Autumn: Look, Feel, and Sort

Age: 4 years old

Goal: The child will notice common signs of autumn, use autumn words, and sort objects by color or type.

Materials

• 2–5 real leaves, or paper leaves in red, yellow, orange, and brown
• A small basket or bowl
• Four sheets of paper or four spaces on a table
• Crayons or colored pencils
• Plain paper
• A small scarf, sweater, or jacket

Lesson

1. Hook: Autumn surprise — 5 minutes

   Put the leaves in the basket and cover them with the scarf or jacket. Say, “I wonder what season is hiding in the basket.” Let the child reach in, feel one leaf, and guess what it is.

   Reveal the leaves. Ask:

   • “What do you notice?”
   • “What colors do you see?”
   • “Does the leaf feel smooth, dry, soft, or crunchy?”
2. Show and talk: Signs of autumn — 7 minutes

   Show the child the jacket or sweater and say, “Autumn is the season after summer. The air often becomes cooler, so people may wear jackets or sweaters.”

   Show a leaf and say, “In autumn, some tree leaves change color. They may turn yellow, orange, red, or brown. Then many leaves fall from the trees.”

   Teach these words with gestures:

   • autumn: sweep your hands down like falling leaves
   • leaf: hold up one leaf
   • change: turn your hands over
   • fall: wiggle your fingers downward
   • cool: hug yourself

   Say each word and invite the child to repeat it and do the gesture.

3. Do it together: Sort the leaves — 8 minutes

   Place the four colored papers on the floor or table. Put one leaf on each matching color, if possible. Say, “I am putting this yellow leaf with the yellow paper.”

   Give the child one leaf at a time. Ask, “Where should this leaf go?” Help the child place it by color. If a leaf does not match exactly, ask, “Which color is it most like?”

   Count the leaves together. Make a simple pattern with them, such as:

   red, yellow, red, yellow

   Ask, “What color comes next?”

4. Child’s turn: Autumn picture — 10 minutes

   Give the child paper and crayons. Say, “Draw an autumn tree. You can draw a trunk, branches, and leaves. You can draw some leaves on the tree and some leaves falling down.”

   While the child draws, ask:

   • “What colors will you use for the leaves?”
   • “Where are the leaves that have fallen?”
   • “What might a person wear on a cool autumn day?”

   Invite the child to add a jacket, clouds, wind, or a pile of leaves if they wish.

5. Move like autumn leaves — 5 minutes

   Say, “Let’s pretend we are leaves.” Call out each action:

   • “Grow on the tree” — stand tall and reach up.
   • “The wind blows” — sway from side to side.
   • “The leaf changes color” — slowly turn around.
   • “The leaf falls” — gently crouch down.
   • “The wind blows the leaf” — gently move around the room.
6. Recap and quick check — 5 minutes

   Look at the leaves and the child’s picture together. Ask:

   1. “What season did we learn about?”
   2. “Name one color that leaves can be in autumn.”
   3. “What happens to some leaves in autumn?”
   4. “What might you wear when the weather becomes cooler?”

   Finish by saying, “Autumn is a season when the weather can become cooler, leaves can change color, and many leaves fall from trees.”

Make it easier: Use only two colors and offer choices, such as “Is this leaf yellow or red?” Accept pointing, gestures, or single-word answers.

Make it harder: Ask the child to explain how autumn is different from summer and to make a repeating pattern with three colors.