Apples & Autumn Storytime

This storytime was for a preschool-aged group at my library.

Today's storytime was brought to you by the letter "A." So on the board when the kids walked in was:

Read Aloud Books

If You Plant a Seedby Kadir Nelson

Planting and harvesting take a lot of time and effort—so it's easy to be selfish with one's spoils. But what if you choose to share instead? This book is such a favorite of mine. Even though it doesn't quite fit with the apple/autumn theme, I had to share it. The illustrations are GORGEOUS and the lesson taught is beautiful. This one got a lot a compliments.

One Red Appleby Harriet Ziefert (Author), Karla Gudeon (Illustrator)

Picking an apple from a tree to sell and to eat, then the seeds get carried off in the wind to grow another tree and start the cycle again. This book was a great tie-in with If You Plant a Seed and also had a lot of great sensory descriptive words, which worked well for our five-senses activity (see below).

Apple Pie ABCWritten and illustrated by Alison Murray

One precocious dog is determine to get a bite (or more) of a delicious apple pie! While it is an alphabet book, it still tells an ADORABLE story and everyone LOVED it. It's a winner for sure! And, of course, it went perfectly with our craft today...

Songs & Rhymes

Hello Song

SONG: AUTUMN LEAVES

(Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Autumn leaves are falling down,

Falling down, falling down.

Autumn leaves are falling down,

All over town.

Autumn leaves are whirling ‘round…

Autumn leaves are crunching crunch!

Autumn leaves are jumping ‘round…

SONG: JUMPIN' IN THE LEAVES

(We danced to this version, which is from Makin' Music. 

Lot's of fun to just jump around and dance to!)

Goodbye Song

Games & Activities

Word Exercise: Using Our Five Senses

With a big apple on the board, I asked the kids to use their five senses to describe apples. What does it look like? What does it smell like? ...etc. The kids had fun shouting out words and it definitely got their brains working. It played into our craft, which took on a sensory aspect this week.

Flannel: Apple Tree

First, I had only five apples on the tree, and we quoted this rhyme together:

Five little apples hanging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Slinky Worm--“You can’t eat me!”
Along comes Mr. Slinky Worm as quiet as can be. . .
And . . . CRUNCH!-ed that apple right out of the tree!

I just used my finger as "Mr. Slinky Worm," and snatched the apples off. The kids loved this rhyme and really got into it!

We didn't end up having time for it, but I also had this rhyme on hand for a fingerplay exercise:

10 red apples grow on a tree (hold up both hands, fingers spread wide)
5 for you, 5 for me (one hand forward, one hand towards yourself)
Let's shake this tree, together--like so (wiggle in place)
And the 10 red apples will fall below. (drop your hands)
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10! (count your fingers)

Side note: I usually let the kids play with my felts afterwards and some other activity. This time I had fake fall leaves (like from the floral section at the craft store) for them to play in. Well, look at their creativity instead:

Turns out that fake leaves stick to felt! And my tree took on a decidedly more autumn feel! I loved it!

Craft: Apple Pie

Using actual apples, the kids stamped the different colors of apples onto the bottom of their "pie." They could also paint on a crust. But the best part? Their careful sprinkling of cinnamon on top! And then it smelled sooo good. The kids had a LOT of fun with this one!

Other Book Ideas

Amelia Bedelia's First Apple PieWritten by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynne Avril

Apple Farmer AnnieWritten and illustrated by Monica Wellington

My Autumn BookWritten and illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee

Apples and PumpkinsWritten by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell