Free Printable Jack-O-Lantern Barrier Game

This free printable jack-o-lantern barrier game is a perfect way to work on speech therapy and language goals this Halloween.

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Carving pumpkins can be a sensory nightmare for a lot of kids.

But what if you could make a jack-o-lantern that not only avoids the sensory aspect, but also works on speech and language skills?

Well, that's where this free printable jack-o-lantern barrier game comes into play! 

You'll be taking turns, designing a custom jack-o-lantern, and seeing if you can get others to follow your instructions to make the exact same one. Simply mix and match the different eyes, noses, and mouths to create your own fun pumpkin, all while working on a variety of different skills.

What is a Barrier Game?

Barrier games are a way to practice speech and social skills concepts by creating and describing scenes to another player and having them recreate the scene on their own game board. An example of a barrier game that you might be familiar with is Battleship.

We personally use barrier games to work on skills such as:

• Following directions

• Listening skills

• Prepositions (on, under, above, beside, next to, etc.)

• Expressive speech

• Vocabulary

• Turn taking

• Comprehension

But, of course, that's not all! You can use barrier games to practice a wide variety of different speech, language, and social skills. You can learn more about barrier games and their benefits here.

How to Use the Free Pumpkin Themed Barrier Game

To prep this barrier game, you will need at least two players. Simply download, print two copies of both the scene and the items (one copy for each player), cut the individual items, and laminate all pieces for durability (optional).

To play this barrier game, have all players sit at a table and set up a barrier. A file folder or book works great! The goal is to make sure that all players cannot see each other's materials.

Each player takes turns placing an object on the scene and describing to the other player where to place the objects. It's important to give clear and specific directions on where to place the objects.

The objective of the game is to have identical pictures at the end. That is, all players should have matching scenes with the items placed in the same spots for all players.

Download the Free Printable Jack-O-Lantern Barrier Game

This free printable barrier game includes four pages, including detailed instructions on how to play, a landscape or scene, and game pieces.

Keep in mind that you'll want to print two copies of each page and laminate everything for durability before use.

To get your copy of this barrier game, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More Barrier Games?

You'll find even more themes in the barrier games bundle!

Click here to get your copy of the barrier games bundle

Or you can enjoy more seasonal fun with the Fall & Halloween Barrier Games Bundle! This jack-o-lantern barrier game is a free sample/preview from this bundle.

Click here to get your copy of the fall & Halloween barrier games bundle

Free Printable Leaf Emotions Spot the Match Game

Looking for a cute and easy way to work on emotions with your child? Try this free printable leaf emotions spot the match game. It uses adorable leaf faces to teach emotions!

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We love games in our house. Card games, board games, video games...we play them all! My kids, especially my oldest son, can't get enough of games. Honestly, if we were ever to homeschool, then we would probably gameschool. But for now, we're happy with our current schooling choices.

Anyway, games are such a great way to work on a variety of skills, whether that's problem solving skills, turn taking skills, or learning how to be a good sport. They can target many of these skills at once.

And, honestly, I think that board games are one of the best - and easiest! -  ways to build a variety of social skills.

But you can also use games to teach emotions. Like this leaf emotions spot the match game can do. This game is super easy to learn and features the cutest little leaf emojis. Did I mention that it's free? Well, it is!

About this Leaf Emotions Spot the Match Game

This free printable leaf emotions spot the match game is inspired by the game Spot it. It features adorable leaf faces to teach emotions, from happy and sad to silly and frustrated.

The object of the game is to simply find a matching leaf emoji between two cards. Be the first to call out the match by saying the name of the emotion that's the same on two cards.

There are actually lots of different ways to play Spot It style games like this. Just do a quick google search and you'll find lots of possibilities. So play around a bit until you find a play style you enjoy.

I highly recommend laminating the leaf emotions game cards for durability, especially if you're using them with really young kids. Here's the laminator I use and love.

Download the Free Printable Leaf Emotions Game

This two page printable includes seven game cards. Each card has three leaf emotion faces. Simply print, cut, and laminate the individual cards for durability before playing.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More Ideas for Teaching Emotions? Try this Leaf Themed Printable Pack!

This printable is a free sample from the Leaf Themed Emotions Pack. If you love this activity and this theme, then grab a copy of the full emotions pack below.

