Themed Learning: How to Teach Kids About the Seasons

Themed Learning: How to Teach Kids About the Seasons

Themed Learning: How to Teach Kids About the Seasons

Even if you don’t live in an area where you experience visible changes for each of the seasons, you can still teach your children about them.

It’s hot during the Summer and in Autumn we can watch leaves fall some of the trees, the long school holidays are in the Winter, we get more flowers during Spring.

A great way to discuss these things is over themed activities, so here are a couple of ideas for each season!

South Africa’s weather can be very diverse due to the different climatic zones.

Spring is from September to November, where Summer runs from December to February, followed by Autumn which is from March to May and the Winter season which runs from June to August.

SUMMER CRAFTS

  • Seashell and Sand Art

Seashells and sand offer many opportunities for art projects.

Sand

You can draw or trace shapes or summer items onto paper, pour glue over the outlines, and pour sand over it. When dry shake off the excess sand and the remaining sand will be the outlines to your pictures.

Use sands of different colors to fill up pretty shaped bottles with different layers.

These projects can be messy, so best to do them outside.

Seashells

Seashells are also very versatile and you can make many different things with them.

Some examples are:

Wind Chimes:

You can make wind chimes by threading afew shells on longish strings. They tie afew of these strings alongside each other on an old coat hanger, then hang them in a nearby tree and wait for the wind to blow.

Other Art Projects:

Glue seashells onto drawings or card board to make pictures.

Decorate toilet roll holders or old tissue boxes by gluing shells onto them.

Make picture frames, jewelry, and so much more.

AUTUMN CRAFTS

  • Pumpkin Pie Play Dough

Pumpkin pie play dough smells amazing, but it’s not for snacking on!

All you need to make this is:

  • A cup of flour,
  • half a cup of salt,
  • a cup of water,
  • 2 tablespoons of oil,
  • cream of tartar and
  • pumpkin pie spice,
  • a teaspoon of vanilla extract,
  • red and yellow or orange food coloring.

Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and pumpkin pie spice in a saucepan.

Then, slowly stir in the wet ingredients.

Heat it over medium heat while constantly stirring until you get a play dough consistency. Allow it to cool for up to 30 minutes and start playing!

WINTER CRAFTS

  • Snow Journal

One of the greatest things about winter is snow, and kids love it. Which is why it’s a great idea to grab a magnifying glass and then go outside to examine snowflakes. Commit them to memory, and then go inside and start a snow journal where children draw their version of the snowflakes they were analyzing outside!

In areas that don’t experience snow, you can make snow crystals, blow paint snowflakes, create pipe-cleaner snowflakes, or try some of the fun fake snow products out there.

  • Torn-Paper Winter Pictures

If you live somewhere it doesn’t snow, you can still have fun with the idea of snow.

You can create winter pictures and scenes using torn paper. Just prepare the outline of the pictures and then give your children a various paper scraps in different colors and glue so they can start filling in the picture.

Add cotton wool fluff for snow effects or glitter for a little more magic.

SPRING CRAFTS

  • Pom Pom Caterpillars

Making pom pom caterpillars is so much fun and it’s a good way to explain how important Spring is in nature.

All you need is:

  • A bunch of pom poms in different colors,
  • googly eyes,
  • green construction paper,
  • white glue,
  • a dark green marker and
  • a pair of scissors.

Make a leaf shape on your green construction paper and cut it out, then take the glue and make an S shape on the leaf. Start adding the pom poms along the S shape.

Finally, glue the googly eyes to complete your caterpillar and you’re done!

Go a step further with the iKids Butterfly Growth Layered Puzzle and explain the life-cycle of a butterfly and how a caterpillar fits in.

There are many ways to incorporate play into learning about the seasons. Have a look at our website for some more ideas.

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