Make Your Own Leaf Rubbings

Leaf rubbings are a classic activity for all ages, and they’re super easy to do with your preschoolers. All you need are some leaves, crayons and a piece of paper. Collect some colorful leaves from outside and press them between two pieces of paper. To make the rubbing, have your preschooler place a piece of paper over the leaf and then color over it with a crayon. The crayon will stick to the paper and create the shape of the leaf. You can also discuss the shapes and colors of the leaves with your preschooler.

Create a Nature Collage

Head to your backyard or a nearby park to collect items like leaves, rocks, pinecones, bark, feathers and anything else you can find. Once you have your collection of items, have your preschoolers create a nature collage. You can use a large piece of paper or poster board, or even a piece of cardboard. Have your preschooler arrange their items on the paper and then glue them down. You can add a background color or texture to the paper to make the collage more interesting.

Make an Edible Turkey

This is a fun and tasty activity that your preschoolers will love. You can use a variety of fruits and vegetables to make the turkey. Start with a bell pepper for the turkey’s body and head, two cucumber slices for wings, a tomato slice for the tail and two black olives for the eyes. Cut out different shapes for the feet, beak and wattle. You can also cut out different shapes from cheese slices to make the feathers. Use toothpicks to attach the pieces together and create your edible turkey.

Start a Garden

Gardening is a great way to encourage your preschoolers to explore science concepts like cause and effect, life cycles, and the environment. Start a vegetable or herb garden with your preschooler. You can buy small plants or seeds and have your preschooler help you plant them in a pot or in the ground. Have them water the plants, pull weeds, and watch the plants grow. Talk to your preschooler about the different parts of the plant, like the stem, leaves and roots.

Paint with Pumpkins

This activity is a fun way to bring science and art together. Have your preschooler paint pumpkins with a mixture of paint, water, and dish soap. The soap helps the paint to stick to the pumpkin. Try different colors and let your preschooler explore the different textures and patterns they can create. Talk to your preschooler about the different colors they’re using and how they’re blending together.

Make a Wind Sock

This activity is a great way to explore wind and weather with your preschooler. Start with a paper plate and cut it into a circle. Then, have your preschooler decorate the plate with markers, paint, glitter or anything else they’d like to use. Once the plate is decorated, use a hole punch to make four to six holes along the edges of the plate. Tie a piece of yarn to each hole and then tie the ends of the yarn together. Hang your wind sock outside and talk to your preschooler about how the wind affects the movements of the yarn.

Create a Thanksgiving Nature Walk

This activity is a great way to explore nature with your preschooler. Take a walk outside and have your preschooler collect different items like leaves, rocks, sticks and anything else they find interesting. Talk to your preschooler about the shapes, colors, and textures of the items they’ve gathered. You can also discuss the different types of plants and animals they see on the walk.

Make a Bird Feeder

This activity is perfect for preschoolers who are interested in birds. Start by collecting a few pinecones and some string. Have your preschooler spread peanut butter over the pinecone and then roll it in birdseed. Tie a piece of string to the top of the pinecone and hang it outside. Discuss with your preschooler how birds feed and how the bird feeder works.

Create a Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt

This activity is a great way to encourage your preschooler to explore their environment. Create a list of items for your preschooler to find, like a leaf, a rock, a feather, and a pinecone. Have them look for the items outside and mark off the list as they find each one. Talk to your preschooler about the different items they’re finding and the colors, shapes, and textures they’re observing.

Make a Thanksgiving Tree

This activity is a great way to explore nature and the environment with your preschooler. Start by collecting a few small branches and have your preschooler paint them with different colors. Once the branches are dry, have them glue the branches onto a large piece of paper in the shape of a tree. Have your preschooler create leaves, flowers, and other decorations to hang from the branches. Talk to your preschooler about the different colors and shapes they’ve used to create their tree.