Change of Seasons
So we went out for a walk. Movement is such a great way to integrate the learning going on in our brains, not to mention a great way to spend time with people experiencing the earth. I started talking to my boys about the smell and crisp feel of the air. Inevitably my 3 year old ask, “Why Mama? Why is the air crisp?” That question easily led us on our Signs of Fall Hunt as I explained the bit about what I know about the change of seasons.Even in our urban Seattle neighborhood we found APPLES…
Trees were already showing their bareness. Garden beds were past harvest.
Fall Activities
And, of course, leaves change colors with the change of seasons. We talked about greens, yellows, reds, browns and oranges – the colors we all think of for fall. My son inevitably asked me, “Why Mama? Why do they leaves change color?” I didn’t have a great answer so we looked up “Why do leaves change color?” on the Science Made Simple website when we got home. You’ll find great explanations there as well as a few experiments. It made for a nice little science lesson built into our fall activities.
Washington foliage doesn’t compare to the foliage with which I grew up in Maine but I’ll take it.
We ended the day with this beautiful book about the change of seasons that I recently picked up at a local bookstore. I highly recommend the book to children and adults. It’s called, The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons by Sid Farrar.
The inspiration behind this post is from The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons by Amanda Blake Soule with Stephen Soule.
I hope that you will take the time to meander around your neighborhood to spot signs of Fall, or other change of seasons. An easy way to celebrate life and the earth with your children!
My son and I are always looking for “signs of fall” will driving. He told me he found 90 today on the way to the grocery store! Another fun activity we’ve done (so simple)…is to collect leaves and put paper over them and rub them with crayons for quick leaf prints.
Wow! I love it Heather! 🙂 Fall is my favorite! The colors, the smells, the warmth…