What's in the Box: Orchard Harvest

October’s box is here! Orchard Harvest is such a great theme for fall / October. It covers fruit, trees, orchard animals and experiencing the textures of fruit skins and shells. Here are some orchard fall preschool activities we’ve done in the past. Try this hands-on science activity that’s perfect for fall as you clean out the garden: Pounding Colors. Be sure to explore seeds in preschool this fall too. This is What’s in the Box: Orchard Harvest.

About Orchard Harvest

This month, science comes to life as your child discovers the wonder of orchards. He will get to know the parts of a tree and investigate the fruit and seeds that grow from them. Next, he will identify the animals that call an orchard home. He will sneak like a raccoon and polka with a porcupine. Get ready for an exciting month of peeling bananas, mashing avocados, painting with a pokey chestnut and cracking a bumpy walnut!

What’s in the Box: Orchard Harvest

Orchard Harvest Mother Goose Time fall preschool curriculum kit

Four Weekly Themes

The Orchard Harvest theme consists of these four weekly themes: Tree Life Cycle, Fruit Trees, Animals in the Orchard and Skins and Shells. I love how complete Mother Goose Time is! The weekly themes cover all the aspects of the orchard and makes it interesting for kids.

Mother Goose Time fall preschool curriculum theme Orchard Harvest - Tree Life Cycle, Fruit Trees, Animals in the Orchard and Skins & Shells

October’s Calendar, Family Newsletter and My Creative Mind sheets

Letter Builders Loose Parts / Letter Cards – my group is responding well to the loose parts letter builders.

Letter Builders Mother Goose Time curriculum letters E, L and I

Seeds

Roots

Trunks and Bear Waits book, shape manipulative and Square Song card. The shape songs and display cards are an excellent addition this year!

Lesson 3 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Tree Trunks, Square Song, numbers 3 & 4, and tree ring creative art for preschoolers

Branches – how do you like the letter booklets? We love them!

Lesson 4 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Branches and Letter Ee booklets

Leaves – also incorporating nature and loose parts. Love it!

Lesson 5 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Leaves

Apples & new Forest Friend “Bear” along with the patience character trait. The manipulative mats are beautiful! And another great book.

Lesson 6 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Apples Johnny Appleseed and Forest Friends Character Development Patience bear concept for preschoolers

Cherries – I love the big crayon colors!

Lesson 7 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Cherries Cherry Tree collage with popcorn learning about color red

Lemons – it looks like sign language cards are back!

Lesson 8 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Lemons Letter Ll books, I Can Read books ig letters and sign language cards

Oranges

Did you notice this card with directions for mixing the color orange? I like it! Easy for kids to follow.

Making orange process art color mixing directions

Plums – I’m a big fan of the nursery rhyme posters. I like to pull these posters and hang them up for the first day of the theme so we can enjoy it all month long. Adorable puzzle too!

Lesson 10 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Plums Little Jack Horner nursery rhyme poster

Porcupines

Birds – Love the magnet sets that coordinate with the book and puzzle and encourage literacy skills.

Lesson 12 Mother Goose Time Preschool Curriculum Orchard Harvest fall theme Birds and Bird nest creative art

Bugs

Raccoons

Squirrels

Walnuts

Chestnuts – do you have chestnuts in your area? I don’t think we do, I’ve never seen them here. Interesting to learn about though. We’ve made the pears before and the kids love them.