

L was our letter of the day.

I traced the letter L and the kids filled it in with leaf stickers.

This week we have a lot of fun songs to sing about leaves.

I copied them for the kids to take home, this way the parents can join in with the tunes!

Leaves in the Air

(tune: wheels on the bus)

The leaves in the air [go up and down]

[up and down, up and down]

The leaves in the air [go up and down]

All around the town.

Continue with: [twirl round and round / go whoosing by / fall gently down]

Changing Leaves

(tune: London Bridge)

Leaves change color in the fall.

In the fall, in the fall.

Leaves change color in the fall.

They're so lovely.

Leaves Are Falling

(tune: Where is Thumbkin?)

Leaves are falling

Leaves are falling

All around

to the ground

they are such a nice sight

dancing in the sunlight

floating down

to the ground.

Worksheet:

Craft:

Step 1 - Cut out a tree pattern.

Step 2

Use fall color paints, a papertowel scrunched onto a clothespin.

Step 3

 Dab colors onto your trees.

Fire Safety

 This week was Fire Prevention week and we talked about Fire Safety.

I made cut outs of fireman clothes and equipment. 

The kids dressed their fireman by putting the clothes onto the pre-printed man.

I drew a simple house and put spots of red, yellow and orange paint on the windows.

The kids blew the paint with a straw to make upward swirls of paint to represent fire.

I got a lot of giggles from this activity!

SONG:

Beep, Beep, Beep

(sung to the tune of "Mary Had A Little Lamb")

Smoke alarms say "beep beep beep"

"beep beep beep.  beep beep beep.

Smoke alarms say "beep beep beep"

When there' smoke in the room.

If there' smoke, get down and crawl.

Down and crawl, down and crawl.

If there' smoke, get down and crawl.

There's fresh air near the floor.

~

 We talked about the different ways a fire can start.

Then we made a camp fire from torn strips of brown construction paper to represent the sticks.

Crepe paper was rolled into balls and glued ontop of the 'sticks' to represent the fire.

~

I created a phone key pad and had the children press the buttons for 9-1-1.

~

One of the books we read was "Clifford, The Firehouse Dog" by Norman Bridwell.

This was the kids favorite one.

~

GAME

Stop, Drop & Roll!

To prepare for this activity, make a fire prop by taping lengths of red and orange crepe paper to a cardboard tube.  We talked to the children about the importance of knowing how to stop, drop, and roll in case their clothes were to catch fire.  It is important that youngsters to understand it is important not to run because it will make the fire spread.  We showed the children how to stop, lie on the ground, and roll back and forth. Wiggle the fire prop near each child over them while they do the 'stop, drop and roll'.

Chrysanthemum

When fall approaches I love the look of mum's beginning to bloom.

This inspired me to do a week's lesson about Chrysanthemum's.

This book is perfect.  Not only does it talk about the flower Chrysanthemum, but it talks about how special each child is.

We will be concentrating on the letter C.

The curriculum I am using this week is from "The Kids Place".

I'd like to thank them for such a wonderful unit.

Tracing the letter 'C'.

Chrysanthemum puppets.

Teddy Bears

"Bears on Shelves" is a worksheet that helps the children learn sorting. Sorting and classifying requires analytical and reasoning skills.   As the children completed this worksheet, I asked him (her) to discuss the reasoning behind the sorting they were doing.

"Off to School" is a maze that helps encourage pre-writing and problem solving skills.

Doing simple mazes is one way to help children develop the small muscles needed to write.

Have children trace the path through the maze with a finger first and then with a crayon, pencil or marker.

With this craft I read "Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear" by Alyssa Satin Capucilli.

With this craft I read "A Pocket for Corduroy" by Don Freeman.  

I cut out a bear, the kids colored it and then glued on a purple pocket.

I'm a little Teddy Bear (song)

Tune: I'm a little tea pot

I'm a little teddy bear,

cute and sweet,

I'm soft and brown right

down to my feet.

We took turns holding the teddy bear while we sang the above song.

Note: All worksheets in this post are from The Mailbox.