Fall Art Activities
A is for Apple Pie (from Preschool Daze)
white plate = crust, red paint = apples, cinnamon = cinnamon
This smells like an apple pie and it’s made using a paper plate, red paint, and real cinnamon! You can read aloud the book, “The Apple Pie Tree,” by Zoe Hall as Fall inspiration for children getting the chance to make their own apple pie using art materials. Just make sure you don’t eat it!!!!
Synopsis: “From bud to fruit, two children follow the cycle of an apple tree as it is nurtured through the seasons. The book incorporates the role of bees and the weather in the production of the fruit. Another use of the tree is shown, as a pair of robins build their nest and begin a family. The story ends with a nice, warm apple pie being taken from the oven. The large pictures and text are suitable for young children. The colorful, clear-cut illustrations use a paint and paper collage technique. An end note shows how bees pollinate the tree’s flowers and offers a recipe for apple pie.”
Another great read aloud is, “How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World,” by Marjorie Priceman. I own this book and you’re more than welcome to borrow it.
Synopsis: “In this whimsical, geographical shopping journey, a young baker thinks of how to proceed if the market is closed. She directs readers, via various modes of transportation, to gather seminola wheat in Italy, a chicken (for its egg) in France, bark from the kurundu (cinnamon) tree in Sri Lanka, a cow (for butter) in England, salt water and sugar cane in Jamaica, and apples in Vermont. Processing the worldly ingredients is quickly handled, a pie is baked, and friends are invited to share. A look around the table reveals children from all of the countries in which the foods have been found. A recipe for apple pie appears on the last page. The brightly colored pictures are fanciful, revealing cheerful, busy people working in towns, fields, and forests of the various countries. The purposeful girl in a green pinafore collects her ingredients with enthusiasm and good cheer.”
Apple Pigs – Children can make cute pigs out of apples (for the body), gum drops (for the feet and nose), cloves (for the eyes and nostrils), and small pieces of fruit roll-ups (for the ears). If children use an apple with the stem, the stem can be the pig’s tail! This is a really cute and fun activity to do after reading a good book on apples and drinking some hot apple cider! You will need toothpicks broken or cut in half so the gum drops and ears will stay on the apple (seven will be needed in all for each pig). Here are some photos of Quetzal Sol and his apple pig!!!
Here is a great idea from Jen’s blog, “Paint Cut Paste,” of celebrating autumn with a mask of real leaves either students gather up from outside, or you bring in, and then press (I usually place leaves in between pages of a book and let them sit over night).
You need:
- pressed leaves- use leaves that have been pressed for about 24-48 hours, they are still quite flexible at this stage and lay nicely
- glue solution- 2 parts glue, 1 part water (or use Modge Podge)
- Download the mask onto card-stock and print
- crayons
- scissors
- hole punch and yarn for the masks that tie around the head
- glue gun and a stick for the type of mask you hold with your hands
What to do:
- Cut out the mask, color, and glue on the leaves.
- Preserve the masks by covering the leaves with the glue solution or Modge Podge.
Check out final products from 5 Orange Potatoes.
A is for Autumn
Tie-dye big coffee filters cut into leaf shapes (from Preschool Daze blog)
On the first day you do this project, each child can work on their own leaf. The next day you can have the individual leaves balled and twisted on the table for the children to paint until all are colored. Children dye their leaf by pulling paint into a dropper and dripping the paint onto the coffee filters. Q-tips could also work but would take more time. Once the children are done, you can hang the leaves on a line to dry. You could simply use yarn and hang each end from two walls in the classroom.
A is for Apple Rolling (from Preschool Daze blog)
Students could go bobbing for apples in the spirit of the Fall season and then do some apple rolling to experiment with paint in a fun, kinesthetic way. This could either be a group activity, with each child taking turns rolling the bin the apples are in, or this could be an individual project where each child gets a chance to paint a paper surface by rolling apples in different colored paint in smaller sized dishpans. The paper would be changed for each new child who would apple roll. Having several dishpans would allow for multiple children to work on their own apple rolling painting at the same time.
Making Nature Prints in Sculpey (from The Artful Parent)
Check out other thumbprints from mother nature by Jen at Paint Cut Paste:
Cut Paper & Painting – Spiders!!!! (adapted from Art for Small Hands)
The children construct bugs with paper and glue, paint their habitats, and attach the bugs three-dimensionally. For ages 3 to 6. Plan 3 sessions.
KEY IDEAS
- Looking at bugs (insects and arachnids) and their habitats
- Working with scissors and glue
- Planning use of the whole paper
LANGUAGE
insects, arachnids, habitat, three-dimensional
YOU WILL NEED
- Neutral-colored construction paper, approximately 12 x 15 inches (one per child)
- Construction paper for cutting
- A scrap paper bin with a collection of left-over papers from past projects (optional)
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Slightly dampened sponges for wiping fingers while gluing
- Tempera paints
- Brushes for painting
- Containers of water for rinsing brushes
- Sponges for drying brushes
- Flat-surfaced Styrofoam cut into roughly one-inch squares
- White glue
- Small containers for white glue
- Inexpensive brushes for applying gluing
- Pictures of spiders for discussion
THE PROJECT
First Session
Preparation
- Set out the construction paper for cutting.
- Set out the glue sticks and scissors.
- Have pictures of spiders available for discussion.
How to Begin
- Explain to the children that in this session they will be making spiders using paper and glue. In the next session they will be painting the habitats or places where the spiders can be found.
- While looking at the pictures of spiders, discuss the three main parts of their bodies (head, thorax, and abdomen.) Point out examples, such as arthropods (spiders) have four legs and no feelers.
- Tell the children that they will be sharing the colored paper on their tables to make their spiders. Each child should start by choosing one color of paper. When finished cutting from it, he or she should return the paper to the middle of the table for someone else to use, and then choose another color. Assure the children that there is more of each color if needed. (A scrap paper bin is fun to search through for special or unusual colors.)
- Show the children how to use scissors by putting the thumb in the small hole and two to three fingers in the large hole. With the blade of the scissors opened wide, place the paper deep into the opening, taking advantage of the whole blade when cutting.
- Demonstrate how to attach two pieces of paper with glue by applying glue to the smaller paper and pressing it together with the larger paper. Warn the children that it doesn’t take much glue to attach the pieces. Instruct them to use the dampened sponge on their table to wipe sticky fingers.
- Have the children construct their spiders and then set them aside to dry.
Second Session
Preparation
- Set out the 12 x 15-inch construction paper for painting.
- Set out tempera paints, brushes, containers of water, and sponges.
How to Begin
- Explain to the children that in this session they will be painting the habitats of their spiders.
- Discuss some places where spiders might be found, such as in a garden, in a web, or simply in the grass. The children should paint the habitats from the spider’s point of view. Emphasize that the children should make the habitats large enough to fill the papers.
- Have the children paint their spider’s habitats and set them aside to dry.
Third Session
Preparation
- Set out dried spiders and paintings from the previous sessions.
- Set out small containers of white glue and brushes.
- Set out chunks of Styrofoam (one for each child)
How to Begin
- Explain to the children that they will each be gluing their spider onto its habitat using a piece of Styrofoam. This will make the spiders three-dimensional or stand out from the paper.
- After deciding where to place the spider on the painting, apply glue on one side of the Styrofoam and attach it to the back of the spider. Then apply glue to the other side of the Styrofoam and attach it to the painting.
- Have the children place their spider in their habitats. For fun, the children can bend the legs of their spiders to make them more three-dimensional.
Paper Plate Pumpkin Tambourines
supplies
Two paper plates; stapler; markers,crayons, ribbons, tissue paper pieces (orange), construction paper (black), other crafty things you have laying around; rice or beans
activity detail
Take 2 paper plates and decorate the bottoms of them with markers, crayons, tissue paper pieces, ribbons — anything you have handy that could help make a pumpkin face. Then put the two paper plates together so that the decorated bottoms are facing out. Begin to fasten the paper plates together by stapling around the outer edge. Once you have stapled three-quarters of the way around, pour some rice or beans into the middle. Then finish stapling the plates together, all the way around the outside edge so that no beans or rice can fall out. You can then decorate around the edges with ribbon or paper streamers, if you like. When you shake the plate it will make noise, just like a tambourine. You and your kids have just made a musical instrument!
