Fall Season Preschool Unit Study: Ideas for Teaching Toddlers Autumn Themed Pre-K Lesson Plans

Autumn is a season of many changes as the world begins to rest. With help from parents and caregivers preschoolers will be able to learn many thing and develop new skills during the changing autumn months.

Fall Math Idea for Toddlers:

Early math skills for toddlers are a lot of manipulatives and learning basic skills so using fall themed items for math lessons will keep the season in the mind of preschoolers. Try collecting acorns and use them for simple addition and subtraction skills. See a sample math lesson that is easily adapted to using fall berries, acorns or other fall items.

Another simple math concept preschoolers must grasp is size and measurements. Show your toddlers several pumpkins, some small and miniature in size and gradually getting larger. Let the children arrange them by size and show them how to measure the pumpkins with tape measures.

Autumn Music Idea for Toddlers:

Toddlers always seem fascinated by the colorful leaves autumn brings so celebrate that in song by singing the “Autumn Leaves” song to the tune of “Are you Sleeping Brother John?”

Use different colors to add more verses so your preschoolers can all take turns singing.

Fall Science Idea for Preschoolers

Talk with the preschoolers about how leaves change colors. A balmy autumn day is perfect for collecting leaves and letting the kids glue a leaf collection together. Try collecting other fall nature items like berries, seeds, seedpods, acorns, nuts and leaves.

Autumn Art Lesson for Toddlers

Toddlers can cut out colorful leaf shapes in various shades of construction to create their own mosaic leaf pile. Let them learn how to glue each leaf onto their paper until they've created a nice, autumn leaf pile!

Fall Food Idea for Preschoolers

Fall is the time of apple harvest and it would be fun for preschoolers to learn that apples come in different colors and that different apples have different tastes. Try cutting up several types of apples and letting the toddlers try the different kinds of apples.

Outdoor Autumn Activities for Toddlers

One of the classic sights of autumn for many people is seeing geese fly south in large “V” shaped columns in the sky. Explain about bird migration to your toddlers and let them play “Follow the Leader” goose style – have a “lead” bird and then two lines of preschoolers behind in a V shape. Most young children already know the rules of follow the leader – that whatever the leader does the other children mimic.

Fall Themed Indoor Games

As autumn days get colder some fun indoor activities might be easier for your toddlers. Try some free-movement exercise while reciting the “Leaf Dance” poem:

Sep 18, 2008 11:09 AM

Guest :

Very nice ideas and put together well.

Oct 5, 2008 12:02 AM

Guest :

What a wonderful Fall song. Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas!

Oct 11, 2008 12:53 PM

Guest :

well i have to disagree toddlers do not cut. Research your ages better before you put up ideas, a teacher starting out will think they should and have unreasonable expectations for this age group

Oct 11, 2008 1:10 PM

Angela England :

I've approved your comment because it is important to highlight the vast differences in physical and motor skills development at these ages. However, I should point out that I personally know both a 2 year old and a 3.5 year old who DO use safety scissors. It is an important skill to learn in Pre-K to prep for Kindergarten.

Granted - my daughter (two years old) doesn't get it on the lines very well but she can cut a generally oval leaf shape. At this age it is more important to let them have the opportunity to try and learn by doing, than to demand perfection. Just as with coloring.

It would be easy to say "You can't expect a young toddler to trace their hand with a crayon", and that might be true from a perfectionist's stand point, but you absolutely CAN expect a young toddler to TRY. And learn fine motor skills as they continue to try and learn through the tactile practice.

Thank you for the reminder that in a school situation not all toddlers or preschoolers will be coming in knowing how to even hold scissors at this stage. But it is not beyond their grasp to learn the basics. Not that they'd be able to cut a leaf shape like the one shown in the photo - but they can LEARN (through practice) to cut a rough oval shape that will certainly resemble leaves when glued to a tree branch with every other child's "leaves".

And with continued praise and reinforcement the skills will continue to develop.

Blessings, Angela <><

Oct 25, 2008 3:09 PM

Guest :

I work with 2 and 3 year olds and we practice cutting with scissors, some get the ideas, but others need more hand over hand assistance. I feel this is a motor skill that should be practiced since quite a few parents now a days do not sit down and work with their children and work on basic skills. Even if the children are just ripping with the scissors they are getting their fingers into the proper position. Mine have a good time because it is something new and they feel like big kids.

Oct 27, 2008 5:05 PM

Guest :

To the guest that says that toddlers do not cut: I have to disagree with that. I am going to a technical school, and my main class runs a preschool. We deal with children as young as three, or even two if their birthday is before a certain date. I assure you, they can cut. To want them to cut something is not unreasonable. They may need a little help, but they can still do it.

Great job on the site!

Oct 29, 2008 7:56 AM

Guest :

I think this Unit is great. It has lots of ideas! I do have a 2yr old, a 4yr old and a 5 yr old, all who use blunt ended scissors. They practice cutting by cutting out my coupons I don't need. They love it and now they cut all kinds of things out that I couldn't at their ages.