Using Fall Nuts Within a Preschool Curriculum

Young children love to go for nature walks and collect autumn treasures. This collection from the outside can then be brought inside for some fun indoor activities. The following article provides some suggestions on how to use nuts and other fall finds in a variety of areas in an early childhood curriculum.

Sensory Table and Fine Motor Skills:

Collect a variety of nuts, such as chestnuts or acorns and place within a sensory table along with some sorting material, such as muffin tins or ice cube trays. In addition, the table could include tongs and spoons to foster fine motor development

From The Hive Website

Math Activities Using Fall Nuts

Sorting and categorizing nuts helps develop math skills within children. In addition, graphing the nuts will help children count and develop numerical awareness.

Language and Literature

A fun action poem for the children to participate in begins with giving each child a nut such as a hazelnut, chestnut or acorn . Start by acting like a squirrel and dig a hole in the "ground" then place in the nut. Pretend to cover it up with dirt. Have the children act alongside your actions, then pop up and say:

I'm a busy little squirrel, searching all around

Searching for a nut that simply can't be found

Is it behind me? Is it in my backpack?

Is it in my pocket? Is it in the ground?

I'm a busy little squirrel, looking all around

Digging, digging, digging. Look what I found! (show the nut)

Gathering All the Acorns Till They're Gone
Sung to: "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain"

I'll be gathering all the acorns till they're gone.
I'll be gathering all the acorns till they're gone.
I'll be gathering all the acorns, gathering all the acorns,
Gathering all the acorns till they're gone.(Children make collecting motion with their hands)

And I'll put them all inside my little home.
I will put them all inside my little home.
I will put them all inside, put them all inside,
Put them all inside my little home.(children pretend to place nuts in tree house)

And I'll eat the nuts until the winter's gone.
I will eat the nuts until the winter's gone.
I will eat the nuts until, eat the nuts until,
Eat the nuts until the winter's gone.
(children pretend to eat acorns)

Then I'll do it all again come next fall.
I will do it all again come next fall.
I will do it all again, do it all again,
Do it all again come next fall. (gathering motion with hands and arms again)

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