October Pumpkin Preschool Theme Crafts
by Aunt B
Copyright 2004-2006 Story Soup Kids, a division of Enchanted Corner
Pumpkin Crafts for Kids
Easy Pumpkin Painting
Pumpkin Mosaic Seed Pictures
Items You Need:
Pumpkin Seeds (clean)
Tempera paint , dark colors work best
Paint brush
Zip Lock bag
Paper towels
Thick paper/poster board
Glue
Pencils
Wax paper
Newspaper
What You Do:
Put the seeds into a zip lock bag, squirt some paint on the seeds and mix the paint around until all seeds are covered in paint. Do this for as many colors as you need/want.
Spread the seeds out on wax paper and let dry.
While they are waiting for the seeds to dry, your child can draw a picture onto his/her poster paper. Some ideas include masks, fish or wild designs.
You can also take a very basic coloring book and trace a picture from it on to your poster paper. (You can use carbon paper to trace w/)
Remind your child to keep it simple, remember, they will be “coloring in” with seeds.
When the seeds are dry, they can be arranged and glued onto the poster paper in the appropriate areas.
Optional:
You can always use dried beans, lentils, popcorn or other types of seeds for this project, you don’t need to use pumpkin seeds. In fact, if you use dried beans, you can leave them in their natural colorful state (black eyed peas, red kidney beans etc).
Pumpkin Patch Craft
Items you will need:
Paper lunch bags
Newspaper
Orange Paint
Green Paint
Paint Brushes
Rubber Bands
Green Paper Ribbon
What you will need to do…
Lay out some of your newspaper to protect your table. Stuff your paper lunch bags w/ newspaper. I recommend that you ball up ONE piece at a time of newspaper. It will fill your bag faster and it will look nicer. Once your bag is full close the bag off w/ a rubber band. Next you are going to paint the paper bag from the rubber band down orange and from the rubber band up (should only be a small bit) green for the stem. Repeat this until you have all the pumpkins you want in your patch. Once all the paint is dry, take your paper ribbon as seen above and wrap it around the tops of the pumpkins you will have one long vine if you wrap and move to the next and wrap it around. This will give you the pumpkin patch look.
Additional if you feel like it.
Take fun foam and cut out leaf shapes and add them to your vine w/ tape. Glue will not keep them due to the weight of it along w/ the paper ribbons texture.
Recommended Pumpkin Book Fun
Pumpkins: A Story for a Field
Written by: Mary Lyn Ray
Summary: A fanciful story about a man’s love for a field and the crop of bright, orange, bumpy pumpkins that he cultivates and sells to save it. A story time favorite that really speaks to one’s imagination and is sure to capture yours.
Pumpkin Soup
Written by: Helen Cooper
Summary: A squirrel, a duck, and a cat happily cook and coexist ‘deep in the woods in an old white cabin’ until the duck starts to question things. things like why does he always have to add the salt to the soup, but he never gets to stir. Beautiful illustrations add to this original tale of friendship, sharing, and oh yes pumpkin soup. There is a great recipe in the back of the book.
Apples and Pumpkins
Written by: Anne Rockwell
Summary: Visit Comstock Farm with a little girl and her parents to pick apples, pumpkins, and enjoy some delicious apple cider. A perfect choice for a Fall story-time that all your listeners are sure to enjoy.
Pumpkin Cooking with Kids
Pumpkin Pudding
Ingredients (per single serving):
1 cup vanilla pudding
2 teaspoons Libby’s easy pumpkin pie mix
Bowl
Spoon
Directions:
Measure out and place one cup of vanilla pudding into bowl. Next, add 2 teaspoons pie mix to the bowl. Mix well and enjoy!
Pumpkin Activity
Purchase a Pumpkin, have your child use a sharpie marker to draw a face on it. Talk about the bumps in the pumpkin and the stem. Talk about what a face is made up of, eyes, nose, mouth could even include ears. Once this is done, use that same pumpkin to carve up. You can continue to use this pumpkin either for display or you can continue to carve it up and steam the pieces. Once you steam them you can peel the skin off and use the pumpkin for recipes. Save the seeds to make toasted pumpkin seeds.
Leaf Preschool Theme Crafts
by Aunt B
Copyright 2004-2006 Story Soup Kids, a division of Enchanted Corner
Kids Leaf Crafts
Fall Tree Craft
Items you will need:
Fall color Paints
Red
Yellow
Orange
Brown
White paper
Paint Brushes
What to do:
Paint your child’s arm and hand from the elbow to the fingers, brown. Place the print of the arm/hand on your white paper. Next take and use your fingers to dip into the other paints and make finger prints on the tree as leaves. You can also do this w/ using hands if your child has small hands.
Optional: If you have more then one child you can use the older child’s arm for the tree trunk and the younger child’s hands for the leaves. This makes a great picture.
