Fall Archives - Homeschool Preschool

Simple Scarecrow Craft and Book List for Kids {Free Template}

October 16, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool Leave a Comment

Autumn means scarecrows and sunflowers and great autumn read-alouds. Combine all of those things with this simple scarecrow craft and book list for kids.

Whether you use craft foam (as shown below) or construction paper, your kids will enjoy creating a one-of-a-kind simple scarecrow craft as you work your through an amazing list of scarecrow-themed picture books.

Simple Scarecrow Craft and Book List

Younger children may need help cutting out the pieces, and they’ll definitely need help with the hot glue gun. Although, you can use white glue if you choose to use construction paper for this craft.

They’ll love assembling the pieces to create fun scarecrow they’ll want to display all season long!

What you’ll need

Craft Foam or Construction Paper
Hot Glue
Scissors
Black Marker
Plaid Ribbon
Artificial Sunflowers
Straw
Scarecrow Template (Click HERE to download!)

What you’ll do

Download and print the SCARECROW TEMPLATE. Cut out.

Trace template onto craft foam. Cut out.

Glue the head on top of the dark brown portion of the hat.

Glue the straw onto the dark brown portion of the hat.

Glue the light brown hat on top of the head, slightly overlapping the straw.

Glue a straight line of red or green craft foam onto the top of the hat. Cut off any excess.

Glue the eyes, nose and rosy pink cheeks onto the face.

Turn the scarecrow over and glue the plaid ribbon to the back. Fold the ribbon over so that you don’t have any rough edges.

Glue another piece of plaid ribbon on the outside of the scarf. Fray the edges with scissors.

Glue an artificial sunflower on top of the hat.

Use a black marker to draw a smile onto the scarecrow.

Now your child’s scarecrow is complete, and ready for display. Hang them in your classroom. Prop it on the mantle. Put a magnet on the back and let him live on the refrigerator door.

I hope your kids enjoy this fun fall craft!

Picture Books About Scarecrows

Fill your book basket with a great collection of picture books about scarecrows. Most of these books can be found at your local library or used bookstore. If you have a hard time finding them, you can order them on Amazon by clicking the images below.

Here is a fun list of pumpkin books that are not Halloween related. These books are perfect for your preschoolers, and they'll lead to some great autumn conversations.

Fill your preschool math centers with these autumn count and clip cards. Crows, pumpkins, sunflowers, and leaves adorn the cards in this printable bundle!

Autumn Count and Clip Cards Bundle

October 9, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool 3 Comments

Fill your preschool math centers with these autumn count and clip cards. Crows, pumpkins, sunflowers, and leaves adorn the cards in this printable bundle!

I love filling my homeschool with multi-tasking lessons. Lessons that focus on more than just one skill. I feel like I’m kind of cheating the system when I can check a few things off with just one learning activity.

Count and clip cards fill that need for me. Young learners will work on counting, one-to-one correspondence, and fine motor skills all at the same time.

Autumn Count and Clip Cards

These count and clip cards will help young learners practice counting to ten. This low-prep activity is quick to set up, and will keep young learners engaged for quite a while.

Setting Up the Activity

Print out each set of cards. This bundle contains four sets. I suggest printing them on cardstock for stability. I would also laminate the cards for durability. Laminating the whole page before cutting apart the cards will save you from having to cut them out twice.

Once you’ve laminated your pages, cut the cards apart so that you have 40 individual cards. Now, you’re ready to go.

Completing the Activity

For toddlers and younger preschoolers, I suggest starting with just the 1-5 cards. If you’re introducing count and clip cards for the first time, I suggest sharing them one at a time and in numerical order. This will make it easier for young learners to “count on” with each successive card.

It’s also helpful to have kids count aloud in the beginning. This will allow you to assess how well your preschooler can count and if they are skipping numbers as they count. If they are struggling, count aloud with them.

When your preschooler can correctly identify the each number in numerical order, mix up the cards and let your child work through them. This is a great way to assess your child’s counting skills.

