Montessori-Inspired Scarecrow and Corn Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

A scarecrow and corn theme is perfect in the fall! Our new unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free scarecrow and corn printables along with a new Montessori-inspired scarecrow and corn pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now! 

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Scarecrow and Corn Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Scarecrow and Corn Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired scarecrow and corn themed numbers, letters, and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

 

Go to my Free Scarecrow and Corn Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Scarecrow and Corn Pack

Montessori-Inspired Scarecrow and Corn Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Montessori-Inspired Scarecrow and Corn Activities

You can see many scarecrow and corn books here: Scarecrow Books for Kids and Corn Books for Kids (including books as they’re published).

• Free Scarecrow Printables and Montessori-Inspired Scarecrow Activities (completely different activities to give you more options!)
• Free Fall Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities (includes some scarecrow activities)
• Free Fall Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time (includes some scarecrow songs)
• Montessori-Inspired Corn Unit
• How to Use Flint Corn (Ornamental Corn) for Montessori Practical Life and Language Work
• Corn Unit Study Pinterest Board

If you’d like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout October and November, see my October Themed Activities for Kids. and my November Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Scarecrow and Corn Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.

 

I hope you're having a fun fall!

  

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 50 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).

Montessori-Inspired Fall Scavenger Hunt Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

Scavenger hunts are so much fun! To put a slightly different twist on traditional fall activities, our new theme is simply fall scavenger hunts! Our new fall scavenger hunt unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free fall scavenger hunt printables along with a new Montessori-inspired fall scavenger hunt pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now!

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Fall Scavenger Hunt Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Fall Scavenger Hunt Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired fall scavenger hunt themed numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

 

Go to my Free Fall Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Fall Scavenger Hunt Pack

Montessori-Inspired Fall Scavenger Hunt Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Fall Resources

Fall Books for Kids 

Fall Montessori-Inspired Products on Etsy

• Free Fall Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities
• Free Fall Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Fall Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Fall Cutting Strips ( Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• I Have, Who Has? Autumn Art Appreciation Game Pack in Print or Cursive
• Montessori-Inspired Fall Playdough Activities
• Fall Activities with Water Beads
• Free Fall Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
• Fall Sensory Bin with Practical Life and Math Activities
• Nature Trays and Nature Tables
• Montessori Nature Tray Sorting and Counting for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• How to Prepare a Simple Fall Playdough Tray
• Free Fall Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Fall {Free Printables}
• Fun Shoe and Coat Tricks for Toddler and Preschooler Independence
• 50+ Creative Ways to Use Materials Found on Your Nature Walks
• The Ultimate Guide to Montessori-Inspired Leaf Resources and Activities
• Montessori-Inspired Owl Unit with Free Printables and Activities
• How to Prepare Montessori Shelves for a Mini Fall Unit
• Allow Time for Child-Led Activities This Fall
• Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
• 30+ Apple Sensory Tubs
• Free Apple Printables and Montessori-Inspired Apple Activities
• 20+ Apple Phonics Activities
• Fall Sensory Bin with Practical Life and Math Activities
• Fun with Montessori Apple Coring, Slicing, Spreading, and Sharing
• Free Apple Printable for Ten Apples Up On Top Activities (Instant Download)
• Ten Apples Up On Top Sensory Bin & Table (Free Printables)
• Ten Apples Up On Top Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
• Free Fall Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Fall {Free Printables}
• Free Seasons of an Apple Tree Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Tree Songs and Educational Videos {Learn about Trees, Apple Trees, and Seasons}
• Free Apple Printables and Activities for a Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
• Montessori Apple Color Matching for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Montessori Apple Fraction Activities for Multiple Ages
• Free Apple Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Apple Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• The Best Apple Books for Kids
• Free Apple Picking Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Historically Accurate and Culturally Sensitive Thanksgiving Printables for Preschool Through Elementary
• How to Use Flint Corn (Ornamental Corn) for Montessori Practical Life and Language Work
• Free Fall Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities
• Apple Unit Study Pinterest Board
• Kids’ Fall Activities Pinterest Board

If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout September and October, see my September Themed Activities for Kids and my October Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Fall Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.

 

Have a wonderful fall!

  

 

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 49 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).

Sunflower Poem and Dance Story for Young Children

                                           HELLO, FALL!    

    

My September post is a lively movement activity that celebrates autumn. The sunflower is one of my favorite flowers, and it provides the inspiration for this poem/riddle and a movement exploration.

 

            THE SUNFLOWER

        A Dance Activity for Young Children

To begin the activity, read the poem* below out loud, and ask the children to try to guess the answer. 

