Family Activity
Learn about leaves!
You will likely be surrounded by leaves at this time, so why not learn about leaves while doing some art.
First, go on a hike where there are different tree species and collect as many different leaves as you can. What colors leaves do you find? Why are the leaves no longer green? Compare the leaves to each other. Do they have pointy edges or round edges? Are they smooth or serrated? Smell the difference between old leaves and new leaves. Crumble some of the leaves. Do they have different textures? If you have a tree identification guide, see if you can identify what species these leaves belong to.
Now do some leaf art! Create birds or other animals using the different leaves you have in front of you. Many leaves resemble the wings or tails of a bird. You can even glue them onto paper and share your leaf art with others.
Search for Hidden Creatures!
Is that leaf really a leaf? Or is it a butterfly or a katydid? Is that stick really a stick? Or is it a walking stick insect? Autumn is a time for animals to start migrating or preparing for winter. As plants start to turn brown and many leaves fall to the ground, many creatures use them for shelter and hiding places. As you explore, slowly and carefully look under twigs, rocks, tree bark for hidden creatures. Also look for animals hiding in plain sight. Many animals stay quiet and motionless until you walk away from them. Look high and low for these creatures and learn about camouflage and mimicry along the way. When you are done, play hide-and-seek with your family members!
Autumn Leaves
Make a Placemat or Bookmark with Colored Leaves
- Collect the colored leaves, noting the different shapes and colors.
- Talk about the trees from which these leaves fell: have the kids learn to identify two or three trees like maple or oak by their leaves.
- Take the leaves inside; have the kids choose the ones they want and arrange them on pieces of poster paper.
- Cover with clear Contac.
- As you do this, talk about why the leaves change color – an excellent book for this is Why Leaves Change Color by Bette Maestro and Loretta Krupinski; for children 7 and up, another good one is one by the same title by Terri Hicks.
Explore the Trees in Your Yard
- Which birds and animals depend on the trees?
- How do the birds and other animals use the trees to help them get ready for winter?
- Talk about the tree as a habitat or living space.
- Compare a tree to your own home or habitat. How are they alike and different?
Be Sure to Jump in a Pile of Leaves!
Autumn Activities
Begin with a scavenger hunt and/or photography hunt for the signs of autumn. You can have a checklist — or actually collect the objects as long as they are common objects like colored leaves and nuts (but no flowers/plants from nature preserves or state parks).
With photography you might emphasize the array of colors, print the pictures and make a collage of the color variations.
You can also photograph signs that show evidence of animal homes, including scat. Perhaps you can capture a picture of a squirrel with nuts, with great luck perhaps migratory birds passing through, along with pictures of year-round bird residents.
Do an autumn texture collage. On a walk feel the textures and notice the colors of the signs of autumn you can collect — the leaves, the acorns or other nuts, berries, tree bark, a sprig from an evergreen for contrast. Arrange on construction paper in a collage; glue or tape — and you can cover with clear Contact color. The nuts and bark may make it all a big knobbly and the berries may squirt a bit, but that makes it all the more exciting!