Leaf People
Items you will need:
Leaves
Construction paper
Markers
Glue
What to do:
Have the children glue a leaf on a piece of paper, and draw legs, arms, and a head to create a person.
Recommended Leaf Books to Read
Autumn Leaves
Author: Ken Robbins
Summary: This book is all about the colors of leaves.
Age Range: 3 to 6 years old
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
Summary: Discover the life cycle of the maple tree by following its changes throughout the year through the eyes of a child. Brilliant bold illustrations will captive you.
Written by: Lois Ehlert
The Giving Tree
Summary A moving story about a boy’s relationship with a tree that gives everything it has to him as he grows from a child into an old man.
Written by: Shel Silverstein
Kidz Leaf Cooking
Leaf Piles
Ingredients:
6 cups cornflakes
1 cup karo syrup
1 cup peanut butter.
You will also need some Wax paper to lay your leaf piles on.
Directions: In a microwave melt the karo and peanut butter together. Pour over the cornflakes and place them in piles on wax paper. Let them cool and dry.
Leaf Activity
Go on a nature walk. Take along a bag to place leaves in. Pick up leaves of all sizes, shapes and color. When you get home take a closer look at them. Write a down what you see or write a story about how the leaves fell to the ground.
Apple Preschool Theme Crafts
by Aunt B
Copyright 2004-2006 Story Soup Kids, a division of Enchanted Corner
Kids Apple Crafts
Apple Printing Fun
Items you will need:
Apples
Knife (parent will use)
White Paint
Red Paint
Paint Brush
Glue
Paper color of choice.
What you will need to do:
Cut apples in half. Cut one at half starting at the core and cut the other in half starting at the middle of the apple. Each way to cut it give you a different pattern. For younger kidz you can just let them dip their apple into the paint and make apple prints. Older kidz can take a paint brush and paint white in the middle of the apple then outline the edge in red paint. When you make a print it will show the red skin on the apple. When you are done making your prints you can glue the seeds you got out of your apples on to the apple prints. Then your apple will look real.
Old Lady Apple Fun
Items you will need:
Apple
Peeler
Butter knife or popsicle stick will work too.
Lemon Juice
What you will need to do…
You peel the apple and then with a knife cut the facial features (nose, eyes, mouth, etc.). Then the apple gets coated with a wash of lemon juice and water (so it doesn’t get dark brown). Then let air dry to shrivel and shrink to their each individual face.
Recommended Apple Books to Read
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Dragonfly Books)
Written by: Marjorie Priceman
Summery : Travel around the world in a whimsical way to gather all the ingredients for the perfect apple pie! A delightful and zany story you are sure to enjoy.
Ten Apples Up on Top!
Written by : Theo LeSieg
Summary: Get ready to count along with a lion and a dog as they spin through the pages of this story juggling apples and balancing them on their head!
What’s So Terrible about Swallowing an Apple Seed?
Written by : Harriet Lerner
Summary: When Rosie accidentally swallows an apple seed, her big sister Katie tells her that before long apple tree branches will bloom right out of her ears. Soon Rosie is imagining both the hazards and delights of having branches growing from her ears, and Katie is learning how fast a little white lie can grow.
Apple Cooking with Kids
PINK Applesauce in the Crock Pot
Ingredients:
10 Apples (any kind) peeled and cored.
1 Cups Sugar (More or less to taste to your preference)
1/4 Cup Red Hots
Directions:
Turn on crock pot while you peel and core apples. Add the apple slices to the HOT crock-pot. Once the apples are soft mash them and add the sugar and cinnamon candies. Stir.
It takes about 3 hours to cook on HIGH. Makes around 5 cups. As always, some kids LOVE it and some kids don’t. Either way, your house will smell great ALL day!!
Apple Activity
Go to your local produce stand or produce department at the grocery store. Buy 1 of every kind of apple they have. You can take paper and pencil and do charting skills. Chart how many are green, red, or yellow. How many are big, medium or small, How many are with stems how many are with out. Use your imagination you can “chart” just about anything. Save your apples for rest of the week.
Farm Preschool Theme Crafts
by Aunt B
Copyright 2004-2006 Story Soup Kids, a division of Enchanted Corner
Farm Craft for Kids
Make a Farm Book!
Farmer, Farmer, What do you see?
For the total book you will need — pages of construction paper of your choice. This will be the main pages to the book. Your child will create different farm animals and they will be placed on these pages. You will need to write at the TOP of each page…
Farmer, Farmer, What do you see?
At the BOTTOM of each page you will need to write…
I see a ________ looking at me. (Fill in the animal on the pages in blank)
You can connect these pages many different ways either in a binder, punch holes in paper and tie back with yarn or connect with rings. Choose what works best for you.
