It seems like preschoolers question everything! “Where is that truck going? What’s that bird? Why is that car blue?” Questions can dominate your life in the preschool years, and sometimes they get a little deep!
Questions help preschoolers understand the world around them. How often are you saying questions back to your children?
Fall is here. One of the best ways you can celebrate fall with your preschooler is just talk to them! Strike up a conversation by asking them questions for a change.
Ask them what they notice about “The Signs of Fall.” Whether you’re in the car or on a walk, have them point out what is different. Is there a tree that you pass each day? Ask how the leaves change over the coming weeks. When you wake up in the morning and that chill is in the air, ask your child if they notice the frost on the grass. During those last moments of sunshine in the day, ask if they notice that the sun is setting earlier and rising later.
Take a nature walk and “Look Out Loud” with your child as you announce what you can see. Look for acorns, walnuts, and other seeds that are falling. Take note of the squirrels burying nuts for the winter. What can they hear that may be a different sound?
It’s okay if you don’t always know the answers. Sometimes looking things up together leads to more conversation.
Below are some more fall activities that you can try-out at home. As we discussed last month, play is so important to a child’s development, and these activities are some suggestions to keep the play going!
Fall Fun Activities
Explore the insides of a pumpkin. If you’re carving a pumpkin for Halloween the “guts” of a pumpkin are an excellent teaching tool. Have your child separate seeds from the stringy pulp. Talk about the sensation they feel and the smells. Observation is such an important skill to develop.
Make a leaf collection. Have your child collect leaves of different sizes, colors, and shapes. Have them sort them into common themes. Practice counting by having them count how many are in each pile. Make leaf rubbings by placing a leaf under a white piece of paper. Use a crayon and rub it over the leaf creating an impression on the paper.
Here’s an easy and fun fall craft for preschoolers and younger that can be completed at home. Projects like this help develop kids’ fine motor skills. Fall Craft