A Few Tips

You can make this a self-correcting activity by putting a small sticker behind each correct number (on the back side of the card). Then, your preschooler can clip the correct number and turn the card over to see if they’ve clipped the sticker, too.

Don’t have any clothespins on hand? You can use paper clips, small buttons, or mini erasers. The important thing is for your students to have a way to identify the correct number on each card.

Download Your Count and Clip Cards

These Autumn Count and Clip cards are available only to my subscribers. Please click the image below, submit your contact information, and then follow the instructions for your download.

This is a great time of year to incorporate pumpkins into your preschool lessons. It's the perfect time of year to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin.

21 Perfect Pumpkin Books for Preschoolers

October 5, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool Leave a Comment

Here is a fun list of pumpkin books that are not Halloween related. They are perfect for preschoolers, and they’ll lead to great autumn conversations.

I know that not everyone celebrates Halloween, so I wanted to provide a collection of pumpkin-themed books that your preschoolers can enjoy. These books are perfect for your autumn book basket!

This list contains both fiction and nonfiction books for early readers.

Pumpkin Books for Preschoolers

Fill your book basket with a great collection of pumpkin books for preschoolers. Most of these books can be found at your local library or used bookstore. If you have a hard time finding them, you can order them on Amazon by clicking the images below.

Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin – The grinning, glowing fun is now available in a Classic Board Book edition! Young readers can join Peter as he searches for a perfect pumpkin!

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden – We can be sure of this: It’s a circle without end. It’s pumpkin seeds to pumpkins To pumpkin seeds again!

Henry’s Big Pumpkin – Henry knew he could grow the biggest pumpkin in town, but he didn’t expect it to be twice the size of his house! On the day of the Pumpkin Fair, Henry tried to move his pumpkin, but it was much too big for just one mouse. How was Henry to win the Blue Ribbon if he couldn’t move his pumpkin to the Pumpkin Fair? Luckily, one after the other, all Henry’s friends came over to help. But could they manage to move such a big pumpkin? And when disaster strikes, can Henry make the best of a messy situation?

Pumpkins – Your little one will enjoy learning about how pumpkins grow in this fun fall ebook written especially for young readers.

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? – “How many seeds are in a pumpkin?” Mr. Tiffin asks his class as they gather around the big, medium, and small pumpkins on his desk…

Pumpkin Pumpkin – Jamie plants a pumpkin seed in the spring and, after watching it grow all summer, carves a face in it for Halloween! But best of all, he saves some seeds that he will plant again next spring.

Too Many Pumpkins – With countless unwelcome pumpkins to deal with, Rebecca Estelle turns disaster into a celebration. One day, years and years later, white-haired Rebecca was busy not eating pumpkins when–SPLAT–a giant pumpkin fell off an overloaded truck and smashed into her yard. She buried the mess so she wouldn’t have to look at it, and, as you might imagine, she witnessed a bumper crop the following fall, “Too Many Pumpkins”.

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever – Desmond the field mouse wants to carve the biggest jack-o’-lantern in the neighborhood with his pumpkin. Clayton the house mouse wants to win the Biggest Pumpkin contest with his. But when they discover that their choice pumpkins are actually the same one, Desmond and Clayton decide to work together to grow the biggest pumpkin ever!

The Biggest Pumpkin Ever – J.T., Allie, and Corey are hard at work on the farm. We follow them as they do their chores-like collecting apples, bailing hay, and setting up their farm stand. As small hands turn the step-back die-cut pages, the images and scenes get bigger and bigger, finally revealing the entire farm and discovering a surprise-the biggest pumpkin ever!

Splat the Cat and the Pumpkin-Picking Plan – Splat goes to a pumpkin patch with Seymour, and he is determined to find the biggest pumpkin ever. But when he finally does, Splat finds out the real challenge isn’t the pumpkin picking—it’s how to get the pumpkin home!

