The leaves are falling down! Red, yellow, green and brown, the leaves are falling down. The autumn leaves changing colors brings a unique opportunity for scientific observation. Go on a leaf hunt and see how many different kinds and colors you can find! This fall leaf discovery activity combines nature and science with writing and literacy. Preschoolers can explore the special leaf they found and write observations on the Leaf Discovery Activity Page. Color, count, draw, measure, and describe. In this blog post, find a leaf discovery activity page that encourages children to make observations, document their findings, and engage in critical thinking as well as develop fine motor skills.
Leaf Discovery Activity Page
This activity page is designed to accompany the observation of an autumn leaf in your early childhood classroom. It’s a multi-faceted, interactive experience that encourages children to use their senses, develop fine motor skills, and make scientific observations.
🍁READ: Outdoor Art: Autumn Leaf Collage
Materials You’ll Need:
- Real leaves, one for each child, ideally
- Crayons
- Connecting cube blocks
- Leaf Discovery Activity Page
Activity Steps:
- Observation and Exploration: Begin by going on a leaf hunt. Look for different shapes and colors of leaves. Put them in a basket or ask each child to hold onto their special leaf. If you don’t have leafy trees nearby, Give each child a leaf. Allow the children to touch, smell, and observe them. Encourage them to describe how they feel, smell, and look.
- Coloring Fun: Provide coloring materials and ask the children to color the leaf on their activity page. Let their creativity flow as they choose the colors. You may want to limit the color choices you put out so they match the leaf colors.
- Measuring with Cubes: Use connecting cube blocks to measure the height of their leaf. This introduces a basic concept of measurement. Children can record the number of cubes used on their activity page.
- Observing a Leaf: Talk about the shape of the leaf. Is the leaf more rounded or pointed? Is it more than one color? Encourage the children to draw what they see. This can be a fun, artistic activity that allows creativity.
- Observing a Leaf: Talk about the shape of the leaf. Is it pointy or rounded at the tips? Is it more than one color? Encourage the children to draw what they see. This can be a fun, artistic activity that allows creativity.
- Size Determination: Lastly, ask the children to decide if the leaf is small, medium, or large. This activity encourages them to make size comparisons and classifications. They may just want to color all the leaves, and that’s fine too. Circle the size choice.
Download the Leaf Discovery Activity Page
Combine sensory exploration and nature with literacy and writing.