Fall Themed Montessori Inspired Activities
When you homeschool, you have so much control over when more formal learning begins. You could pick a random Thursday in July to start your first unit, if you wanted to. There’s no need to wait until a Monday to change out materials and reset themes. Why, then, does the first Monday in September have such a pull on me? I want to buy school supplies, pick out the perfect first day of school outfit, and carefully assess the contents of my pencil case. There’s just something magical about the first day of school - maybe that’s the real reason that I became a teacher.
With that, let’s dive into what may be my favorite theme thus far: autumn.
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Books
I’m a huge fan of recycling materials. I prefer to be able to use the same book for multiple different purposes. After all, who has thousands of dollars to spend on a personal library, or the space to store hundreds of books? When the pandemic is over, we’ll be able to go back to the library for books that fit the theme we’re studying, but until then, I try to make sure that each book I buy serves at least two purposes (admittedly, this is not always possible). Of course, there are dozens of books available about seasons for toddlers, but these are the specific books that we’re using for this unit.
Autumn Specific
Autumn by Gerda Muller - This is a beautiful, gentle celebration of the season. It’s part of a set of four season books, but I only bought this one so I could check it out before committing. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, there are children of different ethnicities represented, and many seasonal activities are depicted. My favorite thing about this book, however, is that there is not a single word. I love how open ended that makes this; it really leaves space to discuss anything that my toddler shows an interest in. The gorgeous, realistic illustrations and the open ended nature of this book makes it a beautiful addition to any Montessori shelf.
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak - This book celebrates the transition between summer and fall. Thankfully, we’re in a part of the United States that transitions almost exactly as this book describes, so this is a fabulous way to connect my Little Guy to our home. I am in love with the watercolor backgrounds and overall warmth of the illustrations. *Note* this is not a board book, so use your best judgement about whether your toddler is ready for easily torn pages.
Lift-a-Flap Surprise Autumn in the Forest - Are lift-a-flap books the most Montessori thing out there? No, not at all. However, we are Montessori inspired, not strict, and my Little Guy loves lift-a-flaps. I love that they offer him more fine motor activities, and this one in particular is filled with really nice factual information and the illustrations aren’t very cartoonish, so it doesn’t stray too far off the Montessori path.
Seasons/Weather in General
I love that the three books below can be used to welcome all four seasons, and also can be brought out to discuss weather. Little Guy has a few books about rain that we’ve brought out every time we have stormy weather, which is quite frequently around here! I love being able to share books with him that connect to something he is currently experiencing.
Seasons by Katie Wilson - The illustrations are lovely, but they’re a little less realistic than I would prefer for our shelf. However, the real value in this book is in the presentation of appropriate clothing for each season. Thankfully we have not had any battles over clothes yet, but I’m bracing myself for the tantrums that could erupt from not being allowed to wear swim trunks when we have six inches of snow in the front yard. I can see this book being a great way to sit down in a calm moment and work through weather appropriate options.
Hello, World! Weather by Jill McDonald - Yes, it’s cartoonish. I don’t care. I love the Hello, World! series because it’s engaging and full of excellent facts. These books always fascinate my toddler, so I didn’t think twice about picking it up. That said, I completely understand if you feel it doesn’t quite fit with the traditional Montessori aesthetic.
Weather and the Seasons - There are photographs. There are DIY projects and activities. There is a variety of information at different levels, ensuring that this can be used today at 20 months and likely until he’s at least four or five years old. *Note* this is not a board book, so use your best judgement about whether your toddler is ready for easily torn pages.
Matching Activities
Little Guy has really loved matching activities lately, so there are a few different options for him here. The leaf matching activities were super simple DIYs, and I purchased the acorn activities from Wooden Wonderland Co on Etsy. *Choking Hazard* These acorns are absolutely a choking hazard. Even if you think your toddler has stopped putting things in their mouth, an adult should be present if these are available.
For the popsicle stick leaf matching activity, I ordered this giant bag of leaf foam stickers from Amazon and grabbed four pairs of popsicle sticks. This will give my 20 month old practice matching both shapes and colors. To make this DIY, follow the directions below:
Put to popsicle sticks next to each other so that they’re touching.
Carefully place a sticker so that the middle is right over the line where the two sticks touch.
Use a pair of scissors or an exacto knife to cut the simple puzzle in half.
Fine Motor Activities
Because Little Guy loves small parts, several of his fall activities serve double duty as fine motor work. I love the little acorns and cups color matching activity, and he loves that he has to pinch the top of the acorns very carefully in order to fit them into the cups. Sometimes he leaves the cups upright in the tray, but other times he holds a cup in one hand and the acorn in the other, which really helps him work on coordinating both of his hands simultaneously. *Choking Hazard* These acorns are absolutely a choking hazard. Even if you think your toddler has stopped putting things in their mouth, an adult should be present if these are available.
I am very proud of the little DIY leaf lacing activity. It took all of ten minutes from start to finish, including allowing time for the glue to dry. I’ll be posting a tutorial later this month, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!
I’m a little worried that the parts of a tree puzzle that I ordered from Pink Montessori will be a bit too advanced for him at only 20 months, but I think that he’ll be able to do this with some support. If it turns out that it’s too much, it’s easy enough to swap it out with another activity. After all, there’s no need for every activity in his shelf to be on theme, and we have so many general skill building materials that it’s easy enough to swap things out if they’re just not a good fit.
Practical Life Activities
My Little Guy never has a shortage of daily practical life activities, but here are some that we’ll be able to focus a bit more on this fall.
Gardening - harvesting the last of our summer veggies, tending to the winter squash, and cleaning up the raised beds as summer vegetable plants begin to die
Cooking - I love to make chili, soups, and stews as the weather gets cooler, and these meals are perfect for some helpful little hands. He can help me wash and sort the beans (I found a small stone once, and that was enough to convince me to wash all legumes for the rest of my life!), dump the ingredients into the pot, and even help select what goes into these dishes. I’m really looking forward to roasting squash seeds together and experimenting with different spice combinations.
Cleaning - raking leaves, collecting the sticks in the yard, and sweeping the walkway
