Author: ninpaadmin

We are enjoying all the colors of fall as peak fall color hits across Northern Illinois! We asked NINPA members what leaf play looks like in their classrooms and playspaces.

#LeafPlayIs… Reading Connections

• In fall we read books like Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger and Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. Both of these books inspire so much fun leaf play and exploration. They are the perfect way to start a fall day! – Kathryn, The Children’s Garden at The Morton Arboretum
• We make leaf books with leaves we find on our hikes and stickers that help identify colors, leaf types, and descriptors like smooth, bumpy, rough – Cara, Wildwood Nature Center/Park Ridge Park District

#LeafPlayIs… Big Motion

• Raking and jumping in the piles – Megan, Little Trees Early Learning Program at The Morton Arboretum
• Running through large piles of leaves and tossing them into the air – Marilyn, Morton College
• Adding leaves into our parachute play – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage

#LeafPlayIs… Scientific Exploration

• Take small rakes into the woods to “clear a path” which always uncovers the wonderful world of decomposers under the leaf litter – Beth, Hobson School
• Find different colors of plants and leaves – Kathryn, The Children’s Garden at The Morton Arboretum
• Create tree “autograph books” bark rubbing and leaf rubbings – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage
• Make a leaf kite and watch how it dances in the wind – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage
• Put a green leaf between two squares of fabric (I use an old sheet cut up) and pound the chlorophyll out of it. This makes a very nice leaf stain on the fabric square and coincides with how leaves are losing their green color and the fall colors are now showing. (It also smells wonderful!)  – Marji, FCC Weekday Preschool

#LeafPlayIs… Community

• Lay down under the trees and watching the leaves fall down and talking about the colors we see.  It’s a simple activity, but always one that invites us to share in a moment of joy, wonder, and connection – Beth, Hobson School
• Working together to rake big enough piles to jump in, taking turns jumping, and burying our friends and teachers in the piles (wait to jump until everyone is out!) – Cara, Wildwood Nature Center/Park Ridge Park District

#LeafPlayIs… Math

• Examine different shapes of leaves and measure smallest to largest leaf that we can find – Marji, FCC Weekday Preschool
• Leaf sorting by shapes and colors – Sean, Chicago Park District
• Sorting number leaves into numerical order and making 10 with different pairings – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage
• Using leaves and other natural materials for sequencing and patterns – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage
• Hanging Tree towers – leaves stacked biggest to smallest on a skewer – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage

#LeafPlayIs… Artistic

• Creating Fairy Houses – Sean, Chicago Park District
• Collecting fallen natural materials such as leaves, tree seeds and use that to create art – Kathryn, The Children’s Garden at The Morton Arboretum
• Making self portraits out of natural items – Jennifer, Prairie School of DuPage
• Print-making with paint and leaves – Beth, Hobson School

#LeafPlayIs… Sensory

• I also usually create a fall sensory bin filled with tree seeds and leaves, I allow the children to add their own collections to this – Kathryn, The Children’s Garden at The Morton Arboretum
• Using playdough with leaves, acorns and pinecones – Beth, Hobson School

#LeafPlayIs… Building Dexterity

• Cutting leaves with scissors – Cara, Wildwood Nature Center, Park Ridge Park District
• Hanging leaves with clothespins – Cara, Wildwood Nature Center, Park Ridge Park District
• Sewing leaves together to make leaf garland – Beth, Hobson School

How do you play with leaves in your program or program space?

Now is the right time to fundamentally change the look and feel of education.  Check out the call to action that some of our very own NINPA nature preschool administrators created. Stay tuned for examples of these changes in action! 

View the position statement here.

Sit-spots are exactly what they sound to be: a spot in which you sit upon.  Sit-spots are an excellent way to slow down, connect with nature. They can be a time of solace, creativity, reflection, relaxation and so much more. Sit-spots are a mindful way for any age to check-in and to be present in the moment, easing life’s stressors as you settle-in to the natural world around you.  So how does one go about acquiring a “sit-spot” and what exactly does one do there? Let’s find out!

Choosing Your Sit-Spot

The best kind of sit-spot is one that your child feels comfortable-in and familiar with. So, you’ll want to choose a natural area that is easily accessible and preferably in a space that you can visit frequently and regularly. The idea is that your sit-spot should be easy and quick to get to! A sit-spot can be just about anywhere in the great outdoors: in your yard, a schoolyard, a public park, an open grassy area, or a patch of prairie or woods in your neighborhood! Look for a spot that has natural affordances that catch your eye; like trees, rocks, grasses, shrubs, water, plants, flowers, and maybe a view. 

Don’t forget that trees make for great backrests and large rocks can easily become seats! Try cutting up an old yoga mat or camping tarp to create a one-of-a-kind seat to go on the ground! You can have one big family sit spot, or individual sit-spots.  Do what works best for you, there is no right or wrong way for you or your child to choose a sit-spot.

When to Visit Your Sit-Spot and How to Settle In
Try to visit your same sit-spot once a week or for however long is convenient for you! We recommend beginning with just five minutes and building from there. Want to spend more time in your sit-spot? Go ahead, why not! Spending time in your sit-spot no matter how much or how little, is about giving you and your child the opportunity to be present, to relax, and to find solitude and solace in nature.

When you arrive at your sit-spot, you’ll want to settle in by taking some deep breaths. Encourage your child to pretend to smell a flower and blow out birthday candles as they breath deeply, all the while saying out loud, “Smell your flower, and blow out your candle!” for an added visual cue. 

So Now What?
Once you find your sit-spot, cozy-up and settle in, what you do with your time there is totally up to you! There are many ideas and activities to explore and we’ve shared some insider tips on each one below. Just remember, visiting a sit-spot on a regular basis is about giving you and your child the opportunity to be present and to relax. So even if all you do is close your eyes and breath, you’re doing just fine! 

Ideas and Activities to Explore While in Your Sit-Spot: 

• Sensory Checklist: Go through all five of your senses! Note the smell, touch, sight, sound and even taste if there is anything safe to do so! OR skip the senses and take a sky break, or even just close your eyes. 
• Storytelling: Ask your child to tell you a story, and write down their words for a one-of-a-kind story experience. Added bonus, ask your child author if they would also like to be the illustrator and draw pictures for their story!
• Animal Interactions: 
  • Sprinkle bird seed near your sit-spot or hang a bird feeder and wait patiently!
  • Bring along a magnifying lens and look for insects on the ground. 
• Take along a picnic and have a special outdoor kind of snack for the day. 
• Journaling: Take along a small note pad or sketch book! Don’t have one? Try making one with recycled materials around the house. 
  • Sketch images of what you see around you and beneath you at your sit-spot.
  • Sound Mapping: Draw an “X” to represent you in the center of your page. Then write or draw what you hear around you, in relation to your position.

About the Author