Apples are for Picking

September is Apple month, and I am so happy you are joining me. Whether this is your first time administering a tot school curriculum or you are a veteran this is for you. Each month I try to hit on basic goals. These goals are easily adjustable to cater to each child. For instance if the letter of the week is A but your toddler knows what the letter a looks like maybe its time to introduce the letter sound. 

Week	Reading	Math	Sensory bin	Fine/Gross  Motor skills	Art	Goals
1	10 apples up on top Name Activity	Apple Race	Sensory bag	Fine Motor seed search	A is for apple Hand print	What’s my name? Work on name activities for every age
2	Ameila Bedila First apple pie, Bake an apple pie	Apple counting puzzle	Apple pie Sensory bin	Apple twister	Stain Glass apple mobile	Count 1-10, recognize written numbers
3	Applesauce weather  Make apple sauce	Apple Sorting	Apple sauce play	Apple lacing	Apple stamping	Opposites big and small, more or less
4	Sneeze bear sneeze	Apple counting thumb print	Apple glitter slime	Indoor Apple picking	Apple core	5 senses

Week One

Week one will start with reading the book 10 apples on top. For the book activities you will need a picture of each family member and enough apples for each letter of each person's name. For example if I were to do my house, I have Jessie, Patrick, Alexander, Grace and McKenzie. I would need 31 apples. Depending on the age of your group you can cut colored apples, apples with  pre printed letters or blank apples for coloring. For preschool age children I recommend allowing children to cut their own apples. For children between the ages of 1-3 i recommend cutting the apples during prep but allow them to glue the apples above their photos. This Activity works on counting, fine motor skills, and name recognition

Apple Race is a colored spinner game to make a bar graph. To create the bar graph you can use crayons, pompoms or sticker dots. This activity works on counting  and fine motor skills.

 To create a sensory bag use a zip top.  

1. Clean any labels using rubbing alcohol

2. Draw a tree, and basket 

3. Fill with clear hairgel 

4. Add red yellow and green pom poms in different sizes

5. Seal zipper and tape around all four sides creating frame using duck tape in red or green

This sensory bag is obviously a sensory activity but can also aid in counting as well as color and size sorting and fine motor skills.

Seed search, Create an apple using a paper plate Glue stem and leaf to top and hole punch all around the outside. Lace yarn criss cross creating a cage for black (seed) pom poms . Have children under 2 use a pincer finger to remove and count seeds. Children 2-5 can use fine motor skill tweezers. This activity is a fine motor skill and counting activity. Additional activities , you can have the child paint the plate, glue the stem and leaf and even lace across the apple. Depending on interest and level of attentiveness.

A is for apple 

Crate a hand print apple on a 5x7 note card. Hand print in red yellow or green paint fingers pointing down, draw a leaf and stem on the palm side. This is the first letter in your hand print apple book. On the back, cut photos from  magazines of items that begin with the letter A. Hole punch in the top left corner and add book ring. Use a laminator if you want your book to last as a keepsake or memento.

Week Two

Book 

Amelia Bedelia's first apple pie

by Parish, Herman.

After reading the book. Plan on making apple pie..  Usee different kinds of apples to create a taste test. Pre-cut and measure ingredients for the tiniest chefs. Older chefs can learn about cutting (with a kid safe knife) and measuring. 

Apple seed counting. One of my favolrite Learning toys that has held up over several years is the apple seed c0unting puzzle. https://www.amazon.com/Skoolzy-Counting-Toddler-Games-Educational/dp/B07RD8N5X1/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2SAXE442MQRXV&keywords=learning%2Bresources%2Bapple&qid=1662034598&sprefix=learning%2Bresources%2Bapple%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-2-spons&th=1

If you do not have access to this toy and do not want to invest in one a printable puzzle is available. 

Apple pie sensory bin 

To create your own bin take a plastic tote in a size of your choice. I prefer a bin slightly larger than a piece of paper and 6 inches deep. Fill your box about half way with rolled oats, enough cinnamon to make the box fragrant, and pom poms in green, red and yellow. Several mini pie pans and a pie crust cut out of tan felt. Sensory toys such as tweezers, spoons and funnels add a level of fun. 

On a sunny afternoon Create an outdoor twister game by drawing apples in red green and yellow. To save on supplies re use the spinner for the apple race game. 

Stain Glass mobile

Print out a line of apples in several sizes. Wet coffee filters and paint with watercolors. Color others with markers and spray with rubbing alcohol. Once dry glue in the apple shaped frames, string together and hang from the mobile

Week Three

Book AppleSauce weather. After reading the book, make fresh applesauce. 

Sort apple- I like to use  attribute apples by learning resources but you could use pom poms in different sizes and colors

Apple sauce sensory activity. Using a tray or baking sheet, place one cup of applesauce in front of the child and let them play. Ask them to describe what they feel. Is it hot or cold, soft or hard, wet or dry?  Older children may practice letter writing, using a dowel rod. For early writers place a printed and laminated letter on the tray prior to apple sauce.

Apple Lacing- lace around paper plate apple 

Roll out paper in to a banner draw 3 apple trees have children stamp apples on each tree

Week Four

Book: Sneeze bear Sneeze creat bearpaw shaped cookies

Counting apples, print 1-10 grid and place thumb prints in each square

Glitter slime sensory play- Mix equal parts red glitter glue and laundry starch add apple essential oils 

Indor apple picking- using painters tape create a tree place apples along the branches (these can be real, toys or pictures) have children balance, skip , hop along the path before bending to pick up an apple and placing them in a basket. 

Apple core art- glue together 3 popsicle sticks. Cut the top and bottom of the apple out of paper or felt. Glue to each end of the sticks and draw seeds in the center.