Montessori Fall Trays

We have been enjoying the fall season this September.  Picking apples down the road, picking pumpkins, watching the combines harvest the corn and wheat.  Watching and collecting the falling acorns.  There are so many various activities and trays you could create for fall learning.  I collected 20+ Montessori Fall Activities in a previous post, so I hope you check that out.  Compiling that list made me want to make some simple Montessori Fall Trays for my son, with whom I do Home Preschool. 

I created these activities to excite my children about the season, and they include simple activities for each of the Montessori learning categories: Language, Practical Life, Mathematics, Sensorial, and Art.

Language

First, we made a simple name building activity, using glue and popcorn kernels.  John knows that corn is harvested in the fall season because we live close to a farm.  And, surprisingly, he was very excited to do this try.  It’s the glue.  He love, love, loves to squeeze glue!  He worked hard to trace the black marker of his name and then put on the kernels.  He was proud of his finished product, and it is now hanging at our kitchen window!

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Practical Life

We created two practical life trays for fall.  First, pouring tray with three small pitchers.  I colored red and yellow water, using simple food coloring, and presented the tray to John. I wanted to discover that the two colors mixed would make orange, and he did!  He is now able to transfer water {mostly} without spilling!  May {my two year old girl} also enjoyed pouring. And another practical life tray; I wanted to teach John how to slice an apple with our apple slicer/corer.  I showed him how to do this, with my hands over his hands.  He did the second apple on his own — though this activity does require some strength!

Little foam stickers provide wonderful fine motor practice for little fingers to pinch and place on a sheet of paper.  I printed out a simple leaf picture.  This was an amazing breakthrough for John, as it was the first time he really enjoyed doing this and sat for a long while to finish!  Also, the children enjoyed this activity together {ages two and four}.

Mathematics

Next is a mathematics tray, using apple cards and little apple seeds.  This tray was not challenging enough for my boy, so we’ll be moving on to numbers 6 to 10 very soon!  Again, he loved this because of the glue!

This math tray provides important transferring skills for little hands, as they transfer the number of acorns listed on the sandpaper number cards.

Sensorial

These next are not on trays, but they provide important, open-ended invitations to learn.

We created a simple fall bin.  We included flour, oats, and little pumpkin, apples, and leaf pieces from Michaels, along with some tiny pumpkins.  May enjoyed playing with this bin on the floor.

For sensorial play, we used our fall no-cook play dough, which the kids still love.  I set this out with knives, scoopers, flowers, beans, anything for them to create with.  They love this time of creative play!

And last, an art leaf activity that I found over at My Little 3 and Me.  Check out her post on the details.  We gathered leaves and began painting.  My son was not interested, but my daughter absolutely loved this, so it was a success nonetheless.  {See my post on rethinking arts and crafts.} Beautiful time of exploration, learning, and play.  I hope these Montessori Fall Trays have inspired you to try something autumn themed with your little one today :)  Blessings.