Autumn Memory Game

Autumn Memory Game

Before I inundate you with holiday crafts for all the wonderful holidays in December I didn’t want to ignore Thanksgiving or skip right over the end of Autumn.  So today we made an easy fall themed memory game that is easy to make, easy to play and best of all, easy to adapt to different ages. When kids make their own games it creates such pride. My son was so excited to tell his dad he played match and made the autumn memory game too!

Autumn Memory Game

1. Gather your materials. You will need some card stock ( I used 2 plain note cards) , some crayons or markers ( they will want to play right away so paint slows you down), scissors, a pen or fine tip marker and cookie cutters or stencils.
2. Start by tracing your squirrel and acorn.
3. Have your child color each pair one color. I told my son to cover all the white, he did pretty well. With really little guys give them a tick crayon or marker, or unwrap the crayon so they can use it’s side for easier coverage.
4. Keep going… and going!
5. Cut the shapes out. Can you tell how stormy it was today my usually light filled kitchen was a dungeon all day!
6. Play– we played match. We put all the pieces down so that you couldn’t see their color. Then, we flipped them over one at a time, taking turns to make a match.  It didn’t take long but we played a few rounds. This autumn memory game is a versatile project. With a younger child, I would have all the squirrels laid out and put the nuts in a bag and have the child draw the nut out and find the color match. With older children, I would make more sets and include a letter or number that would also have to be matched to challenge them. Told you it’s easy to adapt.  In a classroom, I would have each child color one pair to make this a group project!

Books

Dot & Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery by Ellen Stoll Walsh is a perfect fit for this activity!  The little mouse detectives Dot and Jabber are trying to figure out how a tiny oak tree has sprouted so far from the big one across the meadow. I love how this book excites my son about learning. He wants to figure out this mystery right alongside the two little detectives. Isn’t that what science really is? A mystery to be solved? The mice do solve the mystery and a squirrel is involved but you will have to read the book for all the clues and details. I highly recommend this book , it’s engaging, visually beautiful and teaches about the life cycle of an oak tree effortlessly.

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Melanie Watt is so funny. I love books like this that have absurd humor thrown in. Before you even read the story on the inside flap you will notice a blurb that ends with “This story is not suitable for pirates” it just makes me giggle! The story follows the most anxious squirrel you’ll ever encounter as he tries to make his own beach, only to end up at a busy one! What I love about this book are the details. The small asides will have you laughing and the main story will keep even young ones totally entertained. My son loved it especially the part about the pool being the ocean and the flashlight being the sun. Even at two, he was trying to tell the squirrel how wrong that was. Super fun and a great message about overcoming fears as well.

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt is hilarious! I laughed out loud from start to finish. My son who is 18 months old didn’t get the humor at all but laughed at me laughing! Older preschoolers will get most of the humor though and like my son, will love the pictures! Here is my favorite line: in very small print on the inside cover it reads, “Caution: this story not suitable for walruses”. Oh, how I laughed! The dry humor aside, the book follows an anxious squirrel looking for a friend, but one that is safe and won’t bite! Of course, the message is about taking risks and kids will get it! I love this book!