Fall Classroom Activities for Grades K-1: Learning About The Fall Season
Rhymes, Finger Plays, and Songs
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Leaves (Sung to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
All join hands and circle round
While we watch the leaves fall down.
See them twirling to the ground
See them whirling all around.
See them skipping here and there
See them flipping in the air.
Autumn leaves so peacefully
Falling, falling from the tree.
Autumn
Leaves are floating softly down. (Float hands down, turning them side to side)
They make a carpet on the ground. (Put hands on floor)
Then swish, the wind comes whistling by, (Move arms from one side to the other)
And sends them dancing to the sky. (Hands flutter up into the air)
Fall Fun (Sung to “Farmer in the Dell)
The leaves are falling down. The leaves are falling down.
Red and brown, they flutter down.
The leaves are falling down.
The squirrels hide their nuts. The squirrels hide their nuts.
They hide them away for a winter day.
The squirrels hide their nuts.
The children go to school. The children go to school.
They learn and play throughout the day.
The children go to school.
The farmers pick their crops. The farmers pick their crops.
We go and buy good treats to eat.
The farmers pick their crops.
Scarecrow, Scarecrow
Scarecrow, scarecrow turn around.
Scarecrow, scarecrow touch the ground.
Scarecrow, scarecrow stretch up high.
Scarecrow, scarecrow blink your eyes.
Scarecrow, scarecrow kick your feet.
Scarecrow, scarecrow flap like a sheet.
Scarecrow, scarecrow bend so low.
Scarecrow, scarecrow touch your toe.
Scarecrow, scarecrow nod your head.
Scarecrow, scarecrow go to bed.
Readiness Activities
Sorting
Download the template of leaf patterns to print out leaves in green and in fall colors (red, orange, brown, yellow). Use two baskets, one marked fall and one marked spring, and have the students take turns choosing a leaf and putting it in the corresponding basket.
Counting
Download the squirrel template, print out enough squirrels so each child has one. Label each with a number. Download and make copies of the acorn template. Children will need to feed their squirrel with the number of acorns that matches the number on their squirrel. Use numbers that match what your group has mastered.
Patterns
Use the leaves from the sorting activity above to work on making patterns. Make a pattern for the class and have them add the leaf that comes next. Challenge the students with double patterns that may include varying the shape of the leaf as well as the color. Pass out the leaves for groups to make their own pattern that classmates can decipher and extend.
Classification
Bring in a collection of acorns and have the students classify them by the following:
- cap/no cap
- big/little
- dark colored/light colored
Fall Crafts
Materials needed:
- Paper lunch bags
- Construction paper (brown, black, yellow, white)
- Templates
Trace templates I and II on construction paper and cut out. Use photo to assemble.
Sunflowers (two separate projects)
- Materials needed:
- Large white paper
- Yellow, brown, and green paint
- Paint brushes
Have children use their handprint to paint sunflower petals in a circle and paint a brown center. They can then paint green leaves and a stem.
- Materials needed:
- White paper
- Sunflower seeds
- Yellow crepe paper
- Green paint, markers, or crayons
Children use pieces of the yellow crepe paper and glue them in a circle to form the petals of the sunflower. Then, glue the sunflower seeds in the middle to form the center of the flower. Draw or paint the petals and stem.
Fall Bulletin Board or Hallway Display
This bulletin board is a work in progress, and the children can add something each day and watch it grow.
Materials needed:
- Pumpkin template
- Paper bags
- Construction paper (orange, green)
- Green and yellow tissue paper
Roll the paper bags to make vines. Begin by having the children add green tissue paper buds to the vines. Then, they can replace the green paper with yellow to represent the yellow flowers. Replace the yellow flowers with small green pumpkins. Then, finally they can add their own large orange pumpkin. As Halloween approaches, the children can pick their pumpkin off the vine and turn it into a jack-o-lantern. May also make fences or corn stalks to add to your pumpkin patch.
This post is part of the series: Seasonal Classroom Activities for Grades K-1
Classroom activities for each season.
- Fall Classroom Activities for Grades K-1
- Being Thankful for Thanksgiving With These Classroom Activities: Grades K-1
- Winter Classroom Activities For Grades K-1 Including Template Links
- Fun with Bugs! Spring Classroom Activities for K-1
- Butterflies & Months Spring Classroom Activities for K-1: Part 2