A Pumpkin Prayer – Colorful pumpkins, crunching leaves, crisp breezes―celebrate the abundance of the harvest season through charming illustrations and sweet rhymes that are perfect for young hearts.

Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie – Pumpkins! Who can resist the sight of big, round, orange pumpkins ripening in a field? Children piling off school buses to pick one out. Carving out funny faces, smiles, or scary frowns to illuminate Halloween doorsteps. Making room for that last piece of pumpkin pie after a delicious Thanksgiving feast. In this book, pumpkins aren’t just a fruit, they’re a symbol, a scent, a flavor of the entire season.

The Roll-Away Pumpkin – On a windy autumn day, Marla Little comes running down the hill yelling, “Help! My giant pumpkin is rolling away! Onward it goes, rolling and turning, with no sign of stopping! Diddle-dee-doo! Oh, what shall I do?” A little girl chases her giant pumpkin all over town with some help along the way. It’s the perfect autumn bedtime story to read with your little pumpkin.

Pumpkin Harvest – In fall, pumpkins turn orange are are picked from patches. Check out pumpkins during and after the harvest.

The Pumpkin Patch – Mrs. Connor’s first-grade class is going on a field trip! They’re headed to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins. Katie dreams of finding the perfect pumpkin. But the one she chooses isn’t perfect at all. It’s too small! But then her father shows her that wonderful things often come in small packages.

Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch – What will Biscuit find in the pumpkin patch? The perfect pumpkin, and some friendly surprises!

This is NOT a Pumpkin – It may be round like a pumpkin and even orange like a pumpkin, but this is NOT a pumpkin! If it’s not a pumpkin, then what is it? Preschoolers and toddlers will love knowing the
answer and enjoy the fun, “unexpected” ending!

Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin – Duck & Goose look everywhere for a pumpkin—in the apple tree, in the leaf pile, inside a hollow log…. Where will they find one?

Pumpkin Town! What happens when a town has an accidental abundance of pumpkins? What do José and his well-intentioned brothers do with a mountain of pumpkins? An EXPLOSION of pumpkins? Step into Pumpkin Town and see!

How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? Every year, giant pumpkin contests take place at fairs across the country—the 2012 record-holder weighed over a ton! The latest craze is to carve the most enormous pumpkins into racing boats. But what’s next? Why not think really big?

From Seed to Pumpkin – Pumpkins can be baked in a pie, carved into jack-o’-lanterns, and roasted for a healthy snack. But how does a tiny seed turn into a big pumpkin? With clear text and detailed, colorful illustrations, this book explains what a pumpkin seed needs to help it grow! This book also includes delicious pumpkin recipes and easy experiments to do with pumpkin seeds.

P is for Pumpkin: God’s Harvest Alphabet – P is for Pumpkin celebrates the wonders of the fall season. With help from the alphabet, preschoolers journey through God’s harvest blessings―in the process discovering just how much there is to be thankful for! The fun is infectious as they learn to appreciate autumn for its beauty and bounty and more.

The Very Best Pumpkin – Growing up on Mimi and Papa’s farm, Peter knows a lot about caring for pumpkins. One summer Peter finds a lonely pumpkin all by itself in the field, and with his tender care, the pumpkin flourishes. By autumn, it’s the very best pumpkin of all, and Peter wants to keep it for himself. But when a young girl shows up at the farm in quest of a perfect pumpkin, will Peter pass on his prized pumpkin and gain a friend?

What is your favorite preschool pumpkin book?

Fall is just around the corner. With it comes all things pumpkin! Don't leave your preschoolers out of the pumpkin fun. Share this pumpkin printable with them!

The Perfect Pumpkin Printable for Preschoolers

September 9, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool 3 Comments

I’m so ready for fall. Our weather is teasing me with cooler nights and mornings. Then, the temperatures rise again throughout the day to remind me that autumn isn’t quite here yet. But, I’m getting anxious! So, I’ve got a fun pumpkin printable for you!

Pumpkin Printable

I originally released this printable two years ago. Since then, however, I’ve updated some of the graphics and added a few new activities for those of you who missed it the first time around.

