PRESERVING AUTUMN MEMORIES WITH CHILDREN

Do you hear loud chirping insect songs that you hadn’t noticed before? Have you spotted a flock of birds overhead winging determinedly south? Do some of the trees show hints of brilliant colors; yellows, oranges, and reddish hues, among their usual green leaves? Yes, it’s autumn. Although in some regions the leaves may only stay green, (with maybe a few brown ones) but who cares, leaves can be the focus of seasonal fun.
Try these memorable ways to play with leaves:

• Walk a leafy labyrinth. When leaves cover the lawn, rake a twisting pathway through them. Copy a classic maze for extra fun.
• Find a lollipop. Hide a wrapped lollipop under a pile. First one to find it, keeps it.
• Make a leaf print. Sponge paint onto the underside of a leaf. Place on a sheet of paper. Cover with a second sheet and apply gentle pressure. Remove the top paper and peel off the leaf. You should be able to see the leaf shape and veins. Or, draw leaves on paper and sponge paint them with fall colors.
• Stuff a scarecrow. Break out an old sweatshirt and pants, tie the sleeves and cuffs, and stuff until firm. Complete with a pumpkin head; real or plastic.
• Preserve a leaf. Using a low setting, iron a leaf between two pieces of waxed paper with a sheet of plain paper on top. Hang in a sunny window.
• Play “name that leaf.” Go out into your neighborhood or local park and have players each collect five unusual leaves. Back home, try to identify the trees they came from using guidebooks.
• Aw! --Just rack up an enormous pile and jump in it.


A WORLD OF AUTUMN FOR BABY (Baby and Toddler)

With baby in the stroller or toddler in hand, take children on a neighborhood walk to see the leaves at their peak of changing colors (or green in the south). The purpose of this excursion is to collect nature finds of autumn to bring home for an art project. Gather leaves, dried weeds, grass cuttings, flowers; the idea is small, flat items of nature. While outdoors, ask children to imagine that they are an “autumn leaf” hanging on a tree and that you are the wind. Blow on the children and tell them to twirl, swirl and gently fall to the ground. Sing this song together as you play this movement game. (Tune: “Frere Jacques”):


LEAVES ARE TWIRLING, LEAVES ARE SWIRLING,
IN THE AIR, IN THE AIR,
THEY ARE FALLING SOFTLY, THEY ARE FALLING SOFTLY,
TO THE GROUND, TO THE GROUND.

At your center, make a collage of your autumn findings that will sure to please a little artist. Cut a large square of contact paper and tape it low on the wall or onto a table top; sticky side out. Put your collection of nature finds in front of the child and invite him to stick the items on the paper. Feeling the sticky surface saying “s-t-i-c-k-y” as he presses things onto it will fascinate toddlers. When finished, cover the surface with another sheet of contact paper. Punch two holes at the top of the paper and thread with a length of yarn to be use as a hanger. Display this collage where children can view and remember their autumn walk with you. NOTE: for those who live in the South with only green leaves, add some autumn flair with small squares of tissue paper in fall colors.


AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR (Preschool +)

Take children on a walk in the woods near your center. Give them a paper lunch bag in which to place the treasures they find along the way; fallen acorns, red and yellow leaves, a few interesting sticks, and other odds and ends nature has left behind. Later, cut one piece of colored construction paper in half horizontally. Each child can glue her “treasures” around the outer edges of her paper to make a “frame.” In the center of the frame, glue a favorite snapshot of the child (or a self portrait drawn with crayons). Write the date and the child’s name at the bottom. Send this home for the family to enjoy. This is a fun craft for kids of all ages, and it makes a nice keepsake as well.

Another fun art medium is aluminum foil. Place a sheet of foil over a leaf you have collected. Gently run a peeled crayon over the foil to pick up the leaf silhouette and veins. Use several fall colors. Mount this foil leaf onto a construction paper frame with glue.


Do you have any special fall leaf activities that you would like to share? Go over to our Child Chat Forum and tell us about it. http://members.everydaytlc.com/bb/
I have a post started—please join us!

Tania
Associate Editor/ EverydayTLC