Apple Pumpkin Day

If you’re looking for low key activities to keep your kids busy during a Fall Break many don’t feel comfortable traveling over, I’ve got some great fall inspired apples versus pumpkins activities for you! I originally used these last year during a comparing and contrasting unit when I was homeschooling my second grader for the first time. But the kids had such a great time with them, we plan on making this a fall tradition! These activities can be adapted to different ages as well so everyone can join in the fun.

We began the morning with pumpkin apple baked donuts. This recipe is originally for pumpkin apple muffins so don’t worry if you don’t have a donut pan! It’s a simple recipe and one that is perfect to bake with your kids’ help. It was a fun way to set the tone for our themed day.

We then read a couple of books that incorporate both apples and pumpkins into their discussions of fall activities. The book, Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell, is available at the Knox County Public Library. If you don’t have time to run by there or it’s checked out, I also found this reading of it on YouTube. We also watched a reading of a similar book, Picking Apples and Pumpkins by Amy and Richard Hutchings. We then discussed the differences in the stories, their illustrations, genres and characters. Neither book is all that long and is a good way to incorporate some literacy discussions into a school break week.

After that it was time for some hands on fun!

I drew simple venn diagrams by overlapping an outline of an apple and an outline of a pumpkin. Then I cut an apple and a pumpkin in half and gave my kids the pieces to explore. They had a great time touching, smelling, tasting and getting messy exploring the differences between the two. My preschooler was able to come up with several similarities and differences that I then helped him spell on his paper.

We finished our day out with some apple and pumpkin math and a discussion on the branches of government because…homeschool. But this year I think I’ll extend the fun with some extra activities like:

• Pumpkin science activities that include measuring, classifying, making observations, counting the seeds, and sink or float tests.
• Apple stamping which uses a cut apple as a stamp for creating painted apple prints
• Making pumpkin butter or apple butter or both!
• Make one of these cute apple or pumpkin garlands to add to our fall decorations

I hope you get to try some of these activities with your littles this fall and that whatever you do, you are enjoying a bit of much deserved rest after a tense past few months!

Happy crafting, mommas!