The toddlers have immersed themselves in the latest season of Autumn, as they have explored what this time of the year has to offer. Outside they have noticed the colourful leaves landing on the ground all around them. Red, orange, yellow and brown have shown up over the last while on our play space, and the children have scooped them up to examine them during their time outdoors. Recently, we extended their interest in the leaves and the new season by taking a short walk out to the side of the school where there are several large trees with leaves changing colours and a couple that have started dropping their brightly coloured leaves. Bringing a rake along with us, we were able to make a few piles, ready for the toddlers to explore! They ran through, jumped in and laid down in the piles! They grabbed as many leaves as their hands would hold and threw them up into the air, watching them fall to the ground around them. The crunch of the leaves under their feet, and the way the dry, brittle leaves felt in their hands added a sensory component to their discoveries. They had a full filled morning exploring this season while building on social connections and their gross motor skills in the cool autumn air and sunshine. Another way the toddlers have made the most of this season is when the class hosted an apple tasting event! We brought in six different types of apples in a variety of flavours and colours. The children gathered around the table as soon as they saw one of their favourite fruits being displayed. A line of apples was on the table- green, many red and a yellow/green colour! There were red delicious, granny smith, Ginger gold, Macintosh, honey crisp, and sweet tango varieties. We examined the colour of each, looked inside to see the colour of the apple flesh (some were bright white, while others were an off white), found the core and seeds and learned the names of each kind. The toddlers were invited to try to say the name of each apple, and they did their very best to say big words they haven't heard before like "Macintosh". Impressive! High fives were given all around as we celebrated! As the apples were sliced, we all practiced sign language for "more" and "please". Everyone was encouraged to communicate using the signs, words or both. Many picked up the signs quickly as they learned that meant they wanted to have another apple snack! Yum! Which apples did they end up liking? Most children loved them all, but the group seemed to agree that their favourite was the Ginger gold, it was a little sweet, nice and soft, and the skin was easy to chew. As for the least favourite, that would be the Honeycrisp, usually a nice sweet apple, this one wasn't as sweet as usual, probably why it was less favoured. But of course, most ate every apple, as apples in general are a favourite! It amazing how a delicious piece of fruit can inspire so much learning- the toddlers built on communication, social interactions, explored using their senses and built on their sense of self as they shared this morning snack together.
