Fall Activities for the Classroom

Want to spruce up your classroom for fall? You’ve got the crafts, snacks and lessons planned. Add some activity stations for your kids and let the fun begin! You could introduce a new station each week or host an indoor mini festival by using them all at once. Customize fall activities for the classroom according to your kids’ ages. This is also a great way grow your kids’ church; my regular kids always tell their friends when we have something cool planned. Try these five ideas to get started.
Guess the jellybeans: It’s an “old-fashioned” idea but it still entertains. Here’s how you do it. Fill an empty lidded jar with jellybeans. You’ll have to count them as you drop them in. (That’s a good job for a volunteer!) Put the lid on the jar. Write down the number so you wont’ forget how many are in the jar. Each week, let kids guess how many beans they see. It’s a good idea to write down their guesses too. At the end of the contest period announce the winner. Sometimes a child will guess the exact number but not frequently. You’ll have to give it to whoever comes closest. Remember to store the jellybeans in a cool, dark cabinet until you’re ready to send it home with someone.
Start a can drive: This time of year, many churches provide meals to the hungry or take the opportunity to restock the church food pantry. Get a jump on the seasonal need by asking kids to donate cans of beans, fruits and vegetables. It’s a good idea to send a list home but I’d accept whatever items wanted to donate.
Sorting word leaves: Print this fall’s scripture verses on construction paper, each in a leaf shape. Laminate the leaves to prevent them from tearing. Let kids sort the word leaves, putting them in the right order. It’s a good idea to review the scripture verses first though, just to jog their memory.
Write acorn prayers: Cover a bulletin board with paper and decorate it with a paper tree that has no leaves. Print acorn shapes, about the size of your fist and have them ready for kids. Ask kids to write their prayer requests on the acorns, then staple them to the base of the tree. Your prayer tree will remind kids to pray for others.
Ooey, gooey pumpkins: This icky activity is great for older kids. Fill plastic pumpkins with different ingredients like cooked, cooled spaghetti, vanilla pudding, grapes and whatever else you’d like to try. Blindfold kids one by one and let them put their hands in the pumpkins. They’ll wonder what they are feeling. This is a great activity to lead kids into a discussion about fear.