- Craft Stick Mummy
- Materials
-
- Wire snips
- Wooden craft sticks
- Wooden craft spoons
- Glue dots
- 1 square yard of muslin torn into 1-inch-wide strips (this should be enough for at least 7 mummies)
- Small googly eyes
- Instructions
-
- With the wire snips, trim 2 craft sticks to 2 1/2 inches for the arms and 2 more to 3 inches for the legs. Attach an arm and a leg to each side of a wooden craft spoon using 1 glue dot per limb.
- Stick the end of a muslin strip to the skeleton with a glue dot and wrap the rest of the length around the wood, using another dot at the end. Wrap 4 or so more strips around the skeleton in this way. Use glue dots to attach googly eyes.
Ingredients: 6 cups water, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 inch stick cinnamon, 2 tablespoons apple juice, 3/4 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar
Preparation: Combine water, cloves, and cinnamon. Heat to boiling. Add apple juice; cover and let brew 5 minutes, then strain. Heat orange juice, lemon juice and sugar to boiling; stir and add to hot tea. Makes six to eight servings.
Gingerbread Skeletons
-
Ingredients
-
- White frosting
- Instructions
-
- To make a batch, punch out shapes from cookie dough using cat and gingerbread-man cookie cutters, then bake. When the cookies are cool, pipe on frosting bones.
- To make a batch, punch out shapes from cookie dough using cat and gingerbread-man cookie cutters, then bake. When the cookies are cool, pipe on frosting bones.
supplies
Refrigerated biscuits, apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, cookie sheet, oven.
activity detail
Here’s a deliciously fun recipe that you and your kids can make together: Put one refrigerated biscuit on a cookie sheet and push it down flat. Put a spoonful of peeled and chopped apples on top of the biscuit. Mix one cup of brown sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon in a separate bowl. Sprinkle one spoonful of the sugar and cinnamon mixture on top of the apples. Put another flattened biscuit on top. Use a fork to poke some holes in the top biscuit. Bake according to the directions on the biscuit package. Kids love to smell their pie baking and, of course, eat it!
El Dia de los Muertos
[Special Note to Teachers: Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art is hosting their 11th annual Fall Family Day, El Día de los Muertos, on Saturday, October 30th from 11am-5pm. In recognition of this Latin American holiday, Cheekwood will bring the traditions of Mexico to Nashville. We’ll celebrate with traditional music and dance, vibrant art activities and authentic Mexican food. Learn about the culture of our Latin American neighbors as you explore the beautiful altar displays, shop in the bustling Mexican marketplace, and enjoy the fine cuisine from local bakeries and restaurants. You may want to check this out if you haven’t done so already! It’s pretty amazing!]
Spanish Vocabulary
Dia de los Muertos (dee-uh-day-lows-moo-air-toes) – day of the dead
Ofrenda (oh-fren-duh) – offerings to honor the dead
Papel Picado (pah-pell-pee-kah-dough) – the art of Mexican paper cutting
Calavera (kah-lah-vayr-ah) – whimsical skeleton figure that represents death
Alfeniques (al-faye-nee-kays) – colorful iced sugar skulls
Cempazuchitl (sem-pah-soo-cheel) – yellow marigolds that are symbols of death
Dulces (dual-sayce) – candies
Flores (floor-ace) – flowers
Naranjas (nah-ron-haws) – oranges (a symbol of the festival)
Overview of the Holiday
The Day of the Dead is a holiday, or festival, which is celebrated in Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, and other areas in Central and South America. The Day of the Dead is also celebrated in areas of the U.S. in which the Mexican/American heritage exists.
November 2nd is the official date for Day of the Dead, although it is celebrated between October 31st and November 2nd. These dates correspond with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
This ancient holiday began as a day of thanks for the harvest. It became a time put aside to remember our ancestors and people we love who have died.
On the first day, relatives put flowers on graveyards or in vases with cards. Then they create an altar somewhere in the house. These altars are not places of worship. They serve the same purpose as a scrapbook or a photo album. Pictures of the departed, along with favorite loved objects and other mementoes, are placed on the altar. The rest of this day is spent making the favorite foods of this person (or persons).
