Themes & Activities

Apples
Open thematic poster

CIRCLE TIME

Circle time is perfect for introducing a new theme to the group. One way to introduce this theme is to tell a story using actions children can imitate.

Michael climbed a tall apple tree (make climbing motions)
A branch broke CRACK! (pretend falling to the ground, crouching)
Michael landed on the ground BOOM! (sit on the floor)
Where is Michael? (pretend looking for someone)
Michael is lying on his back (lay down on your back)
Get up Michael, get up! (Sit up again)

Note: You may want to replace Michael's name with the name of a child in your group.

SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION PERIODS

We have prepared a complete folder about apples. (Open folder-Apples) Present a variety of apples to the group: McIntosh, Cortland, Spartan, Empire, etc. Have children taste each kind.

Using pictures, show children the names of the different parts of an apple such as the stem, flesh, seeds, skin, and sepal (under the apple). Also show them pictures of apple trees throughout the seasons; winter, spring, summer, and fall.

AREA SETUP

Kind word apple tree
This activity may be done over a short period of time. Trace and cut out a tree trunk in brown construction paper. You may also use brown paper grocery bags. Display the tree trunk on the wall with adhesive putty. Trace a circle on brown paper and place it above the trunk. Cut out 4 cm squares of green tissue paper. Have children crumple them and glue them everywhere on the tree.

Print the kind word apples (Open-kind word apples). Have children cut them out and colour them red, green, or yellow. Next, let children take their apples home so their parents can write kind words on them. The following day, they can bring them back to the daycare and glue them in the apple tree you made. Children may also suggest kind words they would like you to inscribe for one of their daycare friends. Examples of kind words are: nice, happy, smiling, adorable, beautiful, gorgeous, smart, charming, cute, tender, gentle, respectful, friendly, etc.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS

Have fun with these wonderful workshop ideas provided by Caroline Allard.

Construction or building blocks:

Use only red, yellow, and green blocks...apple colors.
If you have them, add tractors, horses, farm animals...
we often see small farms when we visit apple orchards.

Arts & Crafts:

Red, yellow, and green paper. Suggest children cut out apple shapes, trace apple stencils, etc. Display their

work in an apple tree on the wall:

Apple-colored tissue paper. Children can crumple it to decorate apple shapes.
Crayons (red, yellow, and green) which can be used to draw apples.
Coloring pages related to the apple theme.
A painting activity involving apple prints. The star and butterfly hidden in an apple make great impressions. Use potatoes to make prints too and compare.

Role play:

Transform your kitchen area into an apple pie factory. Add aluminum pie plates, rolling pins, modeling dough (homemade with no food coloring), plastic apples and other types of fruit, aprons, oven mitts, etc.

Manipulation:

Memory game related to the apple theme. You may even want to use cards shaped like apples.
Memory or lotto game involving fruit, farm animals, or just apples if you have time to prepare one yourself.
Red, yellow, and green modeling dough. Provide fruit or farm animal-shaped cookie cutters. You can even find modeling dough which smells like apples or apple pie!
Red, yellow, and green beads to make necklaces. Use big or small ones depending on the age of children in your group.
Puzzle representing apples or farm animals.

Reading/relaxation:

Books about apples and farm animals can be found at your local library.
A poster representing the various apple parts (see educatall file).
Red, yellow, and green apples can be used to decorate the area.

Music/motor skills:

Create a song box with several songs about apples (there are so many!)
Have children massage each other using an apple they roll up and down their arms and legs.
Play a game with an apple hung from the ceiling, bobbing for apples, throwing apples.

Sensory bins:

Water table with dishwashing liquid which smells like apples.
Fruits and vegetables can be washed.
Farm animals
Do apples sink or float?.....Experiment with apples and other objects.

Science/kitchen:

Show children how apples turn brown when left exposed to air.
Make apple juice using a juice extractor.....children will love it!
Any recipe using apples: cobbler, applesauce, candy apple, apple salad...

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheet - Apples) Print a copy for each child. Apples are round. Use the apple theme to introduce circles. Have them trace the dotted line to make round apples.

PICTURE GAME

Use the pictures as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game - Apples) Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bin.

WORD FLASHCARDS

Use them to spark a conversation with the group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards - Apples) apple, stem, flesh, seeds, core, skin, apple tree, apple orchard, apple picking, bite, pie, applesauce

ACTIVITIES

A classic - Bobbing for apples
This activity is best suited for outdoors, especially if you are using bowls full of water. The object of the game is to catch floating apples using only your teeth. The first child to succeed is the winner. He may eat the apple. We suggest you use a different apple for each child.

Variation: You may hang apples from the ceiling with string. Children place their hands behind their back and try to catch their dangling apple with their teeth.

Traffic apples
(Open game - traffic apples) Print the three apples and cut them out. Determine a start and finish line. The red, green, and yellow apples represent traffic lights. When you show the red apple, children stop moving. If you show the green apple, they walk quickly whereas if you show the yellow light, they walk slowly.