Combine this fun learning pack with the fall leaves printable I shared last week, and you’ve got what you need to welcome fall to your homeschool preschool!

These activities are general pumpkin-themed preschool pages. Stay tuned for a full pumpkin-themed unit study with a science, literacy, and math focus.

Get your free Pumpkin Printable

Inside this 17-page freebie, you’ll get the following activities that are perfect for your preschooler:

4-part pumpkin puzzles: Laminate and cut apart the pieces for your preschooler to reassemble.
Color and write: Color a pumpkin and write the word. There are 2 versions.
Counting puzzles: Laminate and cut apart the pieces. Have your preschoolers put the puzzle together in number order.
Counting practice: Count the pumpkins. Circle the correct number in each row.
Do-a-dot: Work on fine motor skills by filling in the dots with dot markers, circle stickers, or crayons.
Letter hunt: Identify all letters P and p.
Graphing: Roll the dice and fill in the graph. Continue until one column reaches the top.
Handwriting: Practice writing Pp. There are 2 versions.
P is for: Color the pumpkin. Color the letter P or use dots to form the letter.
Matching game: Print the page on cardstock. Laminate and cut it apart. Turn the cards upside down, and play a memory matching game with your preschoolers.
Tracing practice: Trace the lines, and then trace the shapes.
Which one is different?: Identify the image that is different in each row.
Writing prompt: Write a sentence about pumpkins.

Pumpkin Fun for Preschoolers

The Pumpkin Patch Preschool Pack is ONLY available to Homeschool Preschool subscribers. Click the button below, enter your information, and then check your inbox for your printable.

More Autumn Fun

Check out some really fun fall leaves preschool activities you can incorporate into your upcoming autumn homeschool preschool lessons.

Fall is just around the corner! Woohoo! You have to check out these amazing fall crafts for preschoolers. Which one will you try first?

Are you looking for a simple fall craft to do with your preschoolers? This Fall Leaf Family is a simple leaf craft you can with with tots and preschoolers.

Fall Leaf Family: A Simple Leaf Craft

September 2, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool 14 Comments

The leaves are beginning to change colors and fall from the trees. We’ve had a few chilly mornings in the past week or so. It sure makes me long for the crisp fall days that will be here before we know it.

That makes it the perfect time to do some fall crafts with your preschoolers. This “Leaf Family” craft is a simple leaf craft that will have your kids excited about the fall season!

Leaf Family: An Easy Preschool Craft

These leaf puppets can be used to retell favorite fall stories like Leaf Man or The Leaves Are Falling. Kids can use them to make up their own creative stories, as well.

Use leftover leaves in your favorite fall sensory bins or more fun fall crafts.

What You’ll Need

Red, Yellow or Orange Craft Sticks
Decorative faux leaves (easy dollar store find!)
Googly Eyes
Glue
Marker

How to Make Your Leaf Family

1. Place a small dab of glue on one end of each craft stick, add a leaf and let dry.

2. Glue the googly eyes in place. Make them look silly or serious! Use your imagination.

3. Use the marker to draw a face. Think about the members or your family, does your sibling make a silly face that makes you laugh? Draw it!

Now, allow your leaf family to dry. Use them as puppets to retell stories. Use them as props to sing Five Little Leaves.

Enhance your leaf-themed lessons:

If you’re looking for more fun for your leaf-themed learning plans, check out my top picks from Amazon!

Leaf Books

You can find these books at your local library or bookstore. If not, you can order them on Amazon by clicking the images below.

Educational Tools for Kids

What other fun ways can you think of to play with your new leaf family?

10 Fabulous Fall Crafts for Preschoolers

August 21, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool 1 Comment

I don’t know about where you live, but I loved our high of 70 today! Fall has officially arrived, and I am so excited. My daughter said “It feels amazing outside” at least ten times today.

In honor of our first day of fall weather, I’ve collected some fun fall crafts for preschoolers. Ten of them in fact!