On the second day, families have big celebrations at their homes. They serve the food they made the day before. They eat candies shaped like skeletons. Friends stop by and people dance and sing. This is a very happy holiday.
On the third day, the holiday expands to the town. There may be parades and floats and costumed characters. Coffins are carried that have people in them dressed in skeleton outfits.
Many superstitions have been added over the years, but this ancient holiday is as it always was – a time of remembrance and love. This is a happy holiday and should not be scary. It is a special time to honor loved ones that have passed away (including pets!).
Read Aloud
The Day of the Dead, by Jazmín Quiñónez, is a book written by a child about her uncle who died. Her whole family went back to Culiacán, Sinaloa in Mexico to be with her grandmother. Every year, they visit her and spend some time at her uncle’s grave. She wrote this book to tell her class about the Day of the Dead. This is a book I own and am more than happy to let you borrow it to share with your students during Circle Time.
Art Projects
Make Your Own Calavera Mask
Materials: crayons, paint, markers, scissors, string or yarn, paper punch, glue, popsicle sticks, glitter, buttons, tissue paper, feathers, etc.
Instructions: Print out the calavera mask (free image found in a teacher’s educational packet here). Cut out the eyes. Color and decorate with glitter, paints, feathers etc. Let dry and punch two holes (one on either side of the skull above the cheek bone). Tie an 8”-12” piece of string or yarn through each hole. Now you have a mask you can tie around your face, just above your ears. Alternatively, you could not punch holes and just glue the chin of the mask to a wide popsicle stick so children can hold the mask up to their face.
Classroom Ofrenda
Have the children join in a collaborative project of making a classroom altar in honor of this holiday. For specific, detailed information on what to include in your classroom altar, visit here.
Tips: The following are some objects to consider when creating a Day of the Dead altar. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are central to a traditional Mexican Day of the Dead altar:
- Portrait of the Virgin Guadalupe, Patron Saint of Mexico
- Flowers:
- the Cempazuchitl flower or orange marigold, which is considered the traditional Aztec flower of the Toltec goddess, Xochiquetzal, the guardian of the graves.*
- Trail of Cempazuchitl flowers to lead the dead to the home and altar
- baby’s breath
- wild purple orchids
- coxcombs
- white amaryllis
- Traditionally orange has been the color of the dead along with purple, white, gold, black, and pink, as seen in the other important flowers
- Copal is an incense burner. Copal is a tree resin, sweetened by mixing it with sage and grass. If copal is not available, use any incense.*
- Water, in case the spirits are thirsty from their long journey.*
- Photographs of loved ones.*
- Food. Some Mexican food such as tamales, mole, beans, tacos, tortillas, and salsa as well as special U.S. foods preferred by the departed. Fruits and squashes, pumpkins, etc. can be added as well.* You can also use recipes for the pan de muerto (All Souls’ Bread/Bread of the Dead), which is very traditional.
- Soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Orange Crush, etc.; you can also purchase Jarritos, a Mexican soda, at your local Latino store.
- Toys and candy for children.
- Money to remind us that even if we need money we must also be generous with it.
- Other religious symbols such as crosses and icons of saints.
- Candles of all sizes.* The votive candles found in many Mexican stores which have Catholic saints on them may be appropriate and lend an authentic touch.
Other altar traditions from pre-Columbian times are:
- A frog, which generally represents fertility and also represents the twilight of each day.
- A feather of a rooster to remind us of dawn.
- A mirror to remember the duality of life and death.
- Calaveras, or skulls.* In pre-Columbian times the skulls were symbols of death and sacrifice. They are now satirical and comical.
Sugar Skulls
For step-by-step Day of the Dead sugar skull-making instructions and photographs, visit here. You can also visit How to Make Candy Skulls for an easy recipe.
Art Images of Day of the Dead
Diego Rivera’s oil painting, “Sacrificial Offering – Day of the Dead” from 1923 (I have a postcard of this image if you would like to share it during Circle Time).
Diego Rivera’s oil painting, “Day of the Dead” from 1944 (I have a postcard of this image if you would like to share it during Circle Time).
More Day of the Dead images and Diego Rivera Day of the Dead paintings can be found here.
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