Preschool Squirrels and Acorns Theme Activities
Below you can find tons of fun and engaging Preschool squirrels and acorns activities!
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This week we are exploring squirrels & acorns! It may be necessary to use faux nuts to complete many of these activities if their are children with nut allergies in your care.
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Add plenty of Brown and Gray Arts & Crafts items to your Free Art Space this week (Crayons, Paper, etc). Include Photos of Squirrels & Nuts in this space for inspiration. *If you are a member: You can print the 3-part cards from this weeks Activity Pack.
*Paint with Acorns
If you're familiar with marble art this idea won't be new to you!
For this invitation you will need a tray, box lid, or pan...something that the paper will lay flat in and will keep the acorns from rolling out.
Squirt some paint onto the paper, then drop some acorns on top and encourage the preschooler to tilt the tray so the acorns move around.
Tips:
*This would be a fun exploration for mixing brown, either invite children to mix it up in advance or squirt the colors on and see if they can combine them enough to create brown.
For this invitation you will need a tray, box lid, or pan...something that the paper will lay flat in and will keep the acorns from rolling out.
Squirt some paint onto the paper, then drop some acorns on top and encourage the preschooler to tilt the tray so the acorns move around.
Tips:
*This would be a fun exploration for mixing brown, either invite children to mix it up in advance or squirt the colors on and see if they can combine them enough to create brown.
Sing the Squirrel Song
Try singing the Squirrel song first and have the preschooler join in the second time around. They will love this one. "Squirrel, Squirrel, Shake Your Bushy Tail, Squirrel Squirrel, Shake Your Bushy Tail, Crinkle Up Your Little Noise and Hold a Nut between Your Toes. Squirrel Squirrel Shake Your Bushy Tail!"
More Art & Creativity Ideas:
Feather Tail Squirrel Craft from Preschool Wonders
Painting with Acorns from Toddler Approved
Making dough impressions with natural items Danya Banya
Tissue Paper Acorn Craft from Nuttin' but Preschool
Painting with Acorns from Toddler Approved
Making dough impressions with natural items Danya Banya
Tissue Paper Acorn Craft from Nuttin' but Preschool
*Squirrel Dress-up and Nesting
Add Squirrel dress up items to your Dramatic Play Area, as well as pretend acorns for finding. Add large boxes to create "Nests" in, and nesting materials. Feeling Adventurous? Create a space to hide the acorns in.
*Member Tip: Don't have acorns? Print my Acorn page from this weeks activity pack for the children to hunt and find.
*Member Tip: Don't have acorns? Print my Acorn page from this weeks activity pack for the children to hunt and find.
Forest Dramatic Play
Turn your dramatic play into a forest by making trees and adding them to them to build your own forest, and add squirrels and other fun forest stuffed animals.
*Squirrel 3-part Cards
Learn the names of a few different types of squirrels and compare the features to those of a chipmunk!
Use these fun cards in your literacy and science activities this week. You can find these in the Squirrels and Acorns Activity pack
Use these fun cards in your literacy and science activities this week. You can find these in the Squirrels and Acorns Activity pack
Storytime Activity: Nocturnal and Diurnal Animal Sort
Mix up a little science, literacy, and math with this FREE Storytime Activity.
The book Forest Bright, Forest Night goes great with this sorting activity. See more from this activity and get your copy on my blog:Storytime Activity: Nocturnal & Diurnal Animal Sorting
The book Forest Bright, Forest Night goes great with this sorting activity. See more from this activity and get your copy on my blog:Storytime Activity: Nocturnal & Diurnal Animal Sorting
Where is the Chipmunk? Interactive Positional Phrases Mini-Book
Practice positional phrases with this Interactive Positional Phrases activity book featuring an adorable chipmunk!
Our Featured Book Pick: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Squirrels
This week our featured book is Welcome to the Wonderful World of Squirrels by Diane Swanson.
Why we love it: This book gives a simple overview of squirrels and includes wonderful photographs that children will love to explore.
There are many fun activities to engage in after reading this book. We recommend taking a walk in your neighborhood and seeing what kind of squirrels you can spot!
Find a squirrel and quietly observe his actions, then discuss why he may have acted that way.
Why we love it: This book gives a simple overview of squirrels and includes wonderful photographs that children will love to explore.
There are many fun activities to engage in after reading this book. We recommend taking a walk in your neighborhood and seeing what kind of squirrels you can spot!
Find a squirrel and quietly observe his actions, then discuss why he may have acted that way.
Nut Scavenger Hunt
Take your preschoolers on a nut hunt outdoors (you can recreate it indoors if needed), collect all kinds of nuts!
Then bring your nuts inside; encourage preschoolers to sort their findings in a variety of ways. See if you can identify what trees the nuts came from.
Extension: Graph the nuts
Extension: Use to create art; children can make creations and glue to paper or simply arrange the items on the ground and then take a photograph.
Then bring your nuts inside; encourage preschoolers to sort their findings in a variety of ways. See if you can identify what trees the nuts came from.
Extension: Graph the nuts
Extension: Use to create art; children can make creations and glue to paper or simply arrange the items on the ground and then take a photograph.
Acorns
Acorns are a very important part of our ecosystem. The book Because of an Acorn by Lola Schaefer does a great job of showing this in a simple way. We love the way Phinizy Center for Water Sciences expanded on this book by doing the read aloud at a pond. See their read aloud here.