Get your copy of the Leaf Themed Emotions Pack

Free Printable Acorn Themed Emotion Puzzles

Looking for a cute way to teach emotions to toddlers and preschoolers this fall? Try this free printable set of emotion puzzles with adorable acorn emojis.

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There are so many different ways to teach kids about emotions. You can model different emotions. You can help label your child's feelings. You can read books about anger, anxiety, joy, and more. You can do all sorts of emotions activities from worksheets to playful games. The list goes on and on.

Today I have a simple and fun fall themed set of emotion puzzles for kids. They're really simple so they're even great for toddlers and preschoolers.

These little puzzles feature adorable little acorn faces. I mean just look at how cute they are? They're perfect for a quick fall activity at home or in the classroom.

About these Acorn Themed Emotion Puzzles

These emotion puzzles feature 8 different emotions: happy, sad, surprised, calm, angry, excited, bored, and frustrated. Each acorn emotion face is paired with the name of the emotion written below (a must when you have a hyperlexic kid!).

To play, simply find the matching halves of the emotion and pair them together. As I mentioned above, these puzzles are easy enough for toddlers and preschoolers to use too.

I highly recommend laminating the emotion puzzles for durability, especially if you're using them with really young kids. Here's the laminator I use and love.

Download the Free Printable Emotion Puzzles

This four page printable includes a total of eight emotion puzzles. Each card has an adorable acorn emoji paired with the corresponding emotion word. Print, cut, and laminate for durability.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More Ideas for Teaching Emotions? Try this Acorn Themed Printable Pack!

This printable is a free sample from the Acorn Themed Emotions Pack. If you love this activity and this theme, then grab a copy of the full emotions pack below.

Get your copy of the Acorn Themed Emotions Pack

Other Emotions Activities for Kids You'll Love

Feelings Walk: A Simple Emotional Learning Activity for Kids

Free Emotions Worksheets for Anxiety

More Emotions Worksheets & Activities for Kids

Free Thanksgiving Word Scramble Printable for Kids

This free printable Thanksgiving word scramble game is perfect for kids of all ages.

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Okay well, I definitely missed posting this printable in time for Canadian Thanksgiving. But I might as well share it in time for Thanksgiving in the US, right? Even if I am just squeaking it in last minute! 

Although I guess I could technically argue that I'm posting this Thanksgiving word scramble printable really, really early for Canadian Thanksgiving next year. Anyway...

There are a few differences like the month in which we celebrate and the fact that we don't do any parades or anything like that. I mean it's cold here in November. Sure, we have a Santa Claus parade at this time of year, but that's it. We generally save parades for the warmer months when we don't have to freeze our butts off. Besides, Thanksgiving's just not as big of a deal here I find. On the flip side, it seems to be a huge celebration in the US. 

The thing is hyperlexic kids love word games like word scrambles. And I had this Thanksgiving one that I made for Canadian Thanksgiving. But then I forgot to post it here on the blog. So I went back and added another version to it to reflect the month in which American Thanksgiving occurs. And now you can download either version of the Thanksgiving word scramble. So there's that.

Why Word Scramble Games are Good for Kids

Word scramble games are a great way for kids to work on vocabulary, spelling, language skills, working memory, problem-solving skills, writing, and so much more! There's a wide range of skills you could target here. Just get creative.

You can use free printable word scramble games like this one at home, in the classroom, or even on the road. Or you could use them in Zoom meetings for online learning (tips on how to do so here). They'd even make a great rainy day activity too!

Also, if you've been looking for other ideas on how to use your hyperlexic child's interests in letters, then word scramble games are a great fit. They definitely build off of a hyperlexic child's interest in letters. I mean the game is literally just a bunch of letters. Besides, using your hyperlexic child's interests to teach new skills is definitely something you should be doing - and something you'll hear me say a lot around here!

So anyway, if you're looking for a quick Thanksgiving activity, give this Thanksgiving word scramble for kids a try. 

Download the Free Thanksgiving Word Scramble Printable

This printable is eight pages total. Two versions of the word scramble game are included, one to reflect the month of October, which is when Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated, and one to reflect American Thanksgiving which is in November. 

