Preschool Apple Lesson Planning Ideas
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This week we are learning about apples! Use the ideas on this page to plan your apple lessons!
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Apple Stamping
Community Member Tara N. shared this photo of the barrels of apples her kids created using apples as stamps.
Paper Plate Apple Pie
Create an Apple Pie using paper plates. There are a variety of ways to complete this activity.
Fingerprint Apples
Community Member Jenny T. shared this photo of a craft her kids created. They used fingerprints to add apples to the trees, so cute!
More Ideas:
Apple Play Dough Invitation from Mummy Musings and Mayhem
Apple Cookie Cutter Stamping from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Apple Printing from Learn Create Love
Paper Plate Apple Craft from How Wee Learn
Apple Pie Craft from Off The Shelf
Apple Tree Craft from Crafty Morning
Apple Pie Play Dough from The Apple Blossom Preschool & Childcare
Apple Cookie Cutter Stamping from Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Apple Printing from Learn Create Love
Paper Plate Apple Craft from How Wee Learn
Apple Pie Craft from Off The Shelf
Apple Tree Craft from Crafty Morning
Apple Pie Play Dough from The Apple Blossom Preschool & Childcare
*Apple Pie Stand
Create an Apple Stand, or Apple Pie Stand. Add pie plates, Felt Crusts, and plenty of Baking Supplies (Small Cookie Sheets, Mixing Bowls, Measuring Cups, and Spoons).
The Pre-K Printable Fun Dramatic Play Pie Stand Set makes it easy to create fun felt apple pies and includes all of the props you'll need to create your own pie stand! Take a closer look inside this set
First Friends Family Child Care
This fun Dramatic Play Space belongs to Community Member
Sherry W. of First Friends Family Day Care.
Sherry W. of First Friends Family Day Care.
First Friends Family Child Care
First Friends Family Child Care
Seek and Find Letter Matching
Club Member Sheena W. transformed the Apple Letter Seek and Find game from the Apples Activity pack into a sensory activity. She filled her sensory bin with paper grass, then hid the letters inside. As each letter was found her preschooler marked it on the recording sheet using a dot marker.
Sand Tray Letter Practice
Set up an invitation to practice writing letters in sand or salt. Colored sand can often be found in the craft section of department stores or dollar stores.
Find these alphabet cards in the Alphabet Letter Formation Mats pack.
Find these alphabet cards in the Alphabet Letter Formation Mats pack.
Apple Letter Sorting
Apple Letter Sorting Activity from Community Member First Friends Family Child Care. They used little erasers and wrote the letters on them.
Beginning Letter Sounds Sweep and Find
Pair the first letter sounds page from the Apple Activity Pack with the seek and find sheet and colored sand to create this fun invitation!
Simply pace the seek and find sheet on a tray and cover with sand. Provide a paint brush for children to sweep the sand and find letters. When a letter is found, encourage the preschooler to find the object that has the matching beginning sound and mark with manipulative of your choice.
Simply pace the seek and find sheet on a tray and cover with sand. Provide a paint brush for children to sweep the sand and find letters. When a letter is found, encourage the preschooler to find the object that has the matching beginning sound and mark with manipulative of your choice.
Apple Stamping
These Apple Themed Literacy Ideas were shared by Community Member First Friends Family Child Care. She added Stamps and stamp pads for children to create the word APPLES. I love that she included both green and red colors for the stamps.
*3-Part Apple Nomenclature Cards
Use the 3-part cards included in the Apples Activity Pack as a matching game to support literacy development. These cards can also be used along with apple exploration invitations such as an apple investigation, making applesauce, or making apple pies.
More Language & Literacy Ideas:
Apple Letter recognition from Growing a Jeweled Rose
Read Aloud: How do Apples Grow
Read the book How do Apples Grow by Betsy Maestro (or listen to the read aloud below), then follow-up with the extension activity below.
After exploring the book, invite your preschoolers to observe an apple seed sprouting.
For this experiment you will need apple seeds, zipper bags, and paper towels.
Begin by dissecting an apple with your preschooler (consider using the Apple Investigation Pack as a guide), as you are dissecting be sure to talk about all the parts of an apple, provide the technical names for the different parts of an apple.
Remove the seeds from the apple, you may also wish to save apple seeds ahead of time so you have plenty to go around.
Each child will need a moist paper towel, encourage them to place their seeds on the paper towel allowing some space between each. Then seal the zipper bag most of the way leaving about an inch open for air flow.
Next, encourage your preschooler to draw a picture of what they see, also consider taking a photograph for reference. Place the baggie in the fridge and check every few days to see if there are any changes.
It can take quite a bit of time for the seed to sprout. Experiments and projects that happen over a period of time support children in historical thinking and recalling information. The photos and drawings will be helpful in supporting this development as well.
For this experiment you will need apple seeds, zipper bags, and paper towels.
Begin by dissecting an apple with your preschooler (consider using the Apple Investigation Pack as a guide), as you are dissecting be sure to talk about all the parts of an apple, provide the technical names for the different parts of an apple.
Remove the seeds from the apple, you may also wish to save apple seeds ahead of time so you have plenty to go around.
