With Thanksgiving just around the corner, this month offers a chance to engage young minds in a range of exciting and educational activities.
From creative crafts to nature-inspired adventures, November is the perfect time to spark curiosity, foster imagination, and create lasting memories.
So, let’s dive into some great preschool activities for November a truly special and enriching experience for your little ones.
Nature Walk:
Take advantage of the crisp autumn air and embark on a nature walk with your little explorers. November is the perfect time to witness the breathtaking transformation of leaves as they change colors. Encourage the children to observe the different shapes, sizes, and colors of leaves they encounter. You can even bring along a magnifying glass to examine the intricate details. This activity not only connects children with nature but also enhances their observation skills and appreciation for the beauty of the changing seasons.
Pumpkin Exploration:
Engage all the senses by organizing a pumpkin exploration activity. Set up a designated area with a variety of pumpkins in different shapes and sizes. Allow the preschoolers to touch, smell, and observe the pumpkins closely. Encourage them to describe the textures, colors, and patterns they notice. To extend the activity, provide tools like spoons and scoops for scooping out the pulp (under supervision) and let them feel the slimy sensation. This hands-on experience will foster their sensory development and curiosity about nature’s bountiful offerings.
Related: 20 Awesome Pumpkin Painting Ideas for Toddlers
Gratitude Tree:
November is a time for expressing gratitude, and a gratitude tree is a wonderful way to teach preschoolers about appreciation and thankfulness. Create a tree trunk using construction paper and attach it to a wall or bulletin board. Cut out leaf-shaped pieces of paper and provide markers or crayons. Encourage the children to write or draw something they are thankful for on each leaf and then attach them to the tree. This activity not only promotes emotional well-being but also strengthens fine motor skills and encourages self-expression.
Corn Cob Painting:
Celebrate the harvest season with a creative and messy corn cob painting activity. Collect several corn cobs and dip them in washable paint. Provide large sheets of paper or easels and encourage the children to use the corn cobs as paintbrushes. They can experiment with different strokes, patterns, and colors, creating beautiful and unique artwork inspired by the fall harvest. This activity allows preschoolers to explore different textures and develop their artistic abilities while fostering their understanding of seasonal crops.
Related: 20 Fun Letter C Activities for Preschoolers
Leaf Collage:
Engage preschoolers in a creative project that celebrates the vibrant colors of autumn leaves. Collect a variety of fallen leaves during your nature walks or ask children to bring leaves from home. Provide a large sheet of paper and non-toxic glue. Let the children arrange the leaves on the paper in any way they like, creating a beautiful collage. This activity not only encourages creativity and fine motor skills but also introduces children to the concept of patterns, shapes, and colors found in nature. Display their leaf collages proudly to showcase their artistic achievements.
Apple Taste Testing:
Introduce preschoolers to the wide variety of apples available during the fall season through an apple taste testing activity. Set up a tasting station with different types of apples, such as Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Honeycrisp. Encourage the children to observe the colors, textures, and smells of each apple before taking a bite. Ask them to describe the flavors they experience, whether it’s sweet, tart, or crisp. This activity not only promotes sensory exploration but also introduces vocabulary related to taste and encourages healthy eating habits.
Related: 20 Exciting Letter B Activities for Preschoolers
Fall-Themed Scavenger Hunt:
Organize a fun and interactive fall-themed scavenger hunt to engage preschoolers in observation and exploration. Create a checklist with items such as acorns, colorful leaves, pinecones, and tree bark. Provide each child with a copy of the checklist and a small basket or bag to collect their findings. Take the children on a nature walk or set up the scavenger hunt in a designated outdoor area. Encourage them to search for and collect the items on their lists. This activity promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and appreciation for the natural environment.
Harvest Sensory Bin:
Create a sensory bin filled with fall-themed items that evoke the spirit of the harvest season. Fill a large container with dried corn kernels, mini pumpkins, pinecones, colorful leaves, and small farm animal figurines. Add scoops, spoons, and cups for pouring and transferring. Let the preschoolers explore the different textures, colors, and sounds as they engage in sensory play. This activity stimulates their senses, enhances fine motor skills, and encourages imaginative play as they create their own harvest scenarios.
Fall Leaf Rubbing:
Encourage preschoolers to explore the textures and shapes of leaves by engaging in leaf rubbing. Collect a variety of leaves in different sizes and shapes. Place a leaf under a sheet of paper and provide crayons or colored pencils. Show the children how to gently rub the crayon or pencil over the paper, allowing the leaf’s texture and outline to appear. Encourage them to experiment with different colors and overlapping leaves to create unique designs. This activity promotes fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and appreciation for nature’s intricate patterns.
