5 Fall Montessori Activities + FREE Printables

Activity 1 - Craft - Autumn Leaf Printing

Age: 3 years and up

Materials Needed:

• A variety of fallen autumn leaves

• Paint in a variety of colours

• Paintbrushes

• Small containers or trays for paint

• White cardstock or paper

• Aprons or smocks

Adult Preparation:

1. Plan a short walk where the children can collect fallen leaves.

2. Set up the workspace with the paint, paintbrushes, paper, and other materials.

Instructions:

1. Go for a neighbourhood walk and invite the children to collect fallen leaves. Encourage them to notice the different colours, shapes, sizes, and textures of the leaves they find.

2. Once back at school, examine the collected leaves together. Look at the veins, edges, colours, and shapes of the different leaves.  Add a magnifying glass to get a closer look!   

3. Select a leaf and demonstrate how to use a paintbrush to apply a thin layer of paint to the underside, where the veins are more pronounced.  

4. Place the painted leaf onto the paper and gently press over the surface.

5. Carefully lift the leaf to reveal the print.

6. Invite the children to select a leaf and create a print. 

Tip: Offer different leaves and colours and allow the child to experiment with making prints. Older children can overlap prints, create patterns, or arrange different leaf shapes into a larger composition.

Extension:

• Leaf Identification: Use our Leaf Nomenclature Cards to identify some of the leaves collected on the walk. Invite the children to compare the photographs on the cards with the real leaves and try to match each leaf to its corresponding card.
  
  

Activity 2 - Language Cards

Toddler Nomenclature Cards

Ages: 12 months and up

These picture cards introduce autumn vocabulary through clear photographs. They can be presented using a two-period lesson to help the child become familiar with new vocabulary and connect words with familiar autumn objects. 

Click here to download the Autumn Toddler Nomenclature Cards.

3-Part Nomenclature Cards

Ages: 2.5 years and up

These cards introduce autumn vocabulary through photographs using a three-period lesson, while supporting early literacy skills, visual discrimination, and beginning reading through matching and labelling activities.

Click here to download the Autumn 3-Part Nomenclature Cards.

Activity 3 - Clothespin Cards

Ages: 3 years and up

In a Montessori classroom, an activity like this would be done with clothespins, where the child clips the clothespin over the correct number symbol.

This is a great way to add fine motor development to the activity.

You can also use counters to cover each number or circle the correct number with a pencil or marker.

Click here to download the Autumn Clothespin Cards.

Activity 4 - Autumn Cutting Strips

Ages: 3 years and up

These strips offer cutting work with a variety of lines and directions to explore, featuring Canadian symbols.

Children can practice cutting along different lines to develop control and scissor skills.

Click here to download the Autumn Cutting Strips

Activity 5 - Fall Recipe - Apple Tasting 

Ages: 18 months and up

Purpose: To provide an opportunity for children to explore apples through hands-on preparation, observation, and tasting.

Materials:

• A variety of apples

• Small plates or bowls

• Cutting board and child-safe knife

• Peeler 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Apples: Invite the children to help wash the apples. Allow them to handle and examine the apples before cutting them.

2. Observe: Encourage the children to observe the apples closely. Notice the different colours, shapes, sizes and smells. Introduce vocabulary such as red, green, yellow, smooth, round, stem, and seeds.

3. Prepare for Tasting: With adult assistance, cut the apples into small pieces.  Peeling the apples is optional.

Tip:  The apples can be washed, peeled and cut ahead of time, if preferred. If preparing the apples without the children, provide an opportunity for them to observe and handle the whole apples first, before they are cut.

4. Taste: Invite the children to taste the different varieties of apples. Encourage them to notice differences in flavour, texture, sweetness, and juiciness.

5. Record Observations: Record the children's observations as they taste the different apples. For younger children, the teacher can record their words and responses. Older children can record their own observations.

6. Compare and Graph: Invite older children to compare the different varieties and create a simple graph showing their preferences. They can vote for their favourite apple and record the results.

More Fall Printables

Click here for more Fall Printables, including:

• Lifecycle of an Apple
• Leaf Scavenger Hunt
• Leaf Matching Activity
• Fall Dot Printables
• Fall Playdough Mats
• Seasonal Sorting Activity
• And more!