“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus.
After some hot days we might say that fall has arrived, leaves on the trees became colourful, we can experience magical leaf fallings and find various seeds in the moorland.

In the Forest Tale Daycare we play with leaves and seeds in November. We practice their names, the similarities and differences between them; we form groups by different aspects. Children’s tactile sensitivity improves by touching unknown materials and these new impulses improve their nervous system.

PLAY OUTDOOR AND AT HOME IN AUTUMN

We know that on dull workdays it might be hard to find out new programs so we collected some ideas how to spend free time. We hope they will be useful for you. You should spend time in nature and go hiking with the kids; you can still enjoy the sunshine by wearing layered outfits. Enjoy the stunning panorama at Normafa for example, take a nice walk in the forest and collect treasures that have fallen off from trees. Children can improve their skills at the renovated wooden playground. When you are tired, you should have a delicious and unique rétes (strudel) close to the bus stop. If you don’t have a chance to go hiking, you can visit the Margitsziget. Look for snails in the moorland, squirrels on trees, collect seeds.

Use the collected treasures from the forest to practice colours and shapes, sort them by size, and pair the leaf with the seed, and so on. You can make funny creatures out of little seeds such as walnut, acorn, hazelnut or chestnut which improves fine motor skills. By naming them and imagining their story kids’ creativity will develop, while you will get closer to their mental world.

Either on our forest walks or at home we can imitate animals we have seen and by doing so our children’s movement skills will improve. They can roll up as hedgehogs, jump as squirrels, balance on one leg like storks, crawl as snails or flap their arms and pick up seeds from the ground as birds. These movements improve the main muscle groups, their sense of balance and support fine motor skills.

Since kids under the age 7 collect information by using their sensory organs together, touching, smelling and watching diverse materials make huge effect on their world image. We can prepare sensory bins easily by putting different sized, shaped, coloured objects in a box in which they can fumble. Collected seeds, snail shells or dry beans, pasta and rice are perfect for this project. Bigger kids can develop their manual skills by lifting objects from the box using crocodile tweezers or spoons and sort them onto another plate. To make it even more challenging we can cover their eyes and let them find the biggest seed or the object with the smoothest surface, and so on.

RHYMES

During the everyday chores or travelling it is recommended to tell rhythmical says or sing with and for the kids. This improves their sense of rhythm, enriches their vocabulary and we provide them with new information about the surrounding world.

Hereby you can find some fall songs for preschoolers:

Sung to: „I’m a little teapot”
I’m a little person who’s aware
Of the Change in the air
First the leaves turn brown and then they fall
Then the snow comes lightly down.
I’m a little scarecrow stuffed with hay.
Here I stand in a field all day.
When I see the crows,
I like to shout
„Hey! You crows, you better get out!”

***

Sung to: „Ring around the Rosie”
Autumn Winds begin to blow
Colored leaves fall fast and slow
Whirling Twirling all around
Till at last they touch the ground

***

Sung to: „Teddy Bear, Teddy bear turn around”
Scarecrow, Scarecrow, turn around.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, jump up and down
Scarecrow, scarecrow, arms up high
Scarecrow, Scarecrow, wink one eye
Scarecrow, scarecrow, bend your knee
Scarecrow, scarecrow, flap in the breeze
Scarecrow, scarecrow, climb into bed
Scarecrow, scarecrow, rest your head

***

The oak tree just outside my door
Has its lovely leaves no more,
And now, I wonder, What’s it for?
Not shade, nor home for birds to sing.
When leaves return, I’ll welcome Spring!

***

Sung to: „London Bridge”
Pretty leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down.
Pretty leaves are falling down, all around the town.
(wiggle fingers)
Let’s rake them up in a pile, in a pile, in a pile.
Let’s rake them up in a pile, all around the town.
(make raking motions)
Let’s all jump in and have some fun,
have some fun, have some fun.
Let’s all jump in and have some fun, all around the town.
(jump into circle)

***

Sung to: „The Grand Old Duke of York”
Oh, the frisky little squirrel
He gathers nuts and seeds.
He hides them for the winter months
So he’ll have all he needs.

Refrain:
Oh, up-up-up he goes
And down-down-down he comes.
He runs around – goes up and down.
His work is never done. (repeat refrain)

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