For each version, you'll find two variations (one with a word bank and one without the word list). Each game contains 12 Thanksgiving themed words, focusing on the season and meal itself. It does not include words like pilgrim, parade, or any American focused vocabulary. An answer key is also included.

To get your copy of the Thanksgiving word scramble, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Free Printable Pumpkin Themed Emotions Chart

A free printable pumpkin themed emotions chart for kids. It's perfect for helping kids open up about their emotions around Halloween time.

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Many kids are excited about Halloween. But there are also many who are not. They might be worried or nervous instead. So that means that some kids might need a bit of extra support when it comes to emotional regulation during this holiday season.

A good starting point is to help kids identify and label their feelings about Halloween. 

And one way to do that is to use this free printable pumpkin themed emotions chart. It's a simple way to open up discussions about how your child might be feeling.

About this Pumpkin Emotions Chart

This emotions chart is perfect for using in the fall months, leading up to Halloween. It's a fun and festive way to talk about different emotions that your child might be feeling.

Your child can simply point to the pumpkin face that represents how they're feeling or they could draw a circle around the pumpkin. There's even an option to draw and name their own emotion using a blank pumpkin as their canvas. It's almost like carving their own pumpkin...just without the ooey, gooey mess of the pumpkin guts.

Anyway, if you're planning to draw on it, then I highly recommend laminating this printable first and using dry erase markers. That way you can reuse it day after day. Here's the laminator I use and love. 

If you don't have a laminator, then you can also just use clear sheet protectors, which you can usually find at the dollar store. Just slip the printable inside and voila!

Download the Free Printable Pumpkin Themed Emotions Chart

This one page printable has 12 pumpkins (11 with facial expressions and one blank) that represent different emotions. Each pumpkin is paired with a related emotion word. I highly recommend laminating for durability.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More Pumpkin Themed Emotions Activities?

This emotion chart is a free sample from the Pumpkin Themed Emotions Pack. If you love this activity and this theme, then grab a copy of the full emotions pack below.

Get your copy of the Pumpkin Themed Emotions Pack

Free Halloween Word Scramble Printable for Kids

This free printable Halloween word scramble game is perfect for kids of all ages.

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Word scramble games are a great activity to keep hyperlexic kids busy. I mean it is a perfect way to lean into their interest in letters while working on other skills (many of which are listed below).

And this Halloween word scramble game is no different.

All you have to do is unscramble the different Halloween vocabulary words. It's a great activity for a classroom Halloween party. Or it makes for a fun Halloween game at home before you take the kids trick-or-treating. 

So if you're looking for a little Halloween fun this year, then you'll want to grab a copy of this Halloween game. Did I mention that it's free?

Why Word Scramble Games are Good for Kids

Word scramble games are a great way for kids to work on vocabulary, spelling, language skills, working memory, problem-solving skills, writing, and so much more! There's a wide range of skills you could target here. Just get creative.

You can use free printable word scramble games like this one at home, in the classroom, or even on the road. Or you could use them in Zoom meetings for online learning (tips on how to do so here). They'd even make a great rainy day activity too!

Also, if you've been looking for other ideas on how to use your hyperlexic child's interests in letters, then word scramble games are a great fit. They definitely build off of a hyperlexic child's interest in letters. I mean the game is literally just a bunch of letters. Besides, using your hyperlexic child's interests to teach new skills is definitely something you should be doing - and something you'll hear me say a lot around here!

So anyway, if you're looking for a quick fall activity, give this Halloween word scramble for kids a try. 

Download the Free Halloween Word Scramble Printable

This printable is three pages total. Two versions of the word scramble game are included (one with a word bank and one without the word list). Each game contains 15 Halloween themed words. An answer key is also included.

To get your copy of the Halloween word scramble, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Free Fall Word Scramble Printable for Kids

This free printable fall word scramble game is perfect for kids of all ages.

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Word games are a favorite among hyperlexic kids. It's why something like these Scrabble math games were a favorite of my son's for like forever. As were word searches.

But one other type of word game that my son loves is word scrambles. I personally loved them as a kid too and still do enjoy them as an adult as well. So I'm super stoked that he likes them as well.

So that's where this fall word scramble comes in. It's currently fall/autumn. (Although it might not look like it at the moment with the small layer of snow I see outside my window as I type this.) We like word games. So it seemed like a no-brainer to combine the two, right?