Each child will need a moist paper towel, encourage them to place their seeds on the paper towel allowing some space between each. Then seal the zipper bag most of the way leaving about an inch open for air flow.
Next, encourage your preschooler to draw a picture of what they see, also consider taking a photograph for reference. Place the baggie in the fridge and check every few days to see if there are any changes.
It can take quite a bit of time for the seed to sprout. Experiments and projects that happen over a period of time support children in historical thinking and recalling information. The photos and drawings will be helpful in supporting this development as well.
Apples for Everyone by Jill Esbaum
How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro
Apples Apples Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
Apples Celebrate Fall by Erika L. Shores
How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro
Apples Apples Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall
Apples Celebrate Fall by Erika L. Shores
Apple Science Activities
Explore Apples through investigations that support children in learning about the scientific process. This pack includes step-by-step investigation instructions, colorful posters, and forms for recording results.
Take a closer look at this product here.
Take a closer look at this product here.
Taste Testing
Community Member Sarah C. of Mi Escuelita Bilingual Preschool & Childcare invited her preschoolers to an apple taste test!
While engaging in this activity encourage a variety of vocabulary to describe the taste, texture, and color of each type of apple.
After the taste test encourage children to share about their experience. After asking what their favorite was, ask them to use one word to describe ___ color apple (randomly assign a color).
Extension: Consider a blind taste test after the initial activity. See if they can guess which apple they are tasting without looking.
While engaging in this activity encourage a variety of vocabulary to describe the taste, texture, and color of each type of apple.
After the taste test encourage children to share about their experience. After asking what their favorite was, ask them to use one word to describe ___ color apple (randomly assign a color).
Extension: Consider a blind taste test after the initial activity. See if they can guess which apple they are tasting without looking.
Apple Inspired Sensory Play
Community Member Melissa W. created this fun invitation with oats, apples, and cinnamon sticks.
Apple Themed Sensory Bin from Erica's Educare Learning Center
Apple Themed Sensory Bin from Erica's Educare Learning Center
Apple sensory bin search from Community Member Kathleen R.
Apple Themed Sensory Bin from Erica's Educare Learning Center
Apple sensory bin search from Community Member Kathleen R.
*Parts of an Apples
Learn the parts of an apple and label them with this printable included in the Apple Activity Pack.
Apple Seed Science Experiment
Here is a fun Apple Seed experiment to try with your preschoolers. Follow the video from the Montana Science Center which also includes a read aloud of 10 Apples up on Top by Dr. Seuss
Apple Tree Through the Seasons
Community Member Cassandra shared this invitation she created using the Apple Tree Through the Seasons activity from the Apples Activity Pack and along with a book to compliment the activity.
Explore Apples with all 5 Senses
Studying apples creates a fun opportunity to explore using all 5 senses.
Set up an invitation to explore an apple using all 5 senses in one activity or spread throughout the week focusing on a different sense each day.
When smelling the apple, try smelling an uncut apple, cut apple, and the leaves from an apple. For touch be sure to touch the outside skin, inside flesh, core, seeds, and leaves. For sound challenge children to consider if an apple sounds the same when bitten whole, eaten in slices, and eaten as applesauce.
Set up an invitation to explore an apple using all 5 senses in one activity or spread throughout the week focusing on a different sense each day.
When smelling the apple, try smelling an uncut apple, cut apple, and the leaves from an apple. For touch be sure to touch the outside skin, inside flesh, core, seeds, and leaves. For sound challenge children to consider if an apple sounds the same when bitten whole, eaten in slices, and eaten as applesauce.
More Ideas:
Apple sensory bin: split green peas, buckets, red jewels, apple counters and cinnamon sticks!
from The Apple Blossom Preschool & Childcare
Apple Science from Little Wonders' Days
Make Applesauce from Little Wonders' Days
from The Apple Blossom Preschool & Childcare
Apple Science from Little Wonders' Days
Make Applesauce from Little Wonders' Days
Apple Barrel Counting Mats
Apple Counting Cards from the PKPF Apple Activity Pack
Apple Patterning
Apples Counting Bin
Barrel of Apples
For this activity gather about 10 barrels or buckets and some plastic or paper apples.
Mark each barrel with a number from 1-10, then invite preschoolers to fill each barrel with the number of apples on the outside of the bin.
Mark each barrel with a number from 1-10, then invite preschoolers to fill each barrel with the number of apples on the outside of the bin.
Counting Apples 1-20
Use this counting mat and cards from the Apples activity pack along with pom poms, mini erasers, play dough or your own fun counters to practice counting from 1-20!
More math Ideas:
Orchard Construction
Add materials for children to create an orchard in the block center. Add Small Pretend Apples or Red, Green and Yellow Pom Poms,
trees and other items for inspiration.
Encourage children to build a fence around the orchard with blocks.
trees and other items for inspiration.
Encourage children to build a fence around the orchard with blocks.
Letter Dough Mats
Combine literacy development and fine motor development with these Alphabet Dough Mats. Add them all to your dough center at once or choose mats to compliment your theme.