(*I wrote this poem as an entry in the Fall Writing Frenzy) 

             WHAT AM I?

I started as a little seed, 

Dark grey and very small.

And now that I am all grown up,

I’m over six feet tall!

The petals on my flower face,

Surround me like a crown.

I come in many hues and shades, 

Of yellow, red, and brown.

I start the day by looking east,

To greet the morning sun.

I follow it and face the west,

When summer’s day is done.

Some birds just love to eat my seeds, 

And people like them too.

I think you know my name by now, 

For each line is a clue!

SUNFLOWER DANCE STORY

Prepare: Children start this activity curled up on the floor and then respond with movement as you call out each line. Give them plenty of time between each prompt so that they can fulfill their movement ideas.

Optional: Quiet instrumental music in the background.

Begin the activity:

I’m a tiny, tiny seed.

A child planted me on a warm spring day.

I’m tucked down deep in the dark, rich soil.

Now it’s time to begin to grow.

I gently push against the sides of the seed shell.

I begin to sprout and reach through the soil.

Now I can see the blue summer sky.

I feel the warm sun and the cool rain.

I’m growing taller every day.

I’m starting to become a flower.

My petals surround my face like little flames.

I open my bright golden face to the sun.

I follow the sun as it moves through the sky each day.

All summer, bees and butterflies come to drink my nectar.

My heavy sunflower head begins to droop and nod.

Fall is here and my leaves are fading.

Birds like to eat my seeds.

The morning frost causes me to droop even more.

Winter is coming and I slowly fall to the ground.

The cold wind blows. 

My seeds scatter.

Snowflakes fall and cover the seeds.

I wait until springtime to sprout again.

Expand the Activity:

Use this same format for dancing about other types of plants, and other nature themes, such as the metamorphosis of a tadpole to a frog, and a caterpillar to a butterfly. 

Keep on Dancing, 

Connie

MOVING IS LEARNING!

                                    

                        

Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now 

Fall activities are lots of fun to prepare for welcoming in the new season. So I have a new unit with free fall printables and Montessori-inspired fall activities! You'll also find a fall-themed newsletter subscriber freebie at LivingMontessoriNow.com! 

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Fall Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired fall numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Go to my Free Fall Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities post at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Fall Pack

Montessori-Inspired Fall Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities

• Montessori-Inspired Fall Playdough Activities
• Fall Activities with Water Beads
• Free Fall Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
• Fall Sensory Bin with Practical Life and Math Activities
• Nature Trays and Nature Tables
• Montessori Nature Tray Sorting and Counting for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• How to Prepare a Simple Fall Playdough Tray
• Free Fall Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Fall {Free Printables}
• Fun Shoe and Coat Tricks for Toddler and Preschooler Independence
• 50+ Creative Ways to Use Materials Found on Your Nature Walks
• The Ultimate Guide to Montessori-Inspired Leaf Resources and Activities
• Montessori-Inspired Owl Unit with Free Printables and Activities
• How to Prepare Montessori Shelves for a Mini Fall Unit
• Allow Time for Child-Led Activities This Fall
• Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
• 30+ Apple Sensory Tubs
• Free Apple Printables and Montessori-Inspired Apple Activities
• 20+ Apple Phonics Activities
• Fall Sensory Bin with Practical Life and Math Activities
• Fun with Montessori Apple Coring, Slicing, Spreading, and Sharing
• Free Apple Printable for Ten Apples Up On Top Activities (Instant Download)
• Ten Apples Up On Top Sensory Bin & Table (Free Printables)
• Ten Apples Up On Top Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
• Free Fall Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Fall {Free Printables}
• Free Seasons of an Apple Tree Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Tree Songs and Educational Videos {Learn about Trees, Apple Trees, and Seasons}
• Free Apple Printables and Activities for a Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
• Montessori Apple Color Matching for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Montessori Apple Fraction Activities for Multiple Ages
• Free Apple Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Apple Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• The Best Apple Books for Kids
• Free Apple Picking Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Historically Accurate and Culturally Sensitive Thanksgiving Printables for Preschool Through Elementary
• How to Use Flint Corn (Ornamental Corn) for Montessori Practical Life and Language Work
• Apple Unit Study Pinterest Board
• Kids’ Fall Activities Pinterest Board

If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout September, see my September Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Fall Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fall Activities post at Living Montessori Now for lots of free printables and activity ideas!

I hope you find these helpful!

    

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early 

Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 45 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.

