Exploring Pumpkins: Hands on Fall Fun For The Little squirrels

As the last of the fall leaves flutter down, it’s time to say goodbye to leaf piles and hello to pumpkins! Transitioning from leaves to pumpkins is a great way to keep the seasonal fun going, while introducing fresh, hands-on activities for the little ones.

Pumpkins offer a ton of learning through play opportunities that the kids are having so much fun with! With just a few thoughtful activities, the shift from fall leaves to pumpkins feels like a natural next step for the kids, keeping the magic of the season alive.

Monday

We kicked off the week with the book Duck & Goose Find A Pumpkin by Tad Hills, then introduced our new circle time song, 5 Little Pumpkins https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=5%20little%20pumpkins&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:61a823c8,vid:cm1qvX1ygOo,st:0cutting

Over the weekend, I took down our Fall letter recognition tree and started growing a new Alphabet ‘Pumpkin Patch.’ Each child had a turn finding the pumpkin with the first letter of their name and adding it to our classroom display. As the week continues, we’ll keep expanding our pumpkin patch by adding more letters and practicing their sounds. The kids are doing an amazing job with this activity and are already starting to recognize several letters!

After circle time we went outside to open up a pumpkin and explore its gooey insides! The kids got to touch the seeds, feel the squishy pulp, and discover what’s hiding inside this big orange fruit. It was the perfect hands-on way to dive into our new pumpkin theme.

Tuesday

During Tuesday’s circle time, I introduced another new song, ‘5 Perfect Pumpkins,’ along with a fun, hands-on prop to engage the children. The kids take turns removing a pumpkin from our ‘pumpkin patch’ as we sing the song together. Each unit features a similar interactive prop to keep the activities engaging. After singing, we practice counting by adding the pumpkins back to the patch.

https://youtu.be/_DeoAngsjZY

In celebration of our Circle time book Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper, we took our inspiration outdoors for a beautiful warm fall day. The story follows a duck, a squirrel, and a cat as they work together to make the perfect pumpkin soup, teaching valuable lessons about friendship and cooperation. After enjoying the tale, we brought the magic to life with a sensory activity: making pretend pumpkin soup in nature. Using natural materials like leaves, twigs, and of course, pumpkins, the children spent the morning stirring up their own “soup,” engaging their senses and creativity while embracing the season’s cozy atmosphere.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, we began by reading It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse!, a delightful story that had the children excited about the different pumpkin faces. Afterwards, the creativity continued as we painted puffy paint pumpkins, letting the kids enjoy the texture and vibrant colors while designing their own unique pumpkin masterpieces. After our messy fun inside we went outside and the kids had a blast hammering golf tees into a pumpkin, turning it into a fun outdoor activity that worked their fine motor skills. They loved the challenge. We also couldn’t resist making more pumpkin soup, since Tuesdays batch was such a hit. The kids were thrilled to get that out again and enjoy another round of messy, pumpkin goodness! It was a day full of learning and seasonal fun!

Thursday

On Thursday, we started the day with a story time reading of The Biggest Pumpkin Ever, a charming tale about two mice who unknowingly care for the same pumpkin, each with their own plans to make it the biggest ever. After enjoying the story, we moved on to an activity that introduces no the concept of counting and cardinality through a hands-on pumpkin seed counting activity, helping the kids practice their numbers in a playful way.

Friday

After a week full of fun and learning, we kept Friday a little more relaxed—because when you’re little, playtime is the most important thing of all! We spent the day playing and letting the kids’ imaginations run wild.

Check back in at the end of next week to catch a glimpse of all our Halloween fun!

Warmly,

Ms Sarah

May the world be filled with beautiful, peaceful little children.

Book Wishlist

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Supplies Wishlist

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