Autumn Activity!
After collecting all the crunchy Autumn leaves up, we thought about different ways we could use them and how we could learn more about this season. Through conversations and research, we discovered that Autumn is the time of year when leaves change colour and fall off trees. No wonder there were so many leaves on the ground!
One of our wonderful Kaiako set up an autumn leaf threading provocation and invited our little ones to have a go. First they had to measure and cut a piece of ribbon and then cut straws into smaller tubes so that these could be used to thread in between the leaves. Using scissors requires concentration, focus, independent movements of each finger and bilateral coordination skills.
Providing our little ones with different ways to use scissors helps strengthen these skills through repetition and practice. Next, they used a hole punch to create holes in each leaf, ready for threading. Strategically threading the ribbon through the hole and pulling it out the other end, our little ones’ autumn leaf chains grew longer.
Some of our tamariki chose to create their own autumn leaf collage, using glue to stick the leaves onto paper. This process was very intriguing to watch, as it was amazing to see different thinking happening around the table with some children choosing to arrange their leaves next to each other, while others overlapped to create texture and depth.
Taking this one step further, we added some paint to the table and some of our little ones chose to paint their leaves in different colours. Using paper as a canvas and crunchy autumn leaves as a canvas are two very different surfaces, so our little ones had to adapt their approach so that the leaf wouldn’t crumble when the paint was applied.
The following day, we decided to explore leaf patterns and different types of leaves. We brought out our special leaf stencils which have raised lines to represent the different shapes and patterns of leaves. After looking at these closely and using our fingers to explore, we began making leaf prints.
This was a process that many of our little ones have not done before, so with some role modelling, they were able to see what to do. Placing the leaf stencil under their piece of paper, they used a crayon on its side to rub against the paper, exposing the leaf print.
Wow! One of our little ones even described it “as magic”. Once they had managed to do their first one, there was no stopping them –and soon enough our table was covered in different coloured leaf prints.
Learning more about the natural world around them is a great way for our little ones to appreciate and value Papatūānuku (our earth mother), as well as develop their own working theories about the wider world around them.
Respecting the land, its changes and what we can do to keep it beautiful are all important values to hold as citizens of the world. 😊