Autumn Music and Movement:
Create a lively and engaging atmosphere by incorporating autumn-themed music and movement activities. Play songs inspired by the fall season, such as “The Leaves Are Falling Down” or “Five Little Pumpkins,” and encourage the children to move and dance to the music. Provide scarves or ribbons for them to wave and twirl, imitating the falling leaves. Incorporate actions and movements that mimic animals preparing for winter, like squirrels gathering acorns or birds flying south. This activity promotes gross motor skills, rhythm, and self-expression in a fun and energetic way.
Thanksgiving Storytelling:
Invite preschoolers to explore the meaning and traditions of Thanksgiving through storytelling. Choose age-appropriate books or create your own storytelling session centered around gratitude, friendship, and the history of Thanksgiving. Encourage the children to participate by asking questions, sharing their own thoughts, and even acting out parts of the story. This activity fosters language development, listening skills, and an understanding of cultural celebrations.
Fall Harvest Sensory Bin:
Create a sensory bin filled with various fall harvests items like dried corn, wheat, beans, and small gourds. Add different tools and containers, such as scoops, funnels, and measuring cups, to enhance the sensory experience. Encourage the children to explore the textures, colors, and sounds while engaging in imaginative play. They can pretend to harvest crops, create their own farms, or even set up a mini-market. This activity promotes fine motor skills, creativity, and cognitive development.
Nature-inspired Leaf Stamping:
Combine nature and art by incorporating leaf stamping into your preschool activities. Collect a variety of leaves and attach them to cardboard or small wooden blocks using tape. Provide washable paint and large sheets of paper. Demonstrate how to dip the leaves into the paint and press them onto the paper to create leaf prints. Encourage children to experiment with different leaf shapes, colors, and arrangements to create beautiful artwork inspired by the autumn season.
Harvest Vegetable Soup Cooking:
Engage preschoolers in a hands-on cooking activity by preparing a harvest of vegetable soup together. Choose a variety of seasonal vegetables like carrots, potatoes, squash, and corn. Encourage children to help wash, peel (under supervision), and chop the vegetables into small pieces. Let them experience the smells, colors, and textures of the ingredients as they contribute to the soup-making process. As the soup simmers, discuss the importance of nutritious food and how different vegetables grow during the fall season. This activity promotes teamwork, fine motor skills, and an understanding of healthy eating habits.
Thankful Collage:
Continue fostering gratitude and appreciation with a thankful collage activity. Provide a large piece of poster board or cardboard, along with magazines, catalogs, and old photographs. Encourage preschoolers to search for pictures or words that represent things they are grateful for. They can cut out and glue these items onto the collage, creating a visual representation of their gratitude. This activity promotes fine motor skills, creativity, and reflection on the positive aspects of their lives.
Pinecone Bird Feeders:
Combine nature exploration and a love for wildlife by making pinecone bird feeders. Collect pinecones and tie a string or pipe cleaner around the top for hanging. Spread peanut butter or vegetable shortening over the pinecones, and then roll them in birdseed. Hang the bird feeders outside and observe the different types of birds that come to enjoy the treat. This activity encourages children to connect with nature, promotes fine motor skills, and instills a sense of empathy for animals.
Fall-themed Sensory Bottles:
Create captivating sensory bottles inspired by the colors and elements of autumn. Fill clear plastic bottles with a variety of materials such as colored water, leaves, acorns, small pinecones, and glitter. Securely seal the bottles and let the children explore them, observing the movement and interaction of the different materials. This activity provides a calming sensory experience, encourages visual tracking, and stimulates curiosity.
Leaf Pile Jumping:
Preschoolers love the simple joy of jumping into a pile of leaves! Rake up a pile of leaves in a safe and open area and invite the children to jump and play in them. Encourage them to feel the leaves, toss them in the air, and experience the crunch and rustle beneath their feet. This activity promotes gross motor skills, sensory exploration, and outdoor play.
Harvest-themed Puppet Show:
Encourage imaginative play and storytelling with a harvest-themed puppet show. Provide a variety of fall-themed props and puppets, such as farm animals, scarecrows, and fruits and vegetables. Help the children create a simple storyline and set up a puppet theater using a table or cardboard box. Let them take turns performing the puppet show, narrating the story, and engaging in pretend play. This activity fosters creativity, language development, and social skills.
Scarecrow Craft:
Engage preschoolers in a fun and creative scarecrow craft activity. Provide paper plates, construction paper, glue, and art supplies. Assist the children in cutting out a hat, eyes, nose, and mouth shape from the construction paper. Let them decorate the paper plates with straw-like materials such as yarn, tissue paper, or shredded paper, representing the scarecrow’s hair. Encourage them to use their imagination to create unique scarecrow designs. This activity promotes fine motor skills, and creativity, and encourages discussion about fall harvest and scarecrow roles in farming.