Variation: Display a red, green, and yellow apple on the different walls of the daycare, forming a triangle. Children begin near the yellow apple and crawl to the wall with the green apple. From there, they hop on one leg to the wall with the red apple. Next, they move in the opposite direction. They move backwards in the direction of the green apple. Once there, they spin around twice before slithering on the floor like a snake towards the yellow apple.

Hot apple
Sit in a circle. Sing a song or designate a child to do so. Children pass an apple around the circle. When the song ends, the child holding the apple must follow the singer's instructions. He may, for example, request that the child stand on one leg, perform a somersault, hop three times, etc.

Apple picking
Pretend to go apple picking in your own backyard. Prepare apples before children arrive at daycare in the morning, tying them to tree branches with invisible thread. Children will love to discover the new "apple tree" when you go outside. Let children pick apples and eat them as a snack. Why not have circle time while they are eating the apples they picked? Show children the star which is hidden inside their apple. Tell them a cute story about the apple star. (Open story - Apples)

Searching for apples
Hide apples throughout the daycare. Children search for apples. When they find one, they gently deposit it in a basket left on a table. Once all the apples have been found, enjoy them as a snack.

Puzzle
(Open puzzle - Apples) Print, laminate, and cut out the puzzle pieces. Children enjoy reconstructing the puzzle.

I'm counting worms
(Open game - I'm counting worms) Print, laminate and attach an action to mime behind each apple. A child chooses an apple and counts the worms on the apple. If he is correct, read the corresponding mime and have the group act it out. Have another child choose an apple.

EARLY SCIENCE

Cut an apple in two. Leave half in water and the other half out on the counter. Have children observe the changes throughout the day and week. Place wet cotton balls in a small bowl. Add a few apple seeds and watch them grow.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Apple people
Provide each child with an apple and toothpicks. Set out a plate filled with food items such as marshmallows, pieces of banana, dried raisins, apple pieces, grapes, strawberries, and anything else you have on hand. Children will enjoy creating original apple people.

Applesauce paint
Use applesauce as paint. Add red or green food coloring. Children will love experimenting with this new paint to create an abstract design using their fingers.

Apple butter

Make apple butter with children. You will need:

8 cups of apples, peeled, deseeded, and diced
2/3 cup of sugar
½ cup of butter

Bake apples and sugar for 17 minutes on HIGH (100%) power in a microwave oven. Add butter and pour into a blender. Mix well. Children may bring small portions home in a tiny baby food jar. The jars can even be decorated with paper, paint, or stickers.

Apple pie

Bake apple pies with the group. Each child can make his own pie. Ask parents to send in an apron, a rolling pin, and apples. Draw the recipe instructions onto a large piece of cardboard to make them easy to follow for children. You may even want to make baker hats with children prior to baking. Collect all apple skins to create an interesting theme-related manipulation bin.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Hidden star
Cut apples in two so children can see the hidden stars. Cover the bottom only of trays with poster paint. Dip apples in the paint and make prints on paper. Children will admire the stars. Use several different colors of paint to create a sky full of multicolored stars.

Apple mobile
Have children paint various apple shapes. Add sparkles, apple seeds, worms, or candy. Go outdoors for a walk and have them collect two branches each. Tie branches together with string so they look like an "x". Hang the mobiles from the ceiling. Tie string to the end of each apple shape and attach to the mobiles.

Variation: Use Styrofoam balls for the apples. Hang them from the ceiling.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme - Apples)

SUGGESTION OF THE WEEK

A special thanks to Lisette Poissant for this recipe.

Apple pizza

Ingredients:

1 package of pizza or crescent dough
1 can of applie pie filling
½ cup of brown sugar
½ cup of vanilla icing

Roll out the dough. Spread the apple mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar to taste (you do not have to use the full ½ cup). Warm the icing. Use a squeezable bottle to add icing on top of the pizza. You can make "zigzags" or horizontal and vertical lines. Follow package instructions for baking the dough.

SONGS & RHYMES

O' Apple tree

by: Patricia Morrison

Sung to: O' Christmas tree

O' Apple tree, O' Apple tree
Your flowers are so lovely
O' Apple tree, O' Apple tree
Your flowers are so lovely
They disappear, then apples grow
Red, yellow, green, they're all so good
O'Apple tree, O'Apple tree
Can't wait to pick your apples

Little Apple

By: Patricia Morrison

Sung to: Ten little Indians

One little, two little, three little apples
Four little, five little, six little apples
Seven little, eight little, nine little apples
Ten little apples red

Ten little, nine little, eight little apples
Seven little, six little, five little apples
Four little, three little, two little apples
One little apple red

Have nice day!

Educatall team

Our job is to make yours easier. Do not hesitate to suggest themes you would like to see us develop. Let us know of any printable documents or tools which could be useful. Send us your comments and suggestions!

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