Teaching about pumpkins is one of the first big units that I teach in PreK. We learn all about the pumpkin life cycle, the parts of a pumpkin, and how pumpkins grow. I also like to teach math and literacy skills with pumpkins to make it more engaging and fun for the kids. At the end of the week, we like to take a field trip and head over to the pumpkin patch! Make sure to grab this free Pumpkin Beginning Sounds printable for your activities too!
Most of my students have some background knowledge about what happens at a pumpkin patch. So before we head to the pumpkin patch, we will turn our dramatic play area into a pumpkin patch of our own. Our pumpkin patch has three areas. There is the actual pumpkin patch, where the kids can pick their own "pumpkins" that are made out of Orange Hanging Paper Lanterns and Gigantic Felt Sheets. They can also walk through a corn maze or stop by a stand for a mug of cider or a piece of pumpkin pie.
Get Ideas
I just love this fun craft idea! It is a fun way to tie in art along with fine motor practice. Using contact paper and mini tissue squares, your students can create fun stained-glass art to display in the classroom.
Make the Project
This is one of my favorite bulletin boards that I create in the fall! After we come back from the pumpkin patch we make this board. We have our kids work in groups to make the pumpkins. Then, when they are dry, we put them on the vine and finish the board.
Make the Project
This is one way I tie in the pumpkin theme with literacy skills. Download the free Pumpkin Beginning Sounds Printable then print the page and cut out each icon. Adhere the icons to the pumpkin Seasonal Bulletin Board Cut Outs. Laminate the graphics then you are ready to go. The students will draw a pumpkin and write the beginning sound on the response sheet.
Get the Download
To integrate science during pumpkin week we talk a lot about the parts of a pumpkin and its life cycle. After we read books about pumpkins we make a life cycle on the bulletin board. You can either put up the words and have them match the pictures or vice versa.
Make the Project
Another way to add academics into a pumpkin theme is to work on number sense. This center not only works on number sense but fine motor skills as well. I got the mini pumpkin candy buckets and wrote the numbers 1-12 on each one. Then, using tweezers, the kids put the Jack-O'-Lantern Mini Erasers into the buckets.