Montessori-Inspired Woodland Animal Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now 

Woodland animals make a great unit in the fall or winter. I have lots of free woodland animal printables and activities today, including a Montessori-inspired woodland animal pack (subscriber freebie at LivingMontessoriNow.com)! 

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Woodland Animal Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired woodland animal numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

I always have related books available throughout a unit. On the top shelf, Whose Tracks Are These? A Clue Book of Familiar Forest Animals for some animal track inspiration and Animals in the Forest (Where Animals Live) for basic information about forest animals. 

On the right side of the shelf ( book on a wooden cookbook holder), I have DK Smithsonian Picturepedia (beautiful photos and a fabulous reference book I use for many, many units!). 

You could mix your woodland animal themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special woodland animal themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves at the beginning of our unit have a mixture of skill levels mainly from preschooler through early elementary. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.

Whose Tracks Are These? Book with Woodland Animal Track Stones and Animal 3-Part Cards

 
Free Printable: Winter Adaptation 3-Part Cards from The Silvan Reverie 

There are 8 double-sided stones in the Let's Investigate Woodland Footprints set. To start our unit, I just put out 6 of the stones along with the matching 3-part cards. 

I display them simply on a Multicraft tray with the added Montessori cards display box (which I love and typically use for all my 3-part cards now).
 

Later on, we'll be using homemade playdough (this recipe minus any food coloring) to make footprints with the stones. I also plan to use the free animal tracks memory game printable to make an animal tracks memory game with wooden circles.

Forest Words Booklet

 
Free Printable: Forest Words Booklet (Forest Picture-Word Cards) from PreKinders

This is next to the open Picturepedia book on the top shelf. It’s so easy to prepare! Just print and cut it out. The printable even has places to punch holes to make a booklet using a binder ring.

Salt Writing Tray with Fox f and x Font Cards and Safari Ltd. Fox Figures

Free Printables: Fox letters f and x for salt writing tray (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

You'll see a variety of simple letter writing trays in my previous unit study posts. I often used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though.

I recently purchased this lovely spelling/alphabet tray from FamilyTreeWW on Etsy. Zoey recently turned 6 and is focusing on spelling a lot. She needs more room for writing longer words. We're also working on cursive. 

So I'm showing an example of how you can use the font cards (I included both f for the beginning sound of fox and x for the final sound of fox). for letters or words. To add interest, I included Safari Ltd. red fox and Arctic fox figures.

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

Matching Manuscript and Cursive Hedgehog Letters with Cursive Movable Alphabet

Free Printable: Hedgehog movable alphabet cards in manuscript and cursive (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

Zoey really enjoys this activity. I've used it with a cursive tracing board. I got the 2-sided version (with capital letters on one side and lowercase on the other), since capital cursive letters aren’t commonly seen on written materials. After tracing the letters on the tracing board, Zoey places the manuscript letters in alphabetical order. Then she matches each of the cursive letters to the manuscript letters. 

We’ve been using a traditional small wooden manuscript movable alphabet, although we’re now working with the cursive wooden movable alphabet. There are a number of price ranges available. You can find more movable alphabet resources in my “Inexpensive and DIY Movable Alphabets” post. 

Squirrel and Acorn Division Activity

Free Printable: Squirrel Numbers and Division Equation Symbols (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber). 

I also printed out 10 squirrels. (You could print out whichever squirrel you prefer.) When we lived in Colorado, our yard and neighborhood was filled with scrub oak. I saved a bag of the acorns and used 20 for this. 

 
I asked Zoey to divide 20 acorns between 2 squirrels, saying "1 for you, 1 for you..." until they were all divided equally. After completing that equation as shown above, she worked out the equation for 20 divided by 10 using 10 squirrel pictures. It was a great visual of the differences in equations.

Woodland Footprints Double-Sided Stones with Woodland Animal 3-Part Cards

Free Printable: Animal Tracks Puzzles by Tara from Embark on the Journey for Free Homeschool Deals 

I just used 7 of the puzzles (7 woodland animals) for this activity along with Safari Ltd. figures. I used figures for the activities here from the Safari Ltd. North American Wildlife TOOB and Nature TOOB. 

Free Woodland Animal Printables for Preschoolers Through First Graders

Montessori-Inspired Woodland Animal Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

For more free woodland animal printables, see my post at Living Montessori Now with Free Woodland Animal Printables and Montessori-Inspired Woodland Animal Activities.

Have a wonderful start to the holiday season!

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 43 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.