September is a perfect time for fall activities for kids, cooler weather, Johnny Appleseed, and all kinds of other autumn-themed ideas! These awesome fall activities tailor a fun theme to include back to school, the season of autumn, and the entire family.
Check out this list of 30 fun fall activities for the month of September!
1. Apple Alphabet Match
The fall theme of apples can include a wide variety of fun ideas and hands-on learning activities. This apple alphabet match game is a great interactive activity that will provide students the chance to match uppercase and lowercase letters. Students could also practice letter sounds.
Learn more: Playdough to Plato
2. Fall Writing Tray
Fall sand or salt writing trays are perfect for fine motor skills. As students practice writing letters, they will enjoy this literacy activity, while also experiencing an educational activity. Activity ideas like this one are perfect for independent center time.
Learn more: Pocket of Preschool
3. Fall Word Puzzles
These compound word matches are great for practicing literacy skills. Students can practice fine motor skills and phonological awareness. This is a great invitation for kids to practice in center time or as seatwork.
Learn more: Pocket of Preschool
4. Bitten Apple Craft
Apple crafts make great preschool activities. These apple paper plate activities are great for back to school and can give students the chance to paint and work on motor skills.
Learn more: Kids' Craftroom
5. STEAM Apple Challenge
This STEAM apple challenge is a great way to get little minds thinking and being creative with the way to balance. Let them have a variety of materials and let them explore how to use them. You could also do this with small pumpkins.
Learn more: Days with Grey
6. Tissue Paper Pumpkin Art
This tissue paper pumpkin art is a fun way to let students work together. Hand them a paintbrush and let them add the tissue paper to decorate the giant pumpkin and work with others to create a pretty piece of artwork!
Learn more: Days with Grey
7. Pumpkin Pie Scented Cloud Dough
Cloud dough is always a lot of fun for students to use during sensory play! This particular recipe allows for it to be pumpkin pie scented. This would be ideal to use during a pumpkin unit or life cycle unit. You could include pumpkins and apples.
Learn more: The Chaos and the Clutter
8. Fall Lacing Wreath
This fall lacing wreath is a fun activity that will result in a pretty decoration to display. You could do this in a variety of ways, including using ribbons or even small branches or twigs. Use ribbon or string to hang them on a door or decorate your wall.
Learn more: Happily Ever Mom
9. Leaf Monster Craft
Have tons of fun creating these silly little leaf monsters. Little ones can paint the leaves and decorate them however they like! They can add wiggly eyes and have fun displaying their creations!
Learn more: Messy Little Monster
10. Life-Sized Scarecrow Painting
Your preschooler will love making their own life-size scarecrow craft! You can trace them so their scarecrow is the same size, and then allow them to decorate it however they want. They can paint and add leaves or patches to their artwork.
Learn more: Keep Toddler Busy
11. DIY Pinatas
A great way to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month is by creating some culture in your classroom! These tiny do-it-yourself pinatas are a hit! All you need is a toilet paper roll, tissue paper, glue, scissors, and candy of course!
Learn more: The Farm Girl Gabs
12. Pinecone Apple Craft
This precious pinecone craft is perfect for an apple unit or during learning about Johnny Appleseed. Students will enjoy painting the pinecones red and adding green paper or felt leaves to the top.
Learn more: Non Toy Gifts
13. Clay Dough Glitter Leaf Ornaments
This simple clay dough activity is fun and produces some beautiful little pieces of art. This is also a great sensory experience as students make the ornaments, decorate, and then display the ornaments. Creative activities like this are a great way to get students interested in other fall-themed activities.
Learn more: Happy Hooligans
14. Hand Print Tree
The handprint tree is a cute little craft that will represent fall colors. Show students how to trace their hands and cut them out on the construction paper. Use a paper towel roll to support the tree and help it keep its shape.
Learn more: The Best Ideas for Kids
15. Leaf Suncatcher
Leaf suncatchers are a bright and colorful way to decorate and a fun activity to keep students busy. This is a great way to allow practice with glue and will result in a pretty addition to your classroom window!
