FALL

 

 

 

Books:   

---

When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzger

The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

Leaf Trouble by Jonathan Emmett

The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger

Red are the Apples by Marc Harshman

Boo and Baa Have Company by Lena Landstrom

Blue Burt and Wiggles by Derek Anderson

In the Leaves by Huy Voun Lee

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Clifford’s First Autumn by Norman Bridwell

Mouse’s First Fall by Lauren Thompson

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert

Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming

Wild Child by Lynn Plourde

Leaves by David Ezra Stein

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson

 

 

Activities: 

---

Leaves are Falling

(Tune: Frere Jacques)

Ask kids to stand up and swirl down to the ground like falling leaves as you sing.

Leaves are falling,

leaves are falling.

All around,

all around.

Soft and quiet colors,

soft and quiet colors.

On the ground,

on the ground.

 

Autumn Leaves Countdown

Five autumn leaves hanging from a tree.

The 1st one said, "Very soon we'll be free!"

The 2nd one said, "I'm falling to the ground!"

The 3rd one said, "I'll sail to town!"

The 4th one said, "Let's not wait!"

The 5th one said, "Fall sure is great!"

 

Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down

(Tune: London Bridge is Falling Down or Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Move like slowly falling leaves during the first verse, then spin around during the second verse.

Autumn leaves are falling down,

Falling down, falling down!

Autumn leaves are falling down,

Falling on the ground.

 

Autumn leaves are whirling round,

Whirling round, whirling round!

Autumn leaves are whirling round,

All over town. 

 

Five Red Leaves

Hold up fingers and count down as you say the rhyme. Or make this into an easy felt board set using NCLS accucuts "Leaf Maple" or "Leaf Oak".

Five red leaves, five and no more,

The caterpillar ate one, now there are four.

 

Four red leaves, that's easy to see.  

Along came a rainstorm, now there are three.

 

Three red leaves, nothing much to do,  

A big wind blew, now there are two! 

 

Two red leaves, that's not much fun,  

I glued one on my paper, and now there is one.

 

Hang on, pretty red leaf! Your branches won't break,  

You're one less leaf for me to rake!

 

Autumn

Begin standing up, with arms above head. Move hands down on second line, touch ground by fourth line, then jump up and wave hands above head again on last line.

In autumn when the trees are brown,     

The little leaves come tumbling down.

They do not make the slightest sound,

But lie so quietly on the ground.

Until the wind comes puffing by,

And blows them off towards the sky!

 

Crafts: 

---

Tree Picture

Use NCLS Accucut 'Tree No Leaves" to cut tree shapes out of brown paper. Glue them onto a piece of white or black background paper and make leaves using thumbprints in red, yellow, brown, and orange paint. You could also use torn tissue paper, accucut leaves, or real leaves to make the tree. You could also just draw a tree shape or rectangle onto the background paper and add the leaves.

 

Fall Wreaths

Cut the middle out of a paper or styrofoam plate. Let kids add a loop to the top of the paper ring with a pipe cleaner or yarn so they can hang it once they decorate it. Cut out a variety of fall leaves from colored paper using any of the leaf Accucuts from NCLS. Let kids glue their leaves on the wreath.

 

Leaf Bracelet

Cut out small leaf shapes, using NCLS Accucuts “Leaf Maple Small” and “Leaves #1A”. Cut strips of paper and let kids glue the leaves on. Then tape it around their wrist. Or, for an even easier craft, wrap a piece of masking tape around each child’s wrist, sticky side out, and let them stick the leaves on.

 

Leaf Ornament

Cut large leaf shapes using the NCLS Accucuts "Leaf Maple" or "Leaf Oak". Let kids glue fall colored jewel shapes or sequins on. Punch a whole in the stem and thread a loop of yarn or ribbon through so that it can be hung.

 

Leaf Streamers

Cut pieces of ribbon no more than 2 feet. Cut leaves using Accucuts or use real leaves. Decorate the leaves if desired, then tape the leaves to the ribbon. You can tape one leaf per ribbon, or several per ribbon. Tape several ribbons to a popsicle stick (paint sticks from the hardware store would also work well!). Run down the sidewalk (no running in the library!) with your leaves streaming behind you! 

 

3D Fall Tree

Made from a toilet paper tube and template available at this site. You could also skip the paint and decorate it with markers and sequins.

 

Indian Corn Fingerprint Craft

Template available from this site.

 

Toilet Paper Roll Scarecrow

Made with a popsicle stick for arms and a muffin cup for a hat. You could also use yarn for the hair, and just draw the patches on .