So we made our own leaf fun indoors.
Our tree is a real trunk with a top that is made from papier mache with green tissue leaves attached.
I supplied two baskets of fake silk leaves, rakes, shovels and dress up clothes.
The children began by emptying the leaves on the floor then raking them up. We talked about the leaves ‘falling’ from the tree
and that eventually led to the grown ups piling the leaves on top of the tree.
But how do the leaves ‘fall’ off the tree?
Sometimes the wind will blow them off.
This child is being the wind and blowing upwards. That didn’t work well.
The first impulse for almost every child was to use the rake to knock the leaves off. But for safety reasons we encouraged them to find another method.
Maybe shaking the tree would work. YES!
(Note: Sometimes I feel that the parents think I’m a little crazy with the ideas that happen here. Hence the dad's posture in the background.)
This activity met so many levels of interest in the multi-aged group that attends StrongStart.
- filling and emptying the basket
- piling and scooping
- watching the leaves fall
- cause and effect
- picking the leaves up one by one
Here are a couple of books that we read today to expand on our language.
