Fall Crafts to Teach Thanks

Fall is the perfect time to teach children what it means to be thankful. At our Montessori schools, we love to teach through hands-on experiences and believe that crafts are a fun way to do this.

Fall Crafts that Teach Thanks

We put together a small list of some fun crafts you can do at home with your child to learn more about being thankful.

A Thanksgiving Tree – Colored construction paper and some tacks or tape is all you need for this craft. Cut out a tree trunk and individual leaves. Use these to create a tree on a space in your home that everyone walks by several times a day. Each day, decide on something you are thankful for. Have your toddler draw a picture on the leaves. Fill in a leaf and attach it to your tree. Each time you walk by, your family will see all the wonderful things you are thankful for.

A Thankful Book – You can use brown paper bags or create a book with sturdy card stock or paper. You will need 5 pages in addition to the cover. On each page write at the top.

  • At home I am thankful for …….
  • At school I am thankful for ……..
  • Outside I am thankful for ……….
  • In my family I am thankful for ……….
  • Other things I am thankful for ……….

Have your child fill in each page with drawings, writing or pictures cut from magazines.

A Jar of Thanks – This one is a simple craft. You will need a large glass jar, decorations and card stock. Let your child decorate the jar. Cut out small cards using the card stock. Now fill in the small cards with things you are thankful for; you can also have your toddler drawer pictures. When someone is having a bad day, they can go to the jar and remember all the things they are thankful for.

Create a Thankful Wreath – Cut out some leaf shapes in fall colors using colored paper or card stock. Have your child draw things they are thankful for on the leaves. Arrange the leaves in a wreath, securing them with glue or tape. You can have each child in your home make one of these and hang them on their bedroom doors.

These crafts are all great ways to help your child think about things they are thankful for and things they appreciate in life. It is never too early to start such a wonderful lesson.

Here at Montessori Children’s Center, we love to use arts and crafts to learn new things. If you are looking for a school for your child that includes hands on learning experiences, contact our school today to schedule a tour.

Sensory Roller Painting

Montessori principles base learning on a child’s natural development in a well-prepared, enticing environment. Children love the opportunity to explore the world around them. Montessori instructors use children’s natural curiosity to build upon interests and desire for knowledge. According to Montessori principles, children have an absorbent mind with individual interests and needs.

Hands-on activities inspire and teach children by engaging all of their senses. By pursuing every opportunity for hands-on learning, a young child will have actual experiences prior to learning the concepts or names of objects. Art especially messy art is one of the best opportunities to engage in the senses.

Sensory Roller Painting

Sensory roller painting can be done in different ways. For example, securing bubble wrap around rolling pins or other circular objects provides a perfect opportunity for administering paint to large pieces of paper. As watch the project unfold, you may just view children at play. The project is actually an integral part of learning. The project enhances the senses of touch, smell, and hearing.

Creativity and Imagination

Painting with various colors and textures enhances creative expression and develops the child’s imagination. Creative expression helps with cognitive development. Children want to explore and think about the project.

Linguistics

Young children are learning new words every day. Sensory activities help children learn a new vocabulary. The names of colors, shapes and textures are just some of the new words that can be incorporated into the project. .As children work with others around the sensory table or art area, discussing the project will enhance communication skills.

Fine Motor Skills

When using rolling pins or paint brushes, children are using fine motor skills as part of the application process. The continuous use of fine motor skills helps in the development muscles in the hands and wrists. As the muscles develop, an increase in hand and eye coordination will be fine-tuned. The simple sensory, art project also aids in the development of concentration which will help in later stages of learning.

Social and Emotional Sills

Under most circumstances, more than one child will want to learn how to do the sensory rolling painting project. The involvement of other children actually helps in the learning process. When working alongside peers, children develop social and emotional skills. For example, introducing new paint colors or other textures to the project will help in teaching children to wait their turn. As children engage and experiment with colors, socialization will increase throughout the work area.

Sense of Achievement

By finishing a sensory roller painting project, children gain a sense of achievement which boosts confidence levels. The excitement of completing a project will inspire a new sense of wonder to explore with further activities.

Of course, the project is a fun activity. When children have fun, the process becomes part of the learning experience.

If you would like more information on how sensory roller painting activities or other art related projects can help your young children learn, please contact the Montessori School in Newark for a tour. One of our highly trained instructors will be more than happy to answer all your questions about our kindergarten Newark program.