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Learning Fun for Families
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Fall Means Leaves
Fun activities for the whole family.
Published on September 20, 2006 By
LearningTreasures
In
Home & Family
Article Link
Fall Means Leaves
Fall is a wonderful time to study leaves and trees. The countryside is beautiful with the color all around us. Most children cannot resist gathering up those brightly, colored leaves to bring home. And who doesn’t enjoy the fresh, crisp air? It’s a perfect time to enjoy being a family. Here are some activities that your family can do to turn fall into a fun learning experience as well as spend time together.
Do Some Fall Science
Teach them why the leaves turn with some fall science. Did you know that the color you see in the leaves in the fall is the leaf’s true color? Chlorophyll fills the leaves during the spring and summer to provide the food the leaves need. This turns the leaf green. When autumn gets here and the leaves start to die, they separate from the tree a little at a time. This cuts off their food and the chlorophyll no longer floods the leaves.
This is a good time to teach photosynthesis and how plants get their food. More science skills would be simply identifying trees by their leaves and starting a leaf collection. Your library will have books that will help. If your family likes to go for walks and lives near fields take a fall sock walk. Be sure and take a tree guide with you to help identify the trees you pass by.
Have an Autumn Snack
When you come back from your walk enjoy some apple cider and cookies. Make a fall salad by adding cut up apples and walnuts to your favorite leafy green salad. Go apple picking and make homemade applesauce.
Make Some Fall Memories
Make leaf rubbings, gather leaves and press them between wax paper for beautiful wall hangings. Make some stained glass leafs to hang in the window. Leaf prints are a wonderful way to preserve the beauty of fall and are nice to frame and hang up.
Cut apples in half and make prints, or do any one of the activities listed. Collect seeds and seed pods, go fishing, or grow a fall garden. It really won't matter to your children which activities you choose to do. They will be glad you are spending time with them. And you will be helping them explore the world around them. What are you waiting for? Go play in some leaves!
Fall Activities:
LEAF RUBBINGS:
Making leaf rubbings is one of the easiest things to do and is fun for all ages. Simply lay leaves down, vein side up, place a piece of paper over them and rub across them with a crayon. Beautiful!
STAINED GLASS LEAVES:
You will need squares of construction paper, wax paper and crayon shavings. Take two squares and draw a leaf shape on them (it needs to be the same). Cut it out so you have a leaf shaped "hole" in both pieces of paper. Cut two squares of wax paper slightly smaller than the paper squares. Sprinkle fall colored crayon shavings on the one of the sheets of wax paper. Lay the other piece on top. With an adult helping, place a hanky or napkin over top the wax paper and iron it. Set the iron on warm. This will melt the crayons. Now glue the wax paper in between the two pieces of construction paper. It's now ready to hang in your window.
LEAF PRINTING:
You will need cardstock or heavy paper, poster paints. Gather some of your favorite leafs and paint the back of them, the side with the veins showing, your favorite color. Now lay the leaf down on your paper and gently rub. Pull the leaf up and you will see a nice picture of your leaf. You can overlap them, using different colors; use different kinds of leaves or whatever you want to do.
FALL SOCK WALK:
What you need-- a nice fall day -wool pants or long wool socks or something made of similar fabric- field, forest, empty lots. Dress for the weather and put your pant legs inside your socks. You are now ready for your walk. Walk all around wherever you are. Try and identify trees, birds or interesting plants. Let your legs brush up against as many plants and bushes that you can. When you get home take a look at what has stuck to your socks. Carefully pick off each burr, bristle, grass or weed. See if you can identify what plant they came from. A plant guide will help with this. You might want to draw and label them. Write down what they feel like and where you found them. If you want to save you collection, glue them into your notebook. Spray paint or dry them. Use your imagination.
More Resources:
Leaves Slide
The Leaf of a Flowering Plant Slide Set
Dichotomous Leaf Key Display
Leaf and Seed Games
Tree Seeds Assortment
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Fall Means Leaves
Comments
1
jennifer1
on Sep 20, 2006
I enjoyed reading this, thank you!
2
LearningTreasures
on Sep 22, 2006
Your welcome!
Belinda
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