Hey there, awesome parents! Welcome to another colorful, fun-filled month of learning with your little ones. I’m Kandice Kelso, your trusty guide from A Cotton Kandi Life, where I’ve spent over 10 years juggling parenting, adventure planning, and homeschooling my two wild boys, affectionately known as My Sweet & Sticky. As they’re off conquering public school now, I’m here to share some of my tried-and-true preschool homeschooling themes, perfect for September. So grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s dive into this month’s Preschool Themes for September!
This Month’s Themes:
- Back to School Excitement: Get them pumped for learning with activities that celebrate the school routine.
- Apple Adventures: Juicy, crunchy, and perfect for learning about life cycles and seasons.
- Leafy Lessons: Explore the magic of fall with leaf crafts and science experiments.
- Busy Bees: Dive into the world of these little pollinators with buzzing activities.
- Harvest Happenings: Celebrate the bounty of fall with farm-to-table fun.
Things to Teach this Month:
Language Arts
1. Literacy Corners
Set up a cozy nook with books, pillows, and a reading lamp. Here, kids can explore picture books about fall or school. Encourage them to “read” to their stuffed animals, developing narrative skills and imagination. Have a little show-and-tell where they describe a favorite book character.
Literacy Corners for Toddlers that Inspire Reading
2. ACKL Lesson Plan for Teaching CVC Words
Use the ACKL method (Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Linguistic learning) to introduce CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) words. Have them clap out the sounds in “cat” or “bat,” jump from letter to letter on a hopscotch grid, and finally, use letter tiles to spell the words. It’s a multi-sensory approach that keeps them engaged and giggling.
Teaching CVC Words & Vowel Blends | Reading Pt 2
3. Story Puppets
Create simple puppets from paper bags or socks and let them retell a story or make up their own. This enhances vocabulary, sequencing, and narrative skills. Plus, puppet voices are perfect for giggles!
Math
1. Apple Counting and Sorting
Use real apples or apple cutouts to teach counting, sorting, and even simple addition. Line them up by color, size, or type, and practice counting aloud. For a challenge, try some basic subtraction by “eating” one apple at a time!
2. Leaf Patterns
Collect leaves of different shapes and colors, then use them to create patterns. Arrange them in repeating sequences (e.g., red, yellow, red, yellow) and encourage your child to predict what comes next. This is a great introduction to pattern recognition.
3. Shape Scavenger Hunt
Turn your backyard or living room into a geometry treasure hunt! Find items in the shape of circles, squares, and triangles. This hands-on activity helps them connect mathematical concepts to the real world.
Science
1. Apple Science Experiments
Investigate apples by cutting them open to see the seeds, measuring their weight, and observing how they change when left out (hello, browning). Discuss why these changes happen—it’s a tasty way to talk about chemical reactions!
2. Leaf Chromatography
Explore the hidden colors in leaves using chromatography. Crush leaves, soak them in rubbing alcohol, and watch as the colors separate on a coffee filter. It’s like magic, but with science!
3. Bee Habitat Exploration
Learn about bees by observing a local garden or crafting a simple bee habitat in a jar. Discuss why bees are important and how they help plants grow. Buzz, buzz, it’s a fun way to connect with nature!
Handwriting
1. Chalkboard Letter Writing
Take a classic approach by writing letters on a chalkboard. The tactile feedback from the chalk and the sound it makes can be super satisfying for little learners. Plus, erasing is half the fun!
2. Sand Tray Writing
Fill a tray with sand and have your child practice letters by “writing” with their finger. This sensory experience helps reinforce letter shapes and is easy to redo if they mess up—just shake the tray!
3. Leaf Rubbing Alphabet
Place a leaf under a piece of paper and rub a crayon over it to reveal the leaf’s texture. Use this as a creative way to decorate letters and spell out names or simple words.