By the way, did I mention that this fall word scramble PDF is free? It sure is!

Why Word Scramble Games are Good for Kids

Word scramble games are a great way for kids to work on vocabulary, spelling, language skills, working memory, problem-solving skills, writing, and so much more! There's a wide range of skills you could target here. Just get creative.

You can use free printable word scramble games like this one at home, in the classroom, or even on the road. Or you could use them in Zoom meetings for online learning (tips on how to do so here). They'd even make a great rainy day activity too!

Also, if you've been looking for other ideas on how to use your hyperlexic child's interests in letters, then word scramble games are a great fit. They definitely build off of a hyperlexic child's interest in letters. I mean the game is literally just a bunch of letters. Besides, using your hyperlexic child's interests to teach new skills is definitely something you should be doing - and something you'll hear me say a lot around here!

So anyway, if you're looking for a quick fall activity, give this fall word scramble for kids a try. 

Download the Free Fall Word Scramble Printable

This printable is three pages total. Two versions of the word scramble game are included (one with a word bank and one without the word list). Each game contains 13 fall themed words. An answer key is also included.

To get your copy of the fall word scramble, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

The Best Pumpkin Sensory Bins for Kids

Looking for pumpkin sensory bins for kids? Well, try these awesome pumpkin sensory bin activities! They're great for toddlers and preschoolers.

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Between Thanksgiving (the Canadian one at least!) and Halloween, October is the perfect month for doing all of the pumpkin theme activities. That might mean carving a pumpkin or two together. Or it might mean a trip to the pumpkin patch, some pumpkin pie (yum!), and/or enjoying a little pumpkin sensory play.

It's that last part that we're obviously going to focus on here. The title does say pumpkin sensory bins after all.

Below you will find lots of great pumpkin sensory play ideas to keep toddlers and preschoolers busy. I focused primarily on bins that used pumpkin manipulatives or real pumpkins versus ones that showed you how to make pumpkin spiced fillers like cloud dough and whatnot. That would have made this list gigantic otherwise!

Your Kids are Going to Love these Pumpkin Sensory Bins!

1. Acorn & Pumpkin Sensory Bin with Water (pictured below and in collage) - Super simple to set up, but loads of fun. Perfect for kids who love to scoop and pour.

2. Pumpkin Scoop Sensory Bin from Happy Toddler Playtime - Similar to my sensory bin above, but with real mini pumpkins. My kids would love this!

3. Pumpkin Wash Sensory Bin from Busy Toddler - Bubbles, water, pumpkins. Need I say more? My nieces just tried this activity out on Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast. It's so simple, yet engaging.

4. Washing Pumpkins Sensory Bin from Elated Momma (pictured in collage) - This activity expands on the idea above. However, instead of just using soapy water, this activity uses colorful soap foam (a favorite around here!). So it provides a neat texture alongside the pumpkins.

5. Pumpkin Guts Sensory Bin from Childhood Beckons - This activity is exactly what you think it is...The inside of a pumpkin as a sensory bin! While it might get a bit messy and many kids might not enjoy the texture, it looks like tons of fun! Plus, it's a great way to reuse the waste when it's pumpkin carving time.

6. Pumpkin & Kinetic Sand Sensory Bin from 3 Dinosaurs - We're huge fans of kinetic sand around here. It's just one of those sensory bin fillers that is great for kids of all ages. This activity pairs it with some little acrylic pumpkins, which happen to be perfect for stamping in the kinetic sand too.

7. Letter Pumpkin Sensory Bin from Planning Playtime - The inclusion of letters in this sensory activity make it perfect for hyperlexic kids. I also love the creative DIY pumpkins that were used for this idea.

8. Pumpkins & Oobleck from Busy Toddler - Here's another messy sensory activity to try, if you're up for it.

9. Mini Pumpkin Scented Sensory Play from Fun-A-Day! - Here's an adorable fall twist on my rainbow dyed chickpeas. I love that they're scented too!

10. Pumpkin Boats Fall Sensory Play from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls - I think this idea is so adorable and perfect for kids who love boats. It's also a great way to explore science concepts.

