No Time For Flash Cards

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Fall Sensory Bin with Apples & Acorns!

fall sensory table for kids This fall sensory bin is a great way to welcome the best parts of the coming season, by scooping, pouring and pinching up beans, apples and acorns.  I usually keep a sensory bin theme for a month or two pulling it out every few days and letting my son explore.  Now that he is a little older my son prefers to use the tongs to pick things up . Using a small dish to hold the material he pinches up is a great way to encourage counting and sorting with a sensory tub.Don’t miss our books about apples

  1. Gather your materials. You will need some beans ( we are using pinto and navy), acorns ( real or artificial), some fake apples, scoops and tongs. I use the same container for my sensory tubs usually , and keep the materials in ziplocs while not in use.  I got the acorns and the apples in the potpourri section of a home decorating store. 
  2. Start by pouring the beans into the container.
  3. Add the apples .
  4. Add the acorns.
  5. Add your tools and invite your child to play!apples and acrons sensory play edit
  6. Pinch and count! apples and acorns play edit4

Books About Apples

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Apples by Jacqueline Farmer is not a book to snuggle up and read before bed or really anytime with a toddler but wow it”™s a wonderful resource. I didn”™t know how much I didn”™t know about apples until I read this book. It”™s packed full of detail about how they are grown, where they came from originally, varieties and more! I urge teachers and homeschooling parents to check this out if you are doing any study about fruit, or apples.

iknowitsautum

I Know It’s Autumn by Eileen Spinelli  is  age appropriate for young preschoolers and  toddlers. The book is a simple look at all the things that tell a small child that Autumn is here. Pumpkin muffins, apple picking, cooler weather,  hayrides and more all signal that the summer is gone and the fall has arrived. I like this book because there will be something a child will relate to and be able to identify with. I also love that the family is biracial and there is no mention of it at all. It”™s nice to see and I wish more books were so non challant about representing all kinds of families.

 


Apple Farmer Annie by  Monica Wellington is another  favorite in our house. My son loves this author and I like how simple but informative this book is. Your little reader will learn about the basics of what happens at an apple orchard , but you can take it further if you want. On many of the pages there are chances to learn more, like the page about sorting and classifying, where there are apples ready to count 1-10, and sorted by colors. I love the last page that says that Annie is so happy to have her own apple farm. I loved that message and think it”™s a lot more powerful than some may think, women on farms in most books are “farmer”™s wives” and I love that there is no one but Annie doing her own thing.

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17 Comments

  1. Alison says

    Sat in the sunshine in the garden I can’t help but feel you’re waaaaay to early with this one! We need more pooltime yet 🙂
    I like the idea of using beans, dried corn would be good too!
    .-= Alison´s last blog ..New shoe makeover =-.

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  2. Allie says

    I know – it is early but some kids head back to school this Monday ! Can you believe it ? Either way no worries we have some more summer crafts lurking in the shaddows 🙂

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  4. Tanya M. says

    Hi Allie! Love it. We have those same tongs, plus a purple one with a monkey on top! I call them “cheater chopsticks”. 😉 We got ours at that awesome toy store in Seaside, OR. I think I also saw them (or something similar) on Amazon ages ago.

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  7. Cara says

    I love this Apple bin for autumn, and I’m already planning to make this one in September (not exactly autumn here in Texas, but that’s when my son starts preschool, and apples tie in nicely with that too). It’s particularly perfect for us because our last name is Apple! 🙂
    .-= Cara´s last blog ..Green Beans with Pine Nuts =-.

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  8. Tanya M. says

    Hi Allie! It’s in the carousel mall on the main drag.
    http://www.insiderpages.com/b/3720136213/under-the-big-top-toy-shop-seaside
    They have some neat educational toys there. We also got my daughter a wonderful magnet wand there. I freak out when it comes to magnets, but this one is safe for the kids to play with.

    If you have your little guy with you, I highly recommend the carousel and also, there’s a little train and bumper cars on the main drag. My older daughter is also a Nov 06 baby and just LOVED it. Baby #2 (14 mos old) loved the little aquarium there (off the boardwalk)! Feel free to email me if you want any more info or suggestions, etc. We usually stay in Manzanita, but now that we are taking the little ones, we like hanging out in Seaside.

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  9. Angell says

    Question…What ages do you think these sensory tubs go up to? My son is 5…would this benefit him some how?

    I’m sure he’ll turn it into a train activity some how…he always does lol. I’ve put just plain beans in a tub and that’s what he did with them. I really like the themes you go with.

    Now I have to keep special attention since we have a baby running around now lol.
    .-= Angell´s last blog ..Finally finished the Gospels – Way of the Master – Bible Recommendation =-.

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  10. admin says

    Angell – I would say lots of 5 year olds are still into it. You may want to add a theme he likes like trains, with some fun train scoopers or something. My PreK class loves it ( 4-5 yrs) . Another variation would be to hide things in the beans and have him find them.

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  11. Angell says

    Thanks!! I appreciate you taking the time to always answer my questions. You have a great blog/website going on here. I’ve been following you for a few years now. I plan on using your blog as the majority of my crafts for homeschooling. We are FINALLY starting this fall. I felt like I have been planning this forever and now it’s here. I can’t wait!! I’m already planning on some of the autumn, halloween, thanksgiving and christmas stuff to do with him. Can’t wait until the one year old gets a bit older…then I will start your blog “over” and do the younger ones with him. Take Care and God Bless you, your family, this blog and all your readers!

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