When the weather gets cool and the leaves begin to change color, you’ll know that Fall is here! There are countless wonderful ways to enjoy this season and we here at Red Cat Reading are happy to help show you how! Both indoor and outdoor, you’ll never be bored this season.
1. Build a Scarecrow
Scarecrows aren’t just for keeping pesky crows from eating garden crops, they’re a fun and quirky symbol of Fall! They are often made of different materials like pumpkins, hay, sticks and clothes to look like a person standing in fields or gardens. Crows are afraid of scarecrows, so they fly away when they see them, and won’t eat the crops.
A fun activity to try with your family is to build your very own scarecrow! First, you can practice writing down with your child the different parts of the scarecrow that you’ll need. For example, you’ll certainly need arms, head, legs, hands etc. It will help add some practice writing and learning about different body parts. Next, you can make another list with the materials you’ll need written on it. Get creative! Use the things you have around you, like fall leaves for stuffing, sticks for arms, a pumpkin for a head, and some old clothes to really bring your scarecrow to life. Before you know it, you’ll have a fun and unique decoration for all to enjoy!
2. Write a Fall Poem
Poetry can be such a creative form of expression for anyone! Poems can be long or short, silly or serious. There are many different styles of poems including haiku, free verse, list, and many more for you to try out. While there are many types of poems, the best part about poetry is that there are no rules on what you should write about!
How should you get started? First pick a topic that inspires you! It’s easy to start writing when you have a fun theme to work with. You can take inspiration from the things you can see around you this season, like Fall leaves, pumpkins, squirrels, acorns,or other festive items! If you need a little extra inspiration, be sure to check out our book Why Turkeys Can’t Fly which you can download for FREE!
3. Make Some Stamps
Your family can enjoy creating art with some of the fruits and vegetables you can often find growing in the Fall! Grab yourself some fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots, corn, potatoes, or whatever fun things you’d like to turn into stamps. Cut them in half or even into fun shapes to make your very own, original stamp. Dip the stamps in paint and press them onto paper and make posters or cards. You can also use fabric paint and decorate place mats, shirts, or tablecloths that you can look forward to using every Fall.
Make this activity packed with learning by making flashcards with the names of the fruits and vegetables you’ll use and practice reading their names. For extra practice, write the names of the fruits and vegetables next to the prints from the stamps.
4. Leaf Piles
Fallen leaves are so fun to play in! Making piles of colorful, crunchy leaves to jump in is a special experience you can only have once a year. The anticipation after gathering all the leaves together is so exciting! But there is an even better way to enjoy piles of leaves this time of year. You can make your own original shapes and designs with the leaves! Make fun shapes like hearts, stars, or animals!
You can even use this activity as an opportunity to practice writing on a big scale. Form big letters with the fallen leaves and erase them away to make new ones! You can even turn it into a game by challenging your child to write letters by calling them out for them to create.
5. Fun with Acorns
Acorns aren’t just treats for hungry squirrels, they’re charming little symbols of Fall you can find fallen on the ground! Kids love collecting acorns just for fun, but there’s actually a way to enjoy them even more. You can try painting acorns to make them even more special. Use them to decorate around your home or draw faces on them to make little toys.
Another way to enjoy your special acorns is to play games with them! You can use them to practice counting or even write letters on them for reading practice! Use each letter to spell out words, group vowels and consonants, or practice phonics with your new tools.
Fall is here, so be sure to enjoy it to the fullest with these great tips from Red Cat reading! Have fun and stay warm!