Autumn is here and leaves are falling all around us. While your children are jumping in the leaf piles and throwing them by armfuls in they air, can they tell that there is a difference between them? Do they take the time to observe the color, shape, size, and other identifying characteristics of each one?
After reading a book by Steve Metzger, entitled We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt, my kids were excited to learn about all the different kinds of leaves there are.
Because we live in a newer neighborhood and there are not many trees yet, we had to improvise and make our own.
You can see how we made several leaf species using different mediums and techniques over on my blog, click here for the full set of instructions.
The first thing we did after gathering (making) our leaves was to have Mom hide them around the house. The kids took their detective-style magnifying glasses and scoured the house for specific types of leaves.
What made them different from the other leaves they found? How many edges, corners, or “lobes” did they have? What color were they? Could they find anything else in the house that was the same color? Could they find anything around them that was the same size?
Using this printable as a starting point, we discussed the differences between all the leaves they had found and the types of trees on which they grow.
To use the printable, read each clue and see if your child can correctly identify the leaf. Have him draw a line between the clue and the appropriate leaf. Encourage him to color in each one with his favorite fall colors.
Here are the answers to the printable (don’t worry, I needed to look them up, too!): Q1 – Maple Leaf (#2); Q2 – Aspen Leaf (#1); Q3 – Birch Leaf (#4); Q4 – Oak Leaf (#3).
I suppose after learning so much about leaves we may have to plant a few trees in the coming year. Then we will finally have piles of leaves for my kids to jump in…and they will appreciate each one.
What fall activities are you doing with your kids – fun, educational, or otherwise? Let us know in the comments!
Katie Heap is the author of Live Craft Eat–a place where she writes about her 3 loves: raising her family, her crafting endeavors, and learning to cook. You can subscribe to her blog or follow Live Craft Eat on Pinterest and Facebook.