Art
1. I’m a Dirty Dinosaur Pudding Painting
Mix chocolate pudding and let your kids “paint” dinosaurs on paper. It’s messy, creative, and delicious! Use this playful activity to talk about textures and colors. Plus, cleanup is a giggle-worthy part of the fun—just one lick away!
A Toddler Reading Comprehension Lesson | I’m A Dirty Dinosaur
I’m a Hungry Dinosaur | Reading Comprehension Lesson
2. Apple Stamping
Slice apples in half, dip them in paint, and stamp them onto paper to create apple art. This activity highlights the star shape inside an apple and is a fun way to discuss symmetry.
3. Leaf Collage
Collect leaves and glue them onto paper to create a fall-themed collage. This activity encourages creativity and fine motor skills as they carefully arrange and stick each leaf.
Social Studies
1. Community Helpers Exploration
Create a simple map of your neighborhood and discuss the people who help us daily, like mail carriers and firefighters. Use costumes or toys to enact their roles and learn about community responsibility.
2. Harvest Festival Role-Play
Set up a mini farmer’s market at home. Let your child pretend to be a farmer selling produce or a customer buying goods. This role-play teaches social skills and basic economics.
3. Cultural Fall Celebrations
Explore how different cultures celebrate the fall season. Read stories or watch videos about festivals like Diwali or Oktoberfest, and try simple crafts or snacks inspired by these celebrations.
Physical Education
1. Leaf Pile Jumping
Rake up a pile of leaves and let your kids dive in! It’s a classic fall activity that’s perfect for burning off energy and practicing gross motor skills.
2. Apple Relay Race
Set up a small obstacle course and have an apple relay race. Balance apples on spoons or heads for an extra challenge. It’s a fun way to build coordination and teamwork.
3. Bee Dance Game
Teach your kids the “bee dance” to mimic how bees communicate. Create a simple dance routine that involves hopping and spinning, and let them buzz around the yard or living room.
Music
1. Fall Playlist Creation
Create a playlist of fall-themed songs (think “The Leaves are Falling” or “Five Little Pumpkins”) and have a dance party. This introduces rhythm and movement while celebrating the season.
2. Homemade Instrument Jam Session
Craft simple instruments like shakers from rice-filled containers or tambourines from paper plates. Let your child create and perform their own music, exploring different sounds and rhythms.
3. Apple Song Sing-Along
Teach a classic apple-themed song like “Apples and Bananas” and add silly variations. Singing helps with language development and memory, plus it’s just plain fun!
Sensory Play Bin Ideas
1. Apple Pie Sensory Bin
Fill a bin with oats, cinnamon sticks, and plastic apples. Let your child “bake” an apple pie, exploring textures and scents. It’s a sensory feast!
2. Leaf Crunch Bin
Fill a bin with dry leaves and other fall treasures for a crunchy, tactile experience. Add magnifying glasses for close-up exploration of the leaves’ veins and textures.
Sensory Bin | 15 COLOR MEGA PACKS | Educational Activity, Stim Toy, Toddler Gift Idea
3. Honeycomb Sensory Bin
Create a sensory bin with dried pasta shaped like honeycombs, toy bees, and flowers. This bin is perfect for imaginative play and discussions about pollination.
Conclusion
And there you have it! A whole month’s worth of adventures planned, all wrapped up in the cozy theme of fall. By incorporating these Preschool Themes for September into your routine, you’re setting the stage for a month filled with laughter, learning, and lots of love. Remember, visiting the main page on A Cotton Kandi Life for Mom School can inspire your at-home lesson planning all year long. So many Mom School Lesson Plans and Printables are available in my Etsy Shop, Cotton N’ Kandi. Happy teaching, and may your coffee be strong and your patience endless this September!
Longtail Keywords:
- September preschool activities
- Fall-themed preschool curriculum
- Homeschool preschool lesson plans
- Creative preschool learning ideas
- Outdoor preschool activities
- Indoor preschool games
- Apple-themed preschool crafts
- Preschool science experiments fall
- Fall sensory play ideas
- Preschool art projects for September