Farmer
Print out Farmer page
http://www.childstoryhour.com/images/coloring/farmanimals.gif
Water colors
Let your child use the water colors to paint the picture of the farmer. I recommend that you take the black and brown out.
Pig
Print out pig shape
http://www.childstoryhour.com/images/coloring/pig.JPG
Pink Chalk
Have your child color the pig with the pink chalk.
Cow
Print out cow shape
http://www.childstoryhour.com/images/coloring/cow.gif
Black washable stamp pad
Have your child place finger prints all over the cow for spots.
Hen/Chicken
Print out hen/chicken shape
http://childstoryhour.com/images/coloring/hen.gif
Q-Tips
Yellow Paint
Let your child paint the picture of the hen using the q-tips and the yellow paint.
*Ask your child what the picture is, if they say hen call it a hen. If they say chicken call it a chicken.*
Horse
Print out the horse picture
http://childstoryhour.com/images/coloring/mareandcolt.gif
Different shades of Brown and Tan Crayons AND Colored Pencils
Let your child enjoy using the different kinds of coloring instruments to color the horse and her mare. It is important to supply different things for our kids to use while they do their art projects. This we inspire them to be more creative.
Goat
Print out the goat picture
http://childstoryhour.com/images/coloring/goat.gif
Old Toothbrush
Gray Paint
Paint Smock
Have your child dip the toothbrush into gray paint next over the goat picture rub your finger on the toothbrush bristles. This will cause the paint to shack off the toothbrush onto your goat picture.
Your child has now created many farm animals cut each one out and glue them to the construction paper you chose before you began. Add the wording to your book and create the book explained above.
Farm Books You’ll Love
Big Red Barn Board Book
by Margaret Wise Brown
In the barnyard there are roosters and cows, horses and goats, and a pink piglet who is learning to squeal.
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
by Doreen Cronin
Farmer Brown’s problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes
Charlotte’s Web
by E. B. White
An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads “Some Pig,” convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved.
Flowers Preschool Theme Crafts
by Aunt B
Copyright 2004-2006 Story Soup Kids, a division of Enchanted Corner
Flowers Crafts for Kids
Garden of Tulips
Red Paint
Yellow Paint
Orange Paint
Scissors
Paint Brush
Paste
Green Construction Paper
Light Color Construction paper
Glue
Using the brush, the paint the palm and four fingers with red paint. Press onto the upper half of your light color construction paper. While you wait for it to dry, cut green construction paper into leaves and a stem. Glue them to the bottom of the flower.
Repeat with yellow and orange paint and you have a garden of tulips.
Pressed Flowers
Small Flower or Weeds
2 Sheets Card Stock Paper
Heavy Books (or weight)
Clear Contact Paper
Collect the weeds and small wild flowers that you would like to save. Place 2 sheets of card stock paper into a book. In between the two sheets place your weeds or wild flowers. Close the large book and let sit. You can add more weight on top of the book if you would like.
Pressed flowers can be used to make bookmarks, pictures, greeting cards and more.
Sunflowers
Golden Yellow Construction Paper
Sunflower Seeds
Glue
Scissors
Paper Plate
Cut out oval shapes out of the golden yellow construction paper, enough to go around the paper plate. Cut off about ½ inch of the end of the oval to leave a flat side. This will look like a petal. Glue the petals on the edges of the paper plate and glue the real sunflower seeds in the middle.
** Add a personal touch by adding google eyes and a red yarn smile.**
Handprint Painted Flower Pots
Paint of any color
Clay Flower Pot
Brush
Seed packet
Potting Soil
Ziplock Bag
Have your child paint their hands one color at a time and place a hand print/finger prints on the outside of the pot. This will decorate your flower pot with a personal touch. While the pot is drying, scoop out enough potting soil for the flower pot into ziplock bag. When the pot is dry, place the potting soil bag and the seed packet into the flower pot and you have a great gift, perfect for Mother’s Day, Valentines or birthdays.
Recommended Books about Flowers
From Seed to Plant
by Gail Gibbons
A simple introduction to how plants reproduce, discussing pollination, seed dispersal, and growth from seed to plant.
The Tiny Seed (Aladdin Picture Books)
by Eric Carle
In autumn, a strong wind blows flower seeds high in the air and carries them far across the land. One by one, many of the seeds are lost. But some survive the long winter and, come spring, sprout into plants, facing new dangers.
The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds : A Book About How Living Things Grow (Magic School Bus)
by Joanna Cole
Ms. Frizzle’s class is growing a beautiful garden. But, Phoebe’s plot is empty. Her flowers are back at her old school! So, the class climbs aboard the Magic School Bus. And, of course, the kids don’t only go back to Phoebe’s school, but they go inside one of Phoebe’s flowers! Follow the kids’ adventure and learn how living things grow.
