Fall Leaves and Trees Activities for Preschool and Pre-K
Here in Florida, we don't always see the traditional signs of fall, but there's nothing quite like that first cool breeze in the air! While we might not have forests full of colorful autumn leaves right outside our classroom, that doesn't mean we can't explore all the changes that come with the season.
Through art, science, math, literacy, and lots of hands-on play, we learn about what happens to trees as the seasons change, why leaves turn different colors, and what makes fall such an interesting time of year. Here are some of the fall leaves and trees activities for preschool and Pre-K that I use to bring a little autumn into our classroom!
Fall Art Activities for Preschool and Pre-K
Exploring Fall Colors with Collaborative Art
A big sheet of butcher paper, a few trays of paint, and some interesting painting tools are all we need for this activity!
I cover one of our classroom tables with butcher paper and set out paints in fall colors like red, yellow, orange, brown, and green. Instead of sticking with traditional paintbrushes, I add sponges, textured rollers, and different kinds of brushes for the children to experiment with.
There aren't any instructions about what the finished painting should look like. Some children make prints with the sponges, others spread paint across the paper, and a few spend most of their time mixing colors to see what happens.
As the children work, we talk about the colors we're seeing and how they compare to the colors of leaves in autumn. Once everyone has had a chance to contribute, we're left with one big piece of fall-inspired artwork!
Fall Leaf Suncatchers
Our classroom windows get a little more colorful with these simple fall leaf suncatchers. For this activity, I prepare leaf outlines and set out small squares of green, red, yellow, and orange tissue paper. The children arrange the tissue paper inside clear laminating sheets, filling their leaves with whatever combination of colors they choose.
After sealing the sheets and cutting out the leaf shapes, we hang them in the windows where the sunlight can shine through.
The tissue paper creates a stained-glass effect, and it's especially pretty when several leaves hang together. Picking up and arranging all those little pieces also gives the children plenty of fine motor practice.
Painting Fall Leaves with Magnets
Painting with magnets is a fun way to sneak a little science into our fall art activities! I draw a large leaf shape on a paper plate, add a few drops of fall-colored paint, and place a paper clip in the middle. Then the children use magnetic wands underneath the plates to move the paper clips through the paint.
At first, some children aren't quite sure what's happening. How is that paper clip moving when they aren't even touching it?
Once they figure out that the magnet controls the paper clip, they experiment with moving it in different directions, pulling the paint along as they go.
We talk about how magnets attract certain metals, and the children get to see that attraction in action. Every leaf turns out differently, depending on where they move the magnet and how the colors mix.
Autumn Still Life Drawing and Painting
For another art experience, I set up a little autumn still life in our classroom.
Pumpkins, colorful leaves, pinecones, acorns, and a few woodland animals make an interesting display for the children to observe. I put out paper, crayons, paints, and brushes, and let them decide what they'd like to draw or paint.
Some children choose one object from the collection while others try to include several things in their pictures, arranging them however they want.
We spend some time looking closely at the display, noticing shapes, colors, and details we might otherwise overlook. It's interesting to see what catches each child's attention and how differently they represent the same objects.
There's no example painting to follow here. The children are painting what they see, and their interpretations are what make the activity so interesting.
Fall Literacy Activities for Preschool
Leaf Hunt Name Art
Before we begin this activity, we head outside for a leaf hunt!
The children collect fallen leaves from around our playground, looking for different shapes, sizes, and colors. Back inside, we let the leaves dry and crumble them into small pieces.
I write each child's name on a sheet of paper, and they use liquid glue to trace over the letters. Once their names are covered in glue, they sprinkle the crumbled leaves over the top, almost like they're using glitter.
After the glue dries and we shake away the extra pieces, the children's names are covered in real leaves!
It's a simple name recognition and fine motor activity, but collecting the materials ourselves makes it even more meaningful. The children get to turn something they find outdoors into their own artwork.
Fall Literacy Centers
We also bring our fall leaves and trees theme into our literacy centers, where the children have opportunities to practice early reading and writing skills with seasonal vocabulary.
Our Fall, Leaves & Trees Preschool and Pre-K Unit includes activities like Fall Syllables, Rhyme Time, and Write the Room.
With the syllable cards, children say fall-related words and clap out the different parts they hear. For Write the Room, we place vocabulary cards around the classroom so the children can search for them and record what they find.
These are easy activities to rotate into our literacy centers throughout the week, and they help children become more familiar with the vocabulary we're using during our fall investigations.
Fall Math Activities for Preschool and Pre-K
Planting Seeds and Counting One by One
Trees begin as tiny seeds, so we spend some time exploring seeds and talking about what they need to grow.
For this activity, I fill a sensory container with sand or soil and add dried beans for the children to pretend to plant. We use number cards or simply call out a number, and the children count out that many beans, planting them one at a time.
It's tempting for some children to grab a whole handful and drop them in at once, so this gives us a chance to slow down and practice counting each object as we go.
We can also talk about what would happen if we planted real seeds outdoors. What would they need to grow? Would they all become trees? How long would it take?
Counting Leaves on Number Trees
This fall math center is all about counting leaves and matching quantities to numbers.
Each tree has a number, and the children count out the correct number of leaves to add to its branches. They might work independently or count along with a friend, checking that they've added the right amount before moving to the next tree.
