Learning Activities for Fall

September Activities

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To help your child learn the names of body parts (and get exercise while having fun), sing the following song to the tune of "Old MacDonald." (The idea for the "Old MacDonald Had a Body" song is from "Follow Me Too: A Handbook of Movement Activities for Three- to Five-Year Olds", by Marianne Torbert and Lynne B. Schneider.)

"Old MacDonald had a body, e-i-e-i-o
And on his body he had a head, e-i-e-i-o
With a nod, nod, here, and a nod, nod, there,
Here a nod, there a nod, everywhere a nod, nod
Old MacDonald had a body, e-i-e-i-o"

Continue with hand-wave, or clap, then: knees-bend, feet-jump, etc.

Other Ideas:
Sing and laugh while asking your child if she/he can:

• Touch your stomach with your elbow
• Touch your nose with your toes
• Touch your shoulder with your ear
• Touch your knee with your wrist

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October Activities

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As you walk around the neighborhood, choose a tree with colorful leaves. Talk about the color of the leaves and ask, "What do you think will happen to the leaves as the weather gets colder?" Then watch this tree throughout the year to see what happens. Collect leaves, acorns, chestnuts, or seeds and put them in a grocery bag. Turn a long strip of masking tape inside out and make a belt to stick the leaves on. When you get home you can glue or tape your new treasures on paper or cardboard. Talk about how they are alike and how they are different.

Other Ideas:

• Make "binoculars." Take two empty paper towel or toilet paper tissue rolls. Tape the two rolls together, side by side. Attach a string to the rolls. Put the binoculars around your child's neck and ask, "What can you see?" Your child may want to use crayons or markers to decorate the binoculars.
• When walking, ask your child, "How many ways can you walk?" Use the words "forwards, backwards, sideways, giant or large steps, baby or little steps, fast steps, slow steps." Ask, "Can you hop like a bunny? Can you waddle like a penguin? Can you jump like a frog? What else can we do?"

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November Activities

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Use the grocery store flyers that come in the mail. Make a real or a pretend grocery list with your child. Write down what you plan to "buy," pointing out the words as you do. (Leave lots of space next to each item.) Use a crayon or marker to circle the items you plan to "buy." Cut out the circled pictures from the flyer and have your child match and glue the pictures next to the word on the page. (For cutting, Fiskars children's scissors with round ends work well. You can buy them at grocery stores, pharmacies, or discount stores.)

Other Ideas:

• Cut out the pictures in the flyer and sort by type of food (vegetables, fruits, breads, meats, and drinks).
• Make up a menu for a meal and have your child cut pictures of different types of food to tape or glue on a paper plate.
• Use the flyer for your child to search for the letters in his or her name or the numbers from one to ten, cut them out and glue or tape them on paper.

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