11. Pumpkin Sensory Bin with Rice from 3 Dinosaurs - This activity is super easy to set up. It uses plain white rice so no extra prep or setup required.

12. Harvesting Pumpkins Sensory Bin from Preschool Toolkit - Your hyperlexic kid will love that numbers are included in this activity.

13. Sight Word Pumpkin Path Sensory Bin from Simple Fun for Kids (pictured in collage) - I love the combination of textures and colors in this bin. It looks so inviting! Plus, the words will make it extra enticing for hyperlexic kids. Too bad there isn't a free printable included.

14. Pumpkin Path Sensory Bin from Views from a Step Stool - Such a cute way to bring the pumpkin patch indoors at home.

15. 3 Pumpkin Sensory Bins (& Other Activities) from Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten - If you scroll down, you'll find 3 different sensory bins to try. There's one that has black and orange shredded paper as the base. There's another that uses glowing water beads. And then there's one with black beans. All of them look awesome!

16. 5 Little Pumpkins Sensory Bin from I Heart Crafty Things - This bin is great for working on fine motor skills.

17. Pumpkin Sorting Sensory Activity from Fun-A-Day! - Work on color sorting with another fun twist on my rainbow dyed chickpeas. This activity is great for working on fine motor skills!

18. Pumpkin Patch Sensory Bin for Matching from Life Over C's - I like that there is a specific purpose for this activity so the items included are selected intentionally.

19. Edible Pumpkin Patch Sensory Bin from Our Five Ring Circus - This activity is perfect for kids who are still in the mouthing stage or like to chew on everything (even beyond the toddler years!). I also love the base for this sensory bin.

20. Pumpkin Water Bead Sensory Bin from 3 Dinosaurs - I love the contrast between the clear water beads and the colorful pumpkins in this activity. Looks fun!

21. Pumpkin Patch Small World Sensory Play from Buggy and Buddy - This pumpkin activity is great for imaginative play. The kids will love telling stories with it while playing.

22. Muddy Pumpkin Patch Sensory Play from Nerdy Mamma - This idea is cute and I bet it smells amazing!

Which one of these pumpkin sensory bins are you going to try out first? Are you going to start simple or try something messy? Either way, have fun!

Fall Mindfulness Activities for Kids

Fall themed mindfulness activities for kids, including deep breathing exercises, gratitude crafts, and ideas for doing fall yoga for kids.

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Fall is a busy time for most families. It starts with back to school season and the scheduling of after school activities. Then the holidays quickly approach and then the next thing you know it's already Christmas.

Despite your busy schedule, there's certainly lots of ways you can sneak in some mindfulness practice with your kids.

From yoga to deep breathing to gratitude crafts, there's tons of great fall mindfulness activities for kids below that will help you slow down and just be a touch more present this fall.

Autumn/Fall Mindfulness Activities for Kids

Here are some wonderful fall themed mindfulness activities for kids, including deep breathing exercises, five senses ideas, and fall sensory bottles. There's even a couple of free mindfulness printables included below.

1. Fall Leaf Deep Breathing Exercise {Free Poster!}

2. 12+ Fall Sensory Bottles for Mindfulness

3. Free Mindful Leaf Tracing Printables from Rock Your Homeschool

4. Pumpkin Deep Breathing Exercise from The OT Toolbox

5. 8 Fall Mindfulness & Gratitude Activities for Kids from Counselor Keri

6. Describe a Pumpkin Using the 5 Senses from Gift of Curiosity

7. Free Printable Autumn Mindfulness Walk Worksheet from Flow and Grow Kids Yoga

8. Free Printable Autumn Nature Hunt Bingo from Such a Time as This

Guided Fall Meditation for Kids

There are lots of benefits of meditation for kids. I know the idea of a kid sitting still and quiet for a handful of minutes seems practically impossible. But with a little bit of practice - and a whole lot of patience - it is totally doable.

New to meditating with kids? Here are some great tips to get started with meditation for kids.

Otherwise, feel free to share these short guided meditations with your kids.

Fall & Autumn Inspired Yoga Poses for Kids

Yoga is a great mindfulness tool for kids. Here are some awesome yoga poses and sequences that are inspired by fall that the kids will love!