More Science & Discovery Ideas:
Acorn Counting from The Nature of Grace
Squirrel Sensory Bin from Learning and Exploring Through Play
Squirrel Sensory Bin from Learning and Exploring Through Play
Squirrel Feeder and Observation from Fun Learning For Kids
Acorn Sink or Float
For this activity have the child gather acorns and with a bin of water, practice a sink or float activity with acorns. Make predictions and record your results. Use other items too.
*Acorn Sort by Size
Sort acorns by size or place them in order from smallest to largest to support math skill development. Find this activity in the Squirrels and Acorns Activity Pack
Nut Sorting by Type
Nut Sorting Activity from Erica's Educare Learning Center
Compare and Graph
Invite your preschooler to make comparisons and graph using the Fall Compare and Graph Activities
*Squirrel Number Puzzles
Engage in number identification, ordering, and problem-solving with these Squirrel themed number puzzles! You can find these in the Squirrels & Acorns Activity Pack from PKPF
Feed the Squirrels
Label cups 1-10 with pictures of a squirrel, invite the child to place the correct number of acorns in each cup to feed the squirrel.
More Math ideas:
5-Little Acorns Chant from The Preschool Toolbox Blog
*Add some Squirrely Fun
Add pretend acorns and squirrel figures to the Construction area this week for some small world fun. Add other forest animals, and trees. *Member Tip: Create your own Thematic blocks. Using packing tape, attach the printable acorns from this weeks printable pack (or Squirrel 3-part cards) to blocks and add them to your dramatic play space.
Enhance your block play by adding pictures of squirrels and other forest animals to the blocks.
Invite the children to build nests in the construction space this week! Check out this great squirrel nest provocation
from The Curious Kindergarten.
from The Curious Kindergarten.
*Acorn Relay Race
Have an Acorn relay race!
Have the children form two lines, place a basket near their starting point. At the other side of the room or play space, spread acorns all around (these can be real or pretend). Tell children to scurry like a squirrel (or skip, crawl, gallop, jump) to the other side of the room, retrieve an acorn and bring it back to their basket. Give each child 2+ turns to really get kids moving.
**If your kids are not ready for standing in a line, simply have them all go at once, but only retrieve one acorn at a time to bring back to their basket.
**No acorns? Try doing this activity using printables from the Squirrels and Acorns Pack
Have the children form two lines, place a basket near their starting point. At the other side of the room or play space, spread acorns all around (these can be real or pretend). Tell children to scurry like a squirrel (or skip, crawl, gallop, jump) to the other side of the room, retrieve an acorn and bring it back to their basket. Give each child 2+ turns to really get kids moving.
**If your kids are not ready for standing in a line, simply have them all go at once, but only retrieve one acorn at a time to bring back to their basket.
**No acorns? Try doing this activity using printables from the Squirrels and Acorns Pack
*Squirrel Pre-Cutting/Writing Practice
Strengthen fine motor skills and prepare for writing with this Squirrel Pre-Cutting/Writing activity.
First follow the line with a marker, then cut on the line with scissors.
First follow the line with a marker, then cut on the line with scissors.
Acorn Tweeze
Place an acorn in each cup of a muffin tin, using tweezers invite the child to practice removing the acorns.
More Physical Development Ideas
Create designs with Nuts from The Nature of Grace
Squirrels Around the World
Learn a bit about Squirrels around the World!
Did you know? According to the BBC Squirrels live on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
Check out some of the squirrels found around the world in this post from National Geographic
Did you know? According to the BBC Squirrels live on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
Check out some of the squirrels found around the world in this post from National Geographic
Analyze an Acorn
Have the child take time to investigate the acorn talking about words like texture, and weight. Have the child do their own drawing of the acorn and where you would find one.
Squirrel Feeder
Build a squirrel feeder and place it outside a window. Watch to see how many squirrel visitors you get.
SOMING SOON!
Group Activities, Ideas for Family Engagement, Snack Ideas, Educator Development and More!
Acorn Inspired Snack
There's nothing like a fun snack to get children excited about a fun new theme!
I love this Acorn Inspired Snack made from Mini Nutter Butters, Hershey Kisses, and Mini Choc Chips from Erica's Educare Learning Center
I love this Acorn Inspired Snack made from Mini Nutter Butters, Hershey Kisses, and Mini Choc Chips from Erica's Educare Learning Center
*Gathering Acorns Rolling Game
This game is great to set up for a small group. Take turns rolling the playing cube; read the number word, number, or count up the acorns shown and then add the same number to the tree trunk mat.
For added engagement try forming acorns out of play dough for this activity.
For added engagement try forming acorns out of play dough for this activity.
More Group & Circle Time Ideas
Squirrel Study
For family engagement this week invite families to observe in their backyard or elsewhere in their neighborhood. They can count up the number of squirrels they saw, take a picture of one, or write what they saw when observing a squirrel. Be sure to encourage them to bring in something to represent what they discovered! This could be a drawing they did together, a photo they took, or acorns they found nearby.
Squirrel Walk
Take a walk in your neighborhood, see how many squirrels you can spot. As you walk consider bringing along a clipboard and pencil so you can tally, or draw pictures of, the squirrels you find.
After your walk call a family member and tell them about what you found.
After your walk call a family member and tell them about what you found.
Engaging Printables to Compliment this theme
