Age
⚙ 3 years and up
Time and Place
⚙Any time of day
⚙Any time of year when there are leaves on the ground
⚙Outdoors for collection; indoors or outdoors for sorting and patterning
Materials
⚙ One container per child to collect leaves (e.g., yogurt tub, shoebox, plastic bowl)
⚙Materials to capture groups and patterns (e.g., crayons, markers, glue, paper)
⚙Materials to construct a display (e.g., cereal/pizza box, clothes pins and string)
Safety
⚙ Supervise children at all times
⚙Dress children appropriately for the weather
Instructions
When children show an interest in leaves, encourage them to collect some fallen leaves. Ask children to use their leaves to make groups and patterns. Help the children capture their leaf groups and patterns using materials on hand. Problem-solve how to display their work.
Optional: Adults can discuss how the combination of temperature and length of day can affect deciduous trees.
Questions You May Ask
⚙How can you sort the leaves based on their [colour, size, shape]? ⚙What patterns can you make with your leaves?
⚙What materials can you use to capture your groupings and patterns?
⚙What can you use to construct a display of your work?
Related Children's Books
Play-based Context
Children were picking up colourful leaves while playing in the yard. Noticing their interest, the educator asked children to collect different kinds of fallen leaves for sorting and making patterns.
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⚙We're Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Mezger
⚙Look What I Did with a Leaf! by Morteza Sohi