Apple Picking
If you have an apple tree accessible go apple picking to promote physical development. If you don't then make your own! This DIY Apple Tree from Megan's Little Sprouts is so much fun! This is perfect for a place without apple trees or even to lower them for little hands to reach.
Dough Seek and Find
Here is another fun way to incorporate dough into your apple theme!
Hide plastic letters in play dough, then invite preschoolers to find and record them on the recording sheet included in the Apple Activity Pack.
Hide plastic letters in play dough, then invite preschoolers to find and record them on the recording sheet included in the Apple Activity Pack.
Trace & Color an Apple Tree
Practice coordination, following a line, and pencil grip with a fun apple tree Trace & Color page. This page is one of 13 included in the Trace & Color Activity Pack.
Apple Balancing
Challenge children to stack apples! This would be a fun activity to pair with the book 10 Apples up on Top by Dr. Seuss.
For this activity you will need several apples, in different sizes if you have them! Consider using real apples as they provide natural obstacles and have a nice weight to them for this activity. Apples that will be later used for applesauce would be great for this activity.
For this activity you will need several apples, in different sizes if you have them! Consider using real apples as they provide natural obstacles and have a nice weight to them for this activity. Apples that will be later used for applesauce would be great for this activity.
Color, Cut, and Glue Apples
Set up this invitation for your preschooler to practice cutting (hand-eye coordination, fine motor) and then paste the apples to the page.
This page is included in the I Can Color, Cut, and Paste a Scene Activity Pack.
This page is included in the I Can Color, Cut, and Paste a Scene Activity Pack.
More Physical Development Ideas
Outdoor Apple Bean Bag Toss from Kitchen Counter Chronicles
*Apple Orchard Gross Motor Game by The Inspired Treehouse
*Apple Orchard Gross Motor Game by The Inspired Treehouse
My Favorite Apple Voting
Introduce the concept of voting by inviting children to vote for their favorite type of apple. This can be as simple as a representation on the white board or set up voting boxes with voting sheets for children to fill out.
Apple Seed Sprouts
Use the Read Aloud Activity from the Language and Literacy section above to support historical thinking in young children.
Apples on the Map
Record where different types of apples were discovered on a map
Invite each child to find their favorite kind of apple and color it in on their own map.
Invite each child to find their favorite kind of apple and color it in on their own map.
Learn About Johnny Appleseed
Invite your preschoolers to learn a bit about Johnny Appleseed with the book Johnny Appleseed by Jodie Shepherd, here is a read aloud for this book:
After reading this book consider visiting an apple orchard, watching seedlings grow (see the Science section), or create a fun tin hat!
Apples are frequently explored around time for Back to School. Read up on tips for preparing your program for back to school.
Attendance Activities
The Attendance Activities Pack includes this apple theme perfect for promoting name recognition this week! Thanks to Building Blocks for sharing this photo.
*Make an Apple Pie
Make one apple pie together as a group or follow along with a recipe as a group and make individual apple pies.
Apple pies are easy enough to make that kids can do most of the steps independently.
Be sure to have a measuring scoop for each ingredient ready to go or give each child their own set. Cut up the apples in advance to save time and encourage independence with the remainder of the recipe.
Apple pies are easy enough to make that kids can do most of the steps independently.
Be sure to have a measuring scoop for each ingredient ready to go or give each child their own set. Cut up the apples in advance to save time and encourage independence with the remainder of the recipe.
Way Up High in the Apple Tree
This is a fun classic that littles are sure to love and ask for on repeat!
This one is super easy to learn too!
This one is super easy to learn too!
Apple Tree Picking
Be sure to ask parents if any of them have an apple tree they could share apples from or even bring the kids on a field trip to for apple picking.
Family Apples
Ask each family to bring in an apple or two for apple related projects without giving instruction for size, type, or color.
Having each family bring in apples is a fun opportunity to invite children to make comparisons. Gather all the apples on the table, then ask children what they notice about the apples. Are they all the same? Are there different sizes or colors? In what ways could we sort the apples?
Place in order from smallest to largest. Graph how many apples were brought in of each color. What about the labels? Read the name of the apples that have labels on them, sort them by type. For the apples without labels, challenge children to use their senses to try to determine which type it is most like.
Having each family bring in apples is a fun opportunity to invite children to make comparisons. Gather all the apples on the table, then ask children what they notice about the apples. Are they all the same? Are there different sizes or colors? In what ways could we sort the apples?
Place in order from smallest to largest. Graph how many apples were brought in of each color. What about the labels? Read the name of the apples that have labels on them, sort them by type. For the apples without labels, challenge children to use their senses to try to determine which type it is most like.
Apple Activities At Home
Community member Sheena W. shared how she set up her apple activities for this theme using a rolling cart.
Visit an Orchard
Pre-K at home usually means a bit more flexibility with time and travel. Look into visiting a local orchard where you and your child can take a closer look at apples and possibly harvest some. Another option is to go to a farmers market, be sure to support your child in talking to the farmers about their apple crops. While visiting a farmers market or orchard, see how many different type of apples or apple products you can find.