Learn more: The Best Ideas for Kids
16. Dot Day Tree
Kids creating. #MakeYourMark #DotDay @WestbrookD34 pic.twitter.com/J8pitl237E
— Esther Storrie (@techlibrarianil) August 31, 2014
Explore colors and patterns as little ones create their own dots for International Dot Day! Activities for toddlers and preschoolers, like this one that encourages uniqueness, are a great way to also build community within your classroom.
Learn more: Esther Storrie
17. Apple Life Cycle Activity
Apple theme activities are a great addition to the fall theme and any September lesson plans. Johnny Appleseed is a great way to tie the apple theme to all areas of learning, like literacy or science with this apple life cycle sequencing activity.
Learn more: Look! We're Learning!
18. Paper Plate Apple Lacing Craft
This paper plate lacing craft is a fun way to create a cute little craft and allow fine motor skills. Attach the cute little worm to the end of the string and let him guide his way through the apple. This would be a fun craft to pair with The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.
Learn more: Kids' Craftroom
19. Apple Themed Tens Frames
Preschool math activities like this apple ten frames practice are a great way to bring the fall theme into your classroom. This learning activity is great for centers or independent practice. Use q-tips and dabs paint onto the tens frames to match the number card.
Learn more: The STEM Laboratory
20. Autumn Tree Painting with Cotton Balls
This painting activity is fun and makes beautiful masterpieces. Fine motor skills and art skills can be practiced with this activity. Using different colors will show the changing leaves and colors you see in autumn.
Learn more: Projects with Kids
21. Autumn Leaves Absorption Art
This STEAM activity is fun and easy to use to create absorption art. This is a great way to mix science and art together to make a fun-filled activity for preschoolers. This will help students learn about how leaves and trees grow.
Learn more: A Little Pinch of Perfect
22. Stuffed Paper Apple Lacing Craft
If you need a fun and cute project to help with fine motor skills, this apple lacing craft is ideal! Use recycled brown grocery bags and hole punch the edges and begin lacing. After lacing, you can stuff the apple with newspaper. Let students paint the outside as well. This activity could also be prepped for students to make it an easier craft.
Learn more: Buggy and Buddy
23. Fall Leave Pom Pom Art
This activity is a great way for kids to create beautiful works of art. Let preschoolers find leaves to use from outside and use them to do stencil-type art with pom-poms and paint. This is a great time to talk about how leaves change colors.
Learn more: Kids Activity Zone
24. Muddy Pumpkin Patch Sensory Play
This muddy pumpkin patch sensory play is a great way to let little ones get their hands dirty and play in a fun mixture that allows sensory play. Let them practice planting their own tiny pumpkins in their tray.
Learn more: Nerdy Mamma
25. Pumpkin Slime
Now, this activity is a great way to really get kids excited! Use a real pumpkin to create homemade slime. Kids will enjoy feeling the pumpkin guts and seeds in their hands as they make this slime and then later play with it.
Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands
26. Apple Stickers
This apple activity is a great way to incorporate fine motor skills into your day! It is a simple activity to keep little hands busy and happy as they apply the same color stickers to the apples you provided.
Learn more: Busy Toddler
27. Five Little Pumpkins STEM Challenge
STEM activities are always fun for little learners. Let their imaginations run free while they try to use strategy to determine how to balance the mini pumpkins.
Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands
28. Fall Leaf Art
This simple craft is tons of fun for preschoolers. Let them gather their own leaves and add them to the tree. They will practice using glue as well. This leaf activity idea is great for hands-on and fine motor practice.
Learn more: Busy Toddler
29. Bird Feeders
Help little learners celebrate National Pet Bird Day in September. Make these cute little bird feeders for your own pet birds or to hang outside for the wild birds in your yard or neighborhood.
Learn more: We Know Stuff
30. Fall Fingerprint Tree
Create a beautiful work of art with this fall fingerprint tree. Students will choose to paint in autumn colors and use their fingerprints to create the fall leaves. They can use their forearms and hands to create the trunk and branches. This adorable craft is a great burst of color! This is a great addition to International Dot Day!
Learn more: Artsy Craftsy Kids
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