| Our Basket is filled with Autumn Memories Art Corn Husk Dolls To make replica corn husks for your own character, cut the seams of a brown paper lunch bag with Scissors so it lies flat. Use Markers to cover the bag with long brown, yellow, and orange lines, all in the same direction, for texture. Cover your work area with newspaper. Blend the marker colors slightly with a damp Paint Brush. Dry. Cut the bag into about 12 long and 6 short husks. Trim the ends so they look irregular and natural. Tightly tie one end of the longer husks together with yarn. Turn the tied end over, and pull the yarn ends out. Spread the husks around the tied end, then cover it. Tie yarn tightly around the husks to create your character's head. Tie the shorter husks near both ends for arms. Spread the husks of the longer piece in two. Insert the arm section, then tie your character at the waist. Complete your Corn-Husk Character in a way that is authentic to the time and culture of your choice. Cut hair from yarn or construction paper. Tie it to the yarn left at the top of the head. Add clothing, such as an apron, by coloring paper and tying it on. For pants, divide the bottoms of the husks into two equal parts, then tie at the ankles. Use markers to draw a face. Corn Roll Paintings Using the feed corn on cob you can buy at the local feed store. Children roll the corn in paint and then roll it onto paper. The ends of these cobs also make pretty flower prints. I hang them in the hall and see if the families can guess how they were made. When we are all done with this project I rinse the corn cobs and we leave them outside our windows for the squirrels-they love them and no waste! Harvest Necklace Materials: Large needle, string or fishing line, popped corn, raisins or dried cranberries, Optional items can be nuts, pieces of orange peel, dried apple or apricot Measure the length of line that you need to fit the necklace over the head. Don't forget to leave enough for tying off. Thread the needle and string the popcorn and other items alternately. When we were done we all made Native American head bands and wore them both for most of the day. Afterwards you can hang the necklaces onto a tree or shrub for the local wildlife. Tip: The orange peel adds a very pleasant scent. Put a bit of all natural peanut butter on the necklace before placing it outside. The oils and protein are great for the birds! Painting Leaves Paint paper leaves with autumn colors but instead of using paint brushes use corks instead. Vegetable Stamping Children can use various harvest vegetables to stamp with paint onto paper. Green peppers, carrots and potatoes make excellent stampers. Garden Stone What You Need: 1 cup of sand, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon powderded alum, 3/4 cup of hot water, Food coloring of child's choice, Assortment of items child would like to decorate with, Plastic pastel butterflies, Colored stones What You Do: (This recipe only makes one stone) Might want to adjust to the size of your class. We do a chart and ask the children what is their mother's favorite color and then go from there in making the dough. Mix sand, cornstarch, and alum in bowl. Add hot water, stirring vigorously until well blended. Add food coloring and blend. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. When cooled, Encourage children to flatten the dough out and make it the shape they prefer. Encourage them to decorate their stone. We had the letters M and O cookie cutters on the table and some of the children put the word "mom" on their stone by pushing the cutters in the dough. Dry pieces in the sunshine for several days. Lay out tissue paper, tape and ribbon, encourage children to wrap their gift for their mom's and if they would like make a card to go with their gift. Games Pumpkin File Folder Game Cut out 20 small pumpkins out of orange construction paper. Write the numbers 1-10 and draw black dots (representing seeds) to match the number, on 10 pumpkins. Do the same to the other 10. You should have 20 matching pumpkins. Glue 10 of them to the inside of a file folder. Glue an envelope or plastic baggie to the back of the folder and place the matching 10 in the envelope. This becomes a matching game for the children helping them learn their numbers. You can also use real pumpkin seeds and they have to place the correct amount on each pumpkin. Corn Husking Race Give each child 4 ears of corn and race to see who can have all of their corn husked first. Pumpkin Seed Toss Number and line up 5 small baskets or crates; then have the children stand 3 feet in front of the first crate and toss seeds into the crates in sequence. Small prizes can be given for each of the crates they get their seeds in. Pumpkin Walk This is like a regular cake walk except instead of numbers, place pictures of several fall items on the floor for the children to walk on and call out the names of the items instead of numbers. Use fall themed music such as "Turkey In The Straw" or "Jimmy Cracked Corn". Floating Pumpkins Number the bottom of the small gourds that look like miniature pumpkins and float them in water for the children to choose one for small prizes. Language Little Miss Clover is nodding her head, sleepy and tired ready for bed. Kind Mrs. Oak Tree comes sending down a blanket of leaves red, yellow, orange and brown. The rain tucks them in, the autumn wind sings and little miss clover will sleep until Spring. Math Each fall we ask children to bring in a small pumpkin. We set up a tape measure and scale in our science area. Each child measures and weighs their pumpkin and we chart it, and leave the chart out for parents to see. Recipes Easy Pumpkin Pudding Materials: 1 cup vanilla pudding for each child 2 tsp. Libby's easy pumpkin pie mix per child A bowl for each child A spoon for each child Description: Help young children measure and place one cup of vanilla pudding in their individual bowls. Next, measure out 2 tsp. pie mix with each child. Ask children to mix the vanilla pudding and the pie mix together for a seasonal and yummy treat. Sensory Add acorns to your sensory table in Autumn. Alternate activities by adding buckets and shovels one day and magnifying glasses another. Autumn leaves can also be added. Carve a pumpkin. Take out pulp and seeds for the children to explore. Put a clear plastic bag inside the carved pumpkin, have children fill it with soil and plant the seeds. Water, and close the bag. You just made a green house and after a few days, your seeds will sprout. The pumpkin was placed in a planter outside. As soon it started to disintegrate ,we planted the inside of the bag and watched our garden grow! Enjoy! In the sensory bin I place a bag of sunflower seeds (birdseed). I also add tiny pumpkins, various shaped and textured gourds and Indian corn, plus several (sturdy) magnifying glasses. Grow corn in baggies! Have children put popcorn seeds in bag with a small handful of dirt -- water. Tape on wall or on window -- you will see corn growing! Make a "Feely" box with parts of a tree inside, bark, seeds, flowers, etc. Children reach in and describe what they feel. Mix dried black beans and red lentils (they look orange) for a festive addition to your sensory table. |
| All the DAZE Productions Endless ideas for "all the daze" you spend with children. |
| Harvest DAZE |
| c. Marcia Arpin www.alltheDAZE.com established July, 1, 2002 |
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| Have a good Fall, Y'all! |
| "A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. " |