Which one will you try first?

Fall Crafts for Preschoolers

How to Make Acorn Cookies – If your little ones love helping you in the kitchen, they’ll want to help you make these yummy acorn cookies. They’ll make a yummy autumn afternoon snack.

Pinecone Critters – On your next nature walk, have your little one gather pinecones. Then, use them to make these cute pinecone critters.

Paper Roll Scarecrow Craft – Kids will have fun turning old paper rolls into silly scarecrows. They can use the scarecrows to tell stories or decorate a windowsill.

Autumn Scented Salt Dough – Playdough and salt dough are great tools for developing motor skills. This time of year is the best time of year to make autumn scented dough with your little ones.

Little Owl’s Night Activities – I love book-based activities. This snack and craft based on Little Owl’s Night will be so much fun for your preschooler.

Paper Plate Scarecrow – Scarecrows are so silly! And, your preschoolers will have so much fun making this paper plate scarecrow.

Fall Sun catcher – This is a unique twist on a fall sun catcher. It’ll look great hanging in your window all season long.

Fall Handprint and Footprint Crafts – I always loved handprint and footprint crafts when my kids were little. I love these autumn crafts. They’re so unique.

Fall Mobile – Here’s another craft your kids will enjoy after collecting nature on your next walk.

Fall Leaf Family – This “Leaf Family” craft is an easy preschool craft that will have your kids excited about the fall season!

Which of these fall crafts for preschoolers will you try first?

I know not everyone celebrates Halloween. So, here is a fun list of pumpkin books that are not Halloween related. These books are perfect for your preschoolers, and they'll lead to some great autumn conversations. | homeschoolpreschool.net

I am excited about pumpkin-flavored drinks and snacks, long sleeves, and falling leaves. If you and your preschoolers are getting excited about fall, fill their book basket with this fun collection of leaf-themed books. | homeschoolpreschool.net

This easy homemade playdough takes less than 10 minutes to make. It's non-toxic, and it smells heavenly. This pumpkin spice playdough is the perfect thing for autumn-themed sensory play! | homeschoolpreschool.net

Fall Leaves Preschool Printables and Activities

August 13, 2017 by Homeschool Preschool 9 Comments

Summer is slowly winding down. I wake up every morning and open the windows to enjoy the crisp, cool morning air before it begins to warm up for the day.

Pretty soon, the leaves will begin to change and will start falling from the trees. Then, my daughter will be begging to rake them into a giant pile in the backyard so she can dive in.

If you’re getting in the mood for autumn, here are some fun fall leaves preschool activities you can incorporate into your upcoming autumn homeschool preschool lessons.

Fall Leaves Preschool Printable

Whether you’re studying leaves specifically or you’re looking for fun fall activities to do with your preschooler, you don’t want to miss this fun learning pack.

These activities are general leaf-themed preschool pages. Stay tuned for a full “fall leaves” unit study with a science, literacy, and math focus.

Inside this 25-page freebie, you’ll get the following activities that are perfect for your preschooler:

4-part puzzles: Cut these puzzles into pieces, and have your preschoolers reassemble them.
ABC matching cards: Cut the cards in half. Shuffle them, and have your preschooler match uppercase and lowercase letters. For more ABC matching practice, check out these clip cards.
Color and write: Preschoolers will practice writing the word “leaf” and then coloring the leaf on the page.
Color words: Students will color the leaves according to the color words. For more practice with colors, check out these sorting mats.
Counting mat: Choose a number, and place that many leaves on the tree.
Counting practice: Count the images and circle the correct number.
Dot pages: Use dot markers or circle stickers to fill in the dots.
Letter hunt: Find the letter L.
Graphing: Practice counting from one to ten.
Handwriting: Ll and numbers 1-10
Letter sort: Students will cut out each of the letters and sort according to the instructions.
and more…

This Fall Leaves preschool pack is ONLY available to Homeschool Preschool subscribers. Click the button below, enter your information, and then check your inbox for your printable.