Activities for Johnny Appleseed Day
September is the perfect time to celebrate and honor the life of John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed!
There are so many fun activities for Johnny Appleseed Day that preschoolers can enjoy to learn about and appreciate the beautiful nature he loved.
We’ve rounded up over 20 exciting Johnny Appleseed activities that teachers can use to bring Johnny Appleseed Day to life in their classrooms.
From planting seeds to making apple prints and more, these hands-on activities will help students truly understand and be inspired by this amazing person.
Johnny Appleseed Day, observed on September 26, pays tribute to a real historical figure named John Chapman. Born in 1774, Chapman earned the nickname ‘Johnny Appleseed’ because of his significant contribution to apple farming in America.
He spent his life traveling and planting apple trees across the Midwest, laying the groundwork for the thriving apple industry we know today.
For preschool teachers, Johnny Appleseed Day is a fantastic opportunity to educate young students about the importance of nature, agriculture, and perseverance. It’s a day that celebrates the beauty of trees, the value of planting, and the joy that comes from caring for our environment.
By introducing children to the story of Johnny Appleseed, we can instill in them an early love for nature and a passion for preserving it, just as Johnny Appleseed did all those years ago.
Activities for Johnny Appleseed Day
Get ready to dive into a world of exploration and fun! As we celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day, let's engage our preschoolers with a variety of exciting activities that will introduce them to the world of nature and agriculture.
Let's take a look at over 20 interactive, hands-on activities designed to educate and inspire young minds about the life and legacy of Johnny Appleseed.
Each activity is not only fun but also fosters learning, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for the environment. Let's get started!
Using free printable templates, you can create a felt apple life cycle for your kids to use as they explore seeds, apples, and apple trees.
Slice some apples and have your little ones make homemade bird feeders with them. Then, hang them in a nearby tree to see what birds come visit.
Using twigs gathered on a nature walk and apple-shaped post it notes or cutouts, little ones can enjoy a little indoor apple picking.
Share this fun apple science experiment with your preschoolers to teach them what keeps apples from turning brown.
As you and your preschoolers munch on apples, save the seeds. Then use them to make an “A is for Apple” seed craft.
Your preschoolers will love pretending to visit the apple orchard.
Or, you can set up this apple orchard dramatic play area so kids can recreate a recent visit.
Born John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed planted apple orchards all over American with seeds he collected from cider mills in New England.
His legacy lives on as we celebrate Johnny Appleseed each year.
If your kids love dressing up for holidays, these costume ideas are perfect for building up your dress up box or even for this year's Halloween costume.
This traced hand fingerprint apple tree combines handprint and fingerprint crafts into one creative idea.
Repurpose an old loofah by turning it into a stamp! Kids will love using it to make loofah-stamped apples this fall.
Turn a cardboard tube into a stamp, and your kids can make some paper roll apple stamp art.
Kids can decorate these DIY apple-printed lunch bags. Then, they can take home all of their Johnny Appleseed crafts and activities in style.
You won’t believe how easy it is to make a Johnny Appleseed felt apple pie to add to your pretend play area.
A handprint trunk and a paper plate top come together to make this fun apple tree kids craft.
I love this cute popsicle stick apple core kid craft. It’s super simple to make, and it’ll make a great addition to your apple-themed lessons.
Preschoolers will surely remember how apples grow when they make and wear this fun apple life cycle hat.
How else can I celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day with my preschoolers?
To add a historical twist to your apples preschool theme, weave in some Johnny Appleseed activities and celebrate his legacy of spreading apple trees across America!
Hands-on Apple Exploration: Set up a sensory table or station where preschoolers can explore different types of apples. Provide apple slices, apple peels, apple seeds, and various apple-themed sensory materials like cinnamon sticks or apple-scented playdough. This activity allows children to engage their senses while learning about different aspects of apples.
Apple Tasting Party: Arrange a tasting session where preschoolers can try different varieties of apples. Cut the apples into bite-sized pieces and encourage the children to describe the taste, texture, and color of each apple. This activity promotes vocabulary development and introduces kids to the concept of diversity within apple varieties.
Apple Stamps: Use halved apples as stamps for creating artwork. Dip the cut side of the apple in washable paint and press it onto paper to create apple-shaped prints. Encourage children to experiment with different colors and patterns. This activity promotes creativity and fine motor skills.
Apple Sorting and Counting: Provide a variety of apples in different sizes and colors and have preschoolers sort them into groups based on their attributes. They can also practice counting the apples in each group. This activity reinforces math skills such as sorting, classifying, and counting.
More Learning Fun
Download and print these Johnny Appleseed puppets to make storytelling more fun.
This crocheted Johnny Appleseed hat is the perfect addition to your dress-up box!
By incorporating these activities into your preschool curriculum, little ones can learn about Johnny Appleseed’s legacy and develop skills in areas such as creativity, fine motor coordination, and sensory exploration.
Celebrating Johnny Appleseed Day on September 26th provides an excellent opportunity for educators and parents to engage children in fun and educational activities centered around this legendary figure.
So, let’s bring the spirit of Johnny Appleseed to our preschoolers and create a memorable learning experience filled with apple-inspired adventures!
Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.