Smart Learning Activities For Fall

This is an article for parents and teachers of our youngest children. It includes fall activities that can be easily done with young children ages 2-4. These are activities that they will like and actively choose to focus on. That's because they're hands-on, multisensory experiences that promote early brain development.

Young children are naturally drawn to them.

All the activities and books highlight some of the positive aspects of anti-bias philosophy.

If you're interested, you can click on the link to learn more about NAEYC's position on anti-bias curriculum.

Colors

Since we're celebrating the colors of fall with our young children, anyway, why not expand those observations to include the colors and unique qualities of humanity as well? If you believe you can create a more peaceful and equitable world through early childhood care and education, read this article I wrote about a positive approach to colors.

The Color Brown, by Nanci J Bradley

Here are a few more ideas that work:

Read

All The Colors Of Us by Karen Katz

Talk about and compare the children's unique and special skin tones.

Read

What I Like About Me! by Alia Zobel Nolen

It's a board book.

Read

The Legend Of Spookley The Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano and Susan Banta.

This is a rhyming story with a great message! It also lends itself to some art ideas that could be a lot of fun!

Play

Bathing babies 

Do

Pumpkin Painting

This is one of my favorite multisensory activities, and it offers significantly more involvement for kids under four than carving. Here's how:

First, hide small pumpkins outside for kids to discover. Use a permanent marker to put the child's name on the bottom of their chosen pumpkin.

Then, let the kids wash and dry the pumpkins in dish tubs or a sensory table using old toothbrushes or veggie brushes.

Put each dry pumpkin on a paper plate and supply a mixture of tempera paint and clear glue in several colors. Let them paint without making suggestions, as the process itself is satisfying and fun. Remember to respect all of the unique and beautiful colors, including browns, as well as any and all color mixing the children do.

Write their name, again, on the plate, help the child add biodegradable glitter (optional) to the top, and let dry for a few days. You can add a coat of clear glue if you want to seal it and keep the glitter contained. Let dry thoroughly!

Always keep learning and have fun!

Nanci J Bradley is an early childhood and family educator, author, teacher, family aerobics instructor, and all-around fun-loving person. She believes in the power of sleep, healthy eating, lifelong learning, and most of all, PLAY! She studied early childhood ed at Triton College and received her BS in education in 1986 from NIU. She received her MA in human dev from Pacific Oaks College in 2011. She lives and teaches in Madison WI and is the founder of early childhood rocks, a non-profit org dedicated to creating change through early childhood education.