A Month of Fall Wonder: Autumn Leaves, and Plenty of Play

As the seasons shifted and the backyard filled with fiery reds, golds, and soft browns, our little learners dove headfirst into a month bursting with adventure. Autumn has a way of slowing us down while also inviting children to explore with every sense and this year, our fall study was full of discovery, creativity, and pure joy.

Falling for Leaves

We began by gathering as many leaves as our hands could hold. Outside, the children compared shapes, sizes, and colors, noticing the differences between maple, oak, cottonwood…. Some proudly announced, “This one looks like fire!” while others held leaves up to the sky, fascinated by the tiny veins running through them. We found a ton of leaves with big black spots which quickly led to a lot of questions and discussion about how trees can get sick too. We discovered that our maple tree has maple tar spot, a fungal disease that is generally harmless to the tree's overall health, though it can affect fall colors. Needles to say, the bright red leaves we were expecting never came. Nonetheless the kids still enjoyed the bright colors and crunchy play that came along with the leaves, spots and all. One kid found a giant leaf and we all agreed there should be a book called “The biggest Leaf Ever” in The Biggest Ever series of books by Steven Kroll. Running, jumping, and rolling in giant piles of leaves remained the hands-down favorite.

We truly missed all of the acorns scattered around at my old house, and some kids that remembered them wondered what the squirrels and chipmunks will eat this winter!

Inside, we pressed leaves into warm wax to try preserving their colors. (Spoiler: the leaves had other plans. They did not stay bright, but the process was still a hit!) We used leaves for transfer painting, explored them on the light table, added some leaf stickers to clear Magnatiles, set up a a few invitations to play with fall leaves and our woodland creatures, made some fall leaf playdoh creations and brought basketfuls of leaves indoors for smelling, touching, tearing, and cutting. The textures alone opened endless opportunities for conversation and experimentation.

Little Moments of Curiosity

In early childhood, children often return to certain types of exploration over and over again, repeating actions, testing ideas, observing how things move, balance, or change. We noticed these patterns weaving naturally through play all month long:

• Children slowly poured leaf confetti from one bucket to another, watching how it drifted through the air.

• Others carefully arranged pinecones on mirror trays, rotating them, comparing reflections, or stacking them on our wooden ring tree.

• A few created long lines of leaves across the yard, clearly invested in seeing how far their “leaf road” could stretch.

These moments may look simple, but they show children building early foundations for science, math, problem-solving, and design, just through following their own curiosity.

Autumn Treasures on the Mirror Trays

Our mirror trays were a huge hit this month. Something magical happens when natural objects meet reflective surfaces. The children examined leaves and pinecones from every angle, discovering the “hidden details” you don’t always notice outdoors: symmetry, patterns, and textures up close.

Fall Sensory Tuff Tray

We set up a simple fall-themed tuff tray (or in our trusty boot tray!) loaded with autumn sensory materials: scoops, small containers, some wooden trays, tiny pumpkin and leaf noodles I found at Aldi USA, and small leaf pieces. Children scooped, poured, dumped, and repeated… again and again. There’s something deeply satisfying for little learners in seeing how materials move from one space to another or how quickly a cup fills and empties.

This kind of tactile, hands-on exploration helps children understand early math and physics concepts long before they ever learn the words for them.

Our Apple Tree Becomes a Fall Leaf Tree

One of the most special transformations in our classroom this month was watching our big apple tree display shift into a glowing fall leaf tree, each branch filling with colorful leaves with letters on them. Before we hung anything up, I placed all the leaves, each labeled with a child’s letter out on the table to explore freely.

They sorted through the leaves, compared the shapes and colors, matched familiar letters, and proudly found “their” leaf among the pile. Some carried their leaves around like treasured tokens, others lined them up, and a few worked hard to identify friends’ letters too. It was a beautiful moment of connection, children exploring identity, literacy, and belonging in the simplest, most joyful ways.

Once everyone had time to interact with their leaves, we gathered together to hang them on the tree. Slowly, our apple tree transformed into a stunning fall centerpiece, each leaf representing a child’s presence in our classroom community. It became one of the warmest, happiest spots in the room, a celebration of the season and of each child’s unique place in our Little Squirrels community.

As we wrapped up our month of exploring the magic of autumn leaves, I’m reminded once again how deeply children learn when they’re given the time and space to wonder. From the crunch of leaves under tiny boots to the quiet concentration at the light table, every moment carried its own kind of beauty. These small hands gathered, poured, sorted, created, and discovered, and in doing so, they wove themselves into the rhythm of the season. What a gift it is to witness their joy.

Warmly,

Ms. Sarah

May the world be filled with beautiful, peaceful little children.