Fun With Fall Leaves!

by: Diane Flynn Keith
posted: March 22, 2005

Fall is such a fun time to explore the world with little kids! You can teach them so much just by commenting out loud about the changes taking place in nature. Here are a few ideas for enjoying Autumn with your little ones while boosting their knowledge of the world!

A Good Leaf Read...

Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall is a delightful romp through piles of storybook fall leaves, written especially for kids ages 1-6. Read the story and then go for a Leaf Walk.

Go On A Leaf Walk!

Take a walk on a crisp fall day to see all of the wondrous colors of the season captured in fall foliage. Use this opportunity to introduce words and terms your children may have never heard before - like "fall foliage," "Autumn," and the names of various trees you see - like elm, maple, birch, oak, etc. (Bring along a pocket field guide to help you identify different trees. You can also bring leaves home and identify them using this free leaf identification guide.)

Talk about the colors you see. Leaves contain a pallet of color at this time of year including gold, yellow, orange, red, burgundy, brown, and green in all kinds of combinations and patterns. Your children may ask why the leaves turn color. Here's a very simple explanation - use it in a way that makes sense for your particular child:

Leaves always have a variety of colors in them, but the colors are hidden in the spring and summer by green "cholorphyll." It's a substance inside the leaves and it not only hides all of the other colors except green, it also helps turn sunlight into food for the leaves. When fall comes, there is less sunshine during the day and it gets cooler. The green chlorophyll moves away from the leaves back into the branches of the tree. When that happens we are able to see the yellow, orange, and red colors or "pigments" that were always there, hiding in the leaf. Rain, wind, temperature and the amount of natural sugar in the leaves can make the colors brighter too.

Don't be afraid to provide your children with these kinds of explanations. They may not fully grasp what you are saying, but they are learning new words and ideas. It could lead to a hundred other questions and discussions that improves their language comprehension, and helps them to understand how things work in their world.

Talk about and compare the different shapes and sizes of the leaves.

If you have a large magnifying glass, let the kids peak through it to see the veins and structure of the leaves. All of this encourages young children's classification and sorting skills that are so important in building a foundation for math and science skills. Here are some other ideas to try on your walk:

Make a Leaf Rubbing!

This is an easy art project that will preserve your Leaf Walk memories. For each leaf rubbing you will need:

Directions: Place a leaf, vein side up, on one piece of paper. Lay another piece of paper over the top of the leaf. Take a wrapper-less crayon, turn it on its side, and gently rub over the top sheet of paper. The leaf image will appear on the paper. If you want, write the name of the type of leaf that your rubbing portrays on the paper. As you get more adept at this, try using several leaves at the same time -- and different crayon colors. Display your masterpiece as is, or cut the leaves out and use them for decorations around the house. You can also mount the pages into a "My Leaf Walk" nature journal.

Make A Leaf Wreath!

You will need:

Directions: Show the children how to paint their paper plates and set them aside to dry. When the plates are dry, show the children how to glue the leaves to the plates, making a leaf wreath. Take a hole punch and punch two holes about an inch apart into what will be the top of the paper plate wreath. Thread some ribbon through the holes, tie a bow, and hang it up!

More Leaf Craft Ideas - From A Book!

In the book, Look What I Did with a Leaf! by Morteza E. Sohi, you can find out how to make pictures of animals and other things using leaves as a base. Geared for ages 5-8, many of the activities can be used for younger children with a little help from mom or dad.

More Leaf Activities - Online!

You won't believe the REALLY SIMPLE and FUN assortment of ideas, activities and games that you can do with leaves at this site. They have everything from making "leaf people" to conducting leaf races, to leaf poems and songs. Leaf Activities

Fall Leaf Coloring Pages:

You'll find a variety of free fall leaf patterns to print out and color here: Free Fall Leaf Coloring Pages

Take The Chill Off Your Leaf Walk with
Warm Cider and Pumpkin Cookies!

Warm apple cider served in a mug or a "sippy cup" takes the chill off after a walk in the crisp autumn air. List member Judy sent a recipe for the perfect accompaniment -- pumpkin cookies!

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter, and sugars in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract until blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels, and nuts. Drop by rounded tbsp onto greased baking sheets: flatten slightly with the back of a spoon and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Bake 11-14 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Have fun with leaves and give your little ones a hug for me,

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