Fall is a time for apple picking, eating freshly ripened apples and doing apple-related learning activities. Here are some of the highlights from our apple play and exploration this fall. My kids are 4 and 6 and as they get older, we’re incorporating more reading and math learning into our play.
Apple Sensory Play (What Animals Eat Apples?)
After all the commotion of the first day of school (which involved lots of big emotions and late buses), I set up a fun sensory play for my kids when they got home. Our routine is usually to do an activity when the kids arrive home from school and an apple themed play felt perfect. The kids agreed.
For this play we had some fun learning about what kinds of animals like to eat apples and of course scooped and poured the beautiful sensory mix using handmade creations from some our favourite small shops. We enlisted some of our favourite felt friends and Folkmanis finger puppets for this play. They were all treated to an apple feast.
- Fall Apple Tree Flisat Bundle (handpainted wood insert, wood apples, wood leaves, wood mini apple trees and scented Apple Orchard Filler – The Maple Mouse Sensory (save with code ‘houseofplay10’)… in collaboration with Readymade Play Canada and Earth and Pine
- Felt apples and wood basket, felt Skippy the squirrel, felt worms, Folkmanis puppets – Sewing Seeds Play (✨ save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
- Wooden mini apple tray – Carved Together Co.
- Beyond Measure Boards Name and Letter Practice Mini Mat – from Wonder + Kind (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
Apple Pie Sensory Play
Pretend pie play is always a hit in this house. I think this was one of the kids’ most loved activities this fall. The kids enjoyed this so much that they played with it for days and wouldn’t let me put it away.
We used oats, homemade cloud dough and homemade playdough (with cinnamon and nutmeg) to make our pies. The kids loved having the freedom to mix all the different materials together and get their hands messy. They especially love the texture of cloud dough – it is our very favourite sensory base for baking activities. Plus, it’s so easy to make.
Cloud Dough Recipe
- 4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup oil
- dash of cinnamon (optional)
Mix 2 ingredients together. That’s it!
I added a number of pie-related accessories to this play: small pie pans, baking utensils, scoops, painted chick peas, small apple slice counters, cinnamon sticks, cookie cutters and of course – wooden apples. We also have a very fun pie topper dough cutters that I got from Michaels in a kids pie baking kit.
There was no specific focus or goal to this play. I just let the kids be free to explore the materials and use their imaginations.
In-between plays, I would return the cloud dough and oats to the bowls and cover and cover them for the night, along with the playdough,.
- Eco-pie shells and wood pie toppers – Stars and Sensory
- Wooden apples – The Maple Mouse Sensory
- Wooden mini apple tray – Carved Together Co.
- Wooden letter blocks – AW and Co (Save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
- Tuff Tray – Scholar’s Choice (Save with code HOUSEOFPLAY15)
Apple Life Cycle Learning, Counting and Writing
Apples are also a great topic to practice counting, writing and lifecycles! We learned about the lifecycle of the apple using a fun printable spinner from Preschool Play & Learn (link to the free printable) and recreated the cycle with a search and find sensory activity. I placed objects representing each life cycle stage in the sensory mix and the kids found them and placed them in order on the wooden cycle tray, while using their spinner for guidance.
We also practiced some apple counting with wooden apple counters and a ten frame and worked on letter formation and spelling while printing the word “apple”.
- Fall Apple Tree Flisat Bundle (tree insert, Apple sensory mix, wooden apples, leaves and mini apple trees) – The Maple Mouse Sensory in collaboration with Readymade Play Canada and Earth and Pine
- Yellow Door Education Ten Frame and Flower Tray – Scholar’s Choice (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY15)
- Wooden letter blocks – AW and Co (save with code HOUSEOFPLAY10)
- Wood Apple Tray – Carved Together Co.
- Beyond Measure Boards Mini Learning Mat – Wonder + Kind (Save with code HOUSEOFOPLAY10)
Simple Kite Paper Apples
When life gets busy, kite paper is a great resource for quick and easy activity. On one occasion, when I needed a quick source of entertainment for the kids I grabbed the kite paper and we made some apple decorations with it. We tried 2 different methods: a simple origami folding method and a cut and past 3D apple method. Both were fun!
Our kite paper is from Nest.
We did 2 different versions – the origami version and a cut and paste version. Both versions were straight forward and easy for the kids to make (particularly my 6 year old).
For a last minute, simple activity – I think it turned out pretty well. Folding, cutting and pasting is great for fine motor skills and we created some beautiful fall decorations for our windows.