1. Fall Themed Yoga from Pink Oatmeal

2. 5 Fall Yoga Poses Using a Chair from Kids Yoga Stories

3. 10 Autumn Yoga Poses from Kids Yoga Stories

Gratitude Crafts for Autumn

Gratitude and mindfulness pretty much go hand in hand. Expressing gratitude encourages kids to focus on the many things they are thankful for instead of focusing on all the bad things that aren't going their way. Here are some great fall inspired gratitude crafts.

1. Paper Bag Gratitude Tree Craft from No Time for Flash Cards

2. Handprint Tree of Thanks Craft from Fun Handprint Art

3. Magnetic Thankful Tree from The Educator's Spin on it

4. Gratitude Leaves & Tree Craft from Creative Family Fun

Easy Fall Sensory Bin

Looking for autumn/fall sensory bin ideas? Try this easy fall sensory bin with popcorn kernels!

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I absolutely love the colors of fall, even if it means another cold Canadian winter isn't too far behind. As it is, our fall season is usually pretty short since the snow falls so early. But fall is officially here (even if it's only for a brief moment). And so are the lovely fall colors.

I put together this simple fall sensory bin for kids as a way to capture those fall colors without bringing on cooler temperatures (hopefully!). The end result is so pretty!

Plus, this sensory bin was really easy to put together. It's basically a dump and play style sensory bin. It also uses inexpensive materials from the dollar store paired with items from your kitchen.

A version of this post originally appeared on the CBC Parents website.

What You'll Need for this Fall Sensory Bin

For this lovely autumn inspired sensory bin, we used:

• Popcorn kernels - How much you need will depend on the size of your container.

• Felt leaves - I found these at Dollar Tree.

• Acrylic leaves table scatter - I found these at Michael's. They can usually be found with the seasonal items or in the vase filler aisle. I've also since spotted similar at Dollarama.

• Fake maple leaves - I found these at Dollarama. They look pretty realistic.

• Measuring cups & spoons (optional) - I always like to include kitchen tools in sensory bins for a little extra fine motor skills practice. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand, whether that's measuring cups, scoops, or spoons.

Add the popcorn kernels to a plastic container. Then scatter the various leaves on top. The finished sensory bin should look something like this:

Exploring this Colorful Autumn Sensory Bin

Surprisingly, we've never used popcorn kernels for a sensory bin filler before. Needless to say, my boys were quite intrigued to play with them. And, with plenty of different textures to explore and a variety of colors in this sensory bin, it's a wonderful sensory experience for little hands.

By adding scoops and spoons, you'll also be encouraging lots of fine motor development too! They did lots of scooping, pouring, and dumping - all great for strengthening those fine motor skills!

Using measuring cups in a sensory bin is also a good way to explore math concepts like volume, measurement, and counting. For instance, as my boys were scooping the popcorn kernels, they counted how many scoops it would take to fill up a bigger measuring cup.

Your kids can also compare the different sizes, shapes, and colors of the leaves in this sensory bin. It's also a great opportunity to talk about the different textures and materials of the leaves. After all, we've got fabric, felt, and acrylic leaves in this fall bin.

I absolutely love how this fall sensory bin turned out. It definitely captures the beautiful colors of fall, but it also offers lots of hands-on learning. Most importantly, though, my boys had a blast playing with it!

Fall Leaves Sensory Bin with Water

Looking for autumn sensory bins or fall water table ideas? Try this gorgeous fall leaves sensory bin with water. It's super simple to put together and tons of fun for toddlers and preschoolers.

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There are so many things that I love about the upcoming season change, but perhaps my most favorite thing about fall is the colors. Hues of red, orange, yellow, and brown mix with what is left of the green leaves. There's just something so magical about it, don't you think?

So, to capture the spirit of fall, I put together this fall leaves sensory bin with water.

This quick and simple autumn sensory play idea encourages fine motor practice and is a great reflection of the swirling, colorful leaves of fall.

What You'll Need for this Fall Sensory Bin

This fall leaf sensory bin is super duper quick to put together, just like our other sensory soup bins. (Hint: it's basically add everything into a bin and mix it up!) Here's what we used:

• Water - How much you'll need will depend on the size of your container.

• Liquid watercolors - I used a mixture of orange and yellow to achieve the golden color. As an alternative, you could also use food coloring to tint the water.