For children who are just beginning to recognize numbers, I help them identify the numeral and count the leaves one at a time. Those who are ready can compare their trees and figure out which have more or fewer leaves.
It's a simple activity, but it's one we can revisit throughout our fall theme as the children become more confident with counting.
More Fall Math Centers
Our fall math activities don't stop with counting leaves! I also add printable math centers from our Fall, Leaves & Trees unit, including Leaves Are Falling!, Leaf Number Matching, and Fall Patterns.
Depending on the activity, children practice identifying numbers, counting sets, matching quantities, and recognizing repeating patterns. Having several different ways to work with the same skills lets us change things up without constantly introducing brand-new concepts.
Fall Science and Sensory Activities
Sorting, Raking, and Playing with Fall Leaves
One of the easiest ways to bring fall into our centers is with a few packages of artificial leaves from the dollar store.
I add them to sensory bins, construction areas, or our discovery table, along with containers, child-sized rakes, and other tools.
Sometimes the children sort the leaves into groups by color, size, or shape. Other times, they build big piles, rake them up, or scatter them across the table and start all over again.
There's quite a bit of learning happening in what looks like simple leaf play. Children compare, classify, count, and experiment with moving and arranging the materials. They also come up with uses for the leaves that I wouldn't necessarily think of when setting up the center!
Investigating Real Fall Leaves
A collection of real leaves gives us plenty to investigate during our fall science activities.
After gathering leaves outside, we bring them into the classroom and take a closer look. Are they all the same shape? Do some have pointed edges while others are rounded? Which leaves are the biggest? What happens when a dried leaf gets crushed?
We use magnifying glasses, compare leaves side by side, and talk about what we notice.
Our Fall, Leaves & Trees unit also includes leaf investigation, sorting, and measuring activities that help children take their observations a little further.
Since we don't always see dramatic leaf color changes here in Florida, I also like showing the children examples of trees in other parts of the country. We talk about how different trees respond to seasonal changes and why some keep their leaves while others lose them.
Fall STEM and Building Activities for Preschool
Build a Tree That Can Stand Up!
After reading The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming, we take our investigation of trees into our STEAM center with a building challenge.
I set out play dough, craft sticks, and foam leaves, then give the children a challenge: Can you build a tree that stands on its own and holds its leaves?
The children start experimenting with the materials, using play dough to create a base and craft sticks to make trunks and branches. They add foam leaves and test whether their trees can stay upright.
Of course, some trees fall over! When that happens, we talk about why they think the tree tipped and what they might change to make it stronger. Maybe the base needs to be wider, or the branches need to be arranged differently.
Once the trees are standing, we add another challenge. Using large straws, we blow air toward the trees to see if the leaves stay attached when the wind comes.
The children make adjustments and test their ideas again, which is exactly what we want from an early engineering experience. They aren't just building a tree; they're figuring out how to solve a problem.
Loose Parts Trees
Not every building activity needs a specific challenge. Sometimes I put out a collection of loose parts and let the children decide what to create.
For our fall theme, we use wooden pieces, blocks, craft sticks, colorful manipulatives, and other small materials to represent trees and leaves.
Some children lay their materials flat to create trees on the table, while others try to build structures that stand up. We get trees with long branches, trees covered in colorful leaves, and some pretty imaginative designs!
I especially enjoy seeing how the children change their creations as they work. A branch gets moved, more leaves are added, or an entire tree gets taken apart so they can try something different.
Beaded Tree Branches
For a quieter fine motor activity, we make tree branches using pipe cleaners and beads.
I prepare simple pipe cleaner tree structures and set out beads in different colors. The children thread the beads onto the pipe cleaners, adding color to their branches.
Some choose fall colors, while others make patterns or mix their beads however they like.
We can also use this activity to practice counting, comparing, and patterning, depending on what the children are interested in exploring.
And because the pipe cleaners can bend and twist, there's plenty of room for experimenting with the shapes of the branches, too!
Bringing Fall Leaves and Trees Into the Preschool Classroom
What I like about exploring fall with preschoolers is how easily the theme moves from one area of the classroom to another.
The leaves we collect outside become materials for art, science investigations, and name activities. A simple collection of artificial leaves turns into counting, sorting, and sensory play. Even a story about a missing leaf can lead to an engineering challenge!
And because the children are exploring many of the same ideas in different ways, they begin making connections between what we're reading, talking about, and doing throughout the day.
There's certainly room for structured activities and printables, but I also want children to have plenty of opportunities to experiment with materials and come up with their own ideas.
Fall, Leaves & Trees Activities for Preschool and Pre-K Themed Unit
If you're planning a fall theme for your classroom, I've put together a Fall, Leaves & Trees Preschool and Pre-K Themed Unit with hands-on activities that complement many of the ideas in this post.
The 148-page resource includes literacy and math centers, science activities, vocabulary cards, fine motor practice, group games, and printable activities designed for preschool and Pre-K learners.
It's a way to bring some of the seasonal learning we're exploring into your own classroom, with materials you can add to centers, small groups, and whole-group lessons.
Whether your classroom is surrounded by colorful autumn trees or you're bringing the changing seasons indoors like we do here in Florida, there are plenty of ways to give preschoolers a chance to explore fall through their own observations, questions, and play.
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