Fall is a magical time for young children, with colorful leaves, crisp air, and plenty of opportunities to engage their senses and spark their creativity.

As the seasons change, it’s the perfect moment to explore the outdoors and bring those experiences indoors for some fun, fall-themed activities with your preschooler. Here’s a list of simple, creative ideas to enjoy with your little ones, many of which are inspired by the hands-on learning philosophy we embrace at Park Shore Country Day School. 

Leaf Art 

Fall is famous for its vibrant leaves in shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown. Turn a walk through your neighborhood or local park into an art project by collecting leaves in various sizes and colors. 

Activity Idea: 

Use the leaves to create leaf rubbings. Place the leaves under a sheet of paper and have your child gently rub over them with crayons, watching as the leaf shapes appear. Or, let them glue leaves onto construction paper to make collages, adding googly eyes to create leaf animals. 

Educational Connection: 

At Park Shore, we love integrating natural elements into our arts and crafts activities. Leaf art encourages fine motor skills, creativity, and an understanding of nature, just like the hands-on projects we do in class. 

Nature Walks and Scavenger Hunts 

A simple walk outside can turn into an exciting adventure for your preschooler. Create a nature scavenger hunt with a checklist of fall items for your child to find: acorns, pinecones, colorful leaves, or smooth stones. 

Activity Idea: 

Give your child a small bag or basket to collect their treasures during the walk. When you return home, you can sort and count the items together or use them for future crafts like painting rocks or decorating a fall wreath. 

Educational Connection: 

Nature walks foster curiosity and observation, key skills in early childhood education. At Park Shore, we often explore the outdoors to promote sensory learning and a connection to the natural world. 

Pumpkin Decorating 

Pumpkin season is in full swing! While traditional pumpkin carving may be tricky for little hands, decorating pumpkins is a safe and fun alternative. 

Activity Idea: 

Provide paints, markers, stickers, or even felt shapes for your child to create their own pumpkin designs. For an extra sensory experience, you can even make pumpkin slime using the pumpkin guts—scoop them out, add cornstarch and a bit of water, and let your child explore the texture. 

Educational Connection: 

Creative play is at the heart of our preschool curriculum at Park Shore. Activities like pumpkin decorating help preschoolers express themselves while strengthening fine motor skills. Plus, it’s a great way to introduce them to sensory play, which we incorporate into many of our fall lessons. 

Apple Stamping 

Take advantage of fall’s apple harvest with this simple and colorful craft. It’s an easy activity that turns snack time into an art project. 

Activity Idea: 

Cut an apple in half, dip the cut side into washable paint, and let your child stamp the apple onto paper to create fun prints. Encourage them to mix colors and experiment with shapes, or decorate the apple prints to look like jack-o’-lanterns or fall characters. 

Educational Connection: 

At Park Shore, we encourage experimentation and self-expression through art. Apple stamping allows children to explore color mixing, shapes, and patterns—all important for early cognitive development. 

Sensory Bins 

A fall-themed sensory bin is a fantastic way to engage your child’s sense of touch while providing endless hours of imaginative play. Fill a container with seasonal items like dry corn kernels, mini pumpkins, pinecones, and acorns. 

Activity Idea: 

Add scoops, spoons, and small containers so your child can sort, pour, and explore. For added fun, hide small plastic animals or toys in the bin for a fall-themed treasure hunt. 

Educational Connection: 

Sensory play helps children develop their fine motor skills and boosts creativity. It’s a core part of our preschool activities at Park Shore, where we use sensory bins to reinforce learning about textures, colors, and seasonal changes. 

Fall-Themed Storytime 

Cozy up with your preschooler and dive into fall-themed books that celebrate the season. Here are a few wonderful titles perfect for this time of year: 

• Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert 

• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson 

• We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger 

• The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger 

Activity Idea: 

After reading, encourage your child to retell the story using puppets or by creating their own illustrations. You can also head outside and collect items like leaves, acorns, or twigs to help reenact the story, bringing it to life in a hands-on way. 

Educational Connection: 

Storytime is a core part of the preschool experience at Park Shore. It helps children develop important language skills, sparks their imagination, and fosters a love of reading from an early age. Plus, pairing stories with creative activities strengthens comprehension and brings the magic of books to life. 

These simple, creative fall activities are not only fun but also encourage valuable learning experiences. At Park Shore Country Day School, we know that play is one of the most effective ways for young children to learn. Through art, sensory play, and exploration, your preschooler will develop important skills like creativity, problem-solving, and fine motor coordination—all while enjoying the magic of the fall season. So grab a basket, head outdoors, and let the fall adventures begin!