• Acrylic leaves - Mine are from Michaels, but you can usually find these at the dollar store now as well. If you don't have acrylic leaves, foam leaves are a great substitute.

• Kitchen utensils - I added a whisk, a ladle, a large spoon, and a large plastic bowl, but other things to add are measuring cups, measuring spoons, etc.

First you need to fill a container with some water. Then add some liquid watercolors or food coloring and mix until the water is the color you're aiming for. Obviously, you'll want to go with a fall inspired color. We went with a golden orangish color. Then add the acrylic leaves and kitchen utensils.

The finished sensory bin should look something like this:

And here's a close up photo of the leaves in the colored water, with a little hand sneaking in there, ready to play.

Alternatively, you could set this activity up in a water tray or water table instead of in a sensory bin container.

This Fall Leaves Sensory Bin with Water is Great for Working on Fine Motor Skills!

My youngest K was having one of his rare nap days. That means that my oldest son J got the chance to enjoy this autumn inspired sensory bin all by himself.

Probably his favorite thing to do was to scoop up the water and the leaves into the provided bowl. Seriously, he had a blast with doing this over and over. First you need to scoop...

And pour...

And fill up the bowl as much as you can, bit by bit.

Sometimes, you can skip the ladle and just use your hands to grab the leaves. Whatever works, right?

Then, once all the leaves were successfully transferred to the plastic bowl, J happily mixed his soup together using the whisk. He loved to whisk slowly and gradually increase his speed. Then he would happily tip the bowl, dumping all the leaves out and start the process all over again.

J had so much fun with this fall themed sensory bin! So much so that it inspired lots of other sensory soup activities, many of which can be found here.

But how could he not enjoy it? I mean this fall leaves sensory bin with water looks so incredibly inviting, don't you think? Hopefully, your kids love it as much as my son did.

Apple Sensory Bin with Water

Looking for apple sensory activities? Try this simple apple sensory bin with water. It's perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to work on their fine motor skills.

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Apples are a favorite fruit around here. I mean we go through a lot of apples here in a week. Thankfully, our neighbor's apple tree hangs over into our yard and she lets us pick as many apples as we want in the fall.

So, naturally, we love apple season.

And a perfect way to celebrate apple season with your toddlers and preschoolers is with this simple apple sensory bin with water.

It's a super simple sensory "soup" activity that feels just as cool and refreshing as that first bite into an apple. It just happens to sneak in some fine motor skills practice and learning too.

What You'll Need for this Apple Sensory Bin

Similar to our other sensory soup bins, this apple sensory activity was is quick and easy to prepare. Here's what we used:

• Water - How much you'll need will depend on the size of the container you are using.

• Liquid watercolors (optional, but more fun) - I used a couple of drops of green, as you can see. Alternatively, you can use food coloring instead.

• Acrylic apples in red and green - I found these at Michaels and can't seem to find a suitable match for them online. However, you could always substitute red and green glass stones, apple shaped mini erasers, foam apple shapes, or similar.

• Kitchen utensils (optional, but, again, more fun) - I added a whisk, a ladle, a large spoon, and a white plastic bowl. You can add measuring cups or measuring spoons too.

Simply add water and liquid watercolors to a large plastic container and mix it up. Then add the apples and kitchen utensils. And that's it!

Engaging Apple Sensory Play for Toddlers & Preschoolers

As simple as this apple themed sensory bin is, it certainly was engaging! Although my kids love anything that involves water and kitchen utensils, so I'm not surprised that they loved this one too.

I particularly love the way the apples look in the water. They look crisp and refreshing just like real apples. (Although don't eat these apples.)

Seriously, the apples look so colorful and inviting. I mean, don't you want to just scoop them up too?

This Apple Sensory Bin Idea Develops Fine Motor Skills Too!

Part of the reason why I love setting up sensory soup bins like this one is that they encourage lots of fine motor practice with real kitchen tools. All that scooping, pouring, stirring, mixing, whisking...it's all great for fine motor development! And, honestly, what toddler doesn't enjoy scooping and pouring?

At least my boys really enjoy scooping...

Pouring...

And whisking...

And if those things would appeal to your toddler or preschooler as well, then you've got to try this apple sensory bin with water. It's a great little activity for fall!