Back To School Reality- Family and Apple Theme

It feels like yesterday I was getting ready for summer and here we are end of August. Many kids around here have started back at school and I have a Senior this year. Hopefully, everyone is returning to the school routine and the early mornings. I'm about ready to get back into a little more structure with my little ones learning too. He will be 2 in November and even though I plan to homeschool him, I'm not there yet. I was a daycare teacher many moons ago, that mindset hasn't left me. I like themes, books, rotating toys, and learning through play. So for the most part, I will continue with my simple plans this fall. I have a friend homeschooling her two boys older than mine but we love to do "Field Trips" together. She has a new homeschooling friend too, so our little homeschool pod is growing and I'm not even in the trenches yet.

I like to make my themes based on my little one's interests and some random holidays. Each day has at least one silly National holiday on it, some have more. Some are sweet and some are just weird. This month these are holidays I chose to incorporate into our activities.

• 2nd National Play Outside Day

• 3rd Skyscraper Day

• 6th Read a Book Day

• 9th Teddy Bear Day

• 10th Grandparents Day

• 13th Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day

• 15th Make a hat day

• 16th Playdoh Day

• 26th Pancake Day

The themes for this month will be Family and Apples. We tried to spend time with cousins over the summer but they have returned to school so we won't get to see them as much. I want to ensure he knows his cousins, so we will discuss our family. We will make a family photo album so he can work on naming everyone and pointing out himself. I will let him color on the page and then I'll attach a picture. I'll laminate them and then put them in a binder. We will send the grandparents a picture for Grandparents Day. These activities will work on fine motor skills, colors, identifying familiar people, and referring to himself by name.

For Apples will try to sort apples by color and by size (big/little). I will be using this free printable activity that goes with a book to have different colored apples. We will have a field trip to go pick apples and will probably go with family too. We will pretend to pick apples with fake apples too. We will do Apple art projects too like gluing ripped-up red paper on a paper plate which works on fine motor skills. In the post here they have a cute Apple Sensory Table idea with oatmeal, a dash of cinnamon, and red pompoms. In the same post, they have an Apple Playdough Tray which you can use for Playdoh Day. We'll be working on colors, understanding size concepts and pretend play. This page has a lot of Apple Themed Activities that might line up better for your child, for us it's a little advanced.

For special holiday days, we will try to do something specific for it.

• National Play Outside Day- we will be getting outside probably to the Arboretum. Hopefully, the weather cooperates for us.

• Skyscraper Day- We'll build with blocks and make our own skyscraper buildings. works on hand-eye coordination, and pretend play.

• Read a Book Day- Of course, we'll read books. Going to the library would be a good idea too but it will be on a work day. To go with the Apple theme we'll do Ten Apples Up On Top and here's a free printable activity to go with the book too.

• Teddy Bear Day- We might have a Teddy Bear picnic with real or fake foods. works on pretend play, identifying familiar foods.

• Grandparents Day- We will make a picture to send to the Grandparents and will probably FaceTime them.

• Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day- My Little One will get to help make dinner. I will make sure there are jobs he can do to be a part of making dinner.

• Make a hat day- We will make paper hats. These paper plate hats look cute. It'll work on fine motor skills, colors,, and following directions.

• Play-doh Day- We love playing with Play-doh so I'll take out some new play-doh toys to explore. You could make this Edible Playdough. It's safe if little ones eat it and bigger kids will find it fun to make and taste. You could add some cinnamon to make it cinnamon playdoh like the Playdoough tray above. It will work on following directions, and fine motor skills.

• Pancake Day- We will have Pancakes for dinner and I will let my Little one help mix and add probably blueberries. It will work on following directions.

All of these activities can have tons of language embedded in it. You are always talking and always modeling new language. I always like to offer 2 choices whenever possible.

Here is a printable to have the information at your fingertips.

September Themes Family and Apples.pdf

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