Mother Nature has flipped the switch and the temps in the Midwest have started to drop. There is something about the warmth of the sun against the crisp autumn air that is energizing. Picking apples in the fall with young children is a wonderful outdoor family-tradition.
"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air." — Nathaniel Hawthorne
Don't live near an orchard? Don't let that stop the fun. Check out the playful collection of kid's apple projects, picture books, and recipes below.
Yarn Apple Garland Craft - Red Ted Art
Keep little hands busy with this yarn wrapping project. The final apple-yarn bunting is simply adorable.
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Apple Graphing - Learn ~ Play ~ Imagine
Apple graphing is the perfect way for young learners to work on hands-on math skills.
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Apple Tree Craft - Reading Confetti
Have your child create their own mini-orchard with this tissue paper apple tree project.
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Apple Volcanoes - Growing a Jeweled Rose
Bring apples and science together with this silly little experiment.
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Sticky Apple Math - Playdough to Plato
A fun hands-on way to practice numbers, addition, and early division using apples.
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5 Foam Apple Math Activities - Imprints from Tricia
This simple collection of math ideas for preschoolers is creative. Here is a free apple coloring page, in case you don't have the foam apple sheets she uses!
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Counting Apples Busy Bag - Educators' Spin on It
This is a simple apple activity to use with your toddler or preschooler to encourage counting. It focuses on one-to-one correspondence and number recognition.
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Montessori Inspired Apple Activities - Carrots Are Orange
Over forty Montessori based activities: practical life, sensory, language, math, and more.
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Additional inspiration:
Apple Cider Picnic - Let's Lasso the Moon
Check out this playful way to decorate your front door or windows.
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Make Your Own Apple Bookmarks
- Kids Activity Blog
Do you have scrap-booking paper punches at your house? This is a must-try fall activity.
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Looking for an ongoing resource? Lifetime Love of Learning is a collaborative board on Pinterest where parents, teachers, and bloggers come together to share unique kids' projects.
LIBRARY INSPIRATION:
There are so many wonderful apple children's books. Below are a few of my favorites! Be sure to reserve titles NOW from your library to ensure you get the best selection.
Apples and Pumpkins
by Anne Rockwell
Read Book Description
The Apple Pie Tree
by Zoe Hall
Read Book Description
Apples
by Gail Gibbons
Read Book Description
How Do Apples Grow
by Betsy Maestro
Read Book Description
Our Apple Tree
by Gorel Kristina Naslund
Read Book Description
One Red Apple
by Harriet Ziefert
Read Book Description
Apples A to Z
by Margaret McNamara
Read Book Description
Looking for more inspiration? Click here to see 50+ Fall Books Recommended by Moms.
5 FALL APPLE RECIPES
Whether you've got apples from the store or the orchard, here are five wonderful ways to use apples from Tiffany of Peanut Blossom:
1. Apple Crisp: Assemble this recipe into 2 8×8 pans and you have a brilliant freezer stocking dish.
2. Homemade applesauce: EASY peasy and a kid’s classic for sure. I also keep huge batches portioned off into small containers in our freezer.
3. Sea salt & vanilla caramel dip: Please don’t buy those plastic tubs of questionable ingredients at the grocery store. This recipe blows it right out of the water and is made from all-natural things. Hardly a “health item”, but at least you know what is going into it. I slice up large bowls of apple slices, sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice over them, and then put out small individual dishes of this dip for family game nights.
4. Apples & Laughing Cow Cheese: The healthiest snack on this list but wow what a difference that little cheese wedge makes to the fresh crispy apples!!
5. Roasted sausages, potatoes, onions, & apples: This was a new dish for my family this year and it was a huge hit. The only prep work you’ll need to do is chop an onion and an apple, so this might actually qualify as a 1 minute meal. (Not including baking time, of course.)
There are so many different types of apples! Join the conversation and leave a comment.
Happy fall friends,
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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