5 Fall Apple Themed Activities for Kids

No shade to pumpkin spice, but nothing says fall quite like apples! Whether it’s the taste of them in your favorite seasonal sweet treats, heading to the orchard for a cute Sunday apple picking activity, spotting them all over back to school decor and activities, or quite literally heading to the Apple Store for new back to school tech for the older kiddos, this crisp little fruit is a favorite fall symbol for a million reasons!

One of our favorite things about learning at home is that all that fall fun can become part of your school day, too. Apples are perfect for hands-on learning because kids can touch, taste, investigate, create, pretend, and play while building real skills along the way!

Here are 5 easy fall apple themed activities for kids that bring learning and play together (with minimal prep for you)!

5 Fall Apple Themed Activities for Kids

 

1. Explore Apple Science 

What’s inside an apple? How does an apple grow? What changes happen during fall? There are SO many ways to turn apple season into a hands-on science lesson!

Our September Science Activities make it easy to bring seasonal science into your homeschool day, with an option for every little learner from preschool through second grade. Each activity is designed to introduce age-appropriate science concepts through observation, investigation, and hands-on learning…and everything is print-and-go for parents!

Here’s a peek at the fall science activities for each grade:

• Preschool September Science: Label the parts of an apple and head outside for a fall observation activity.

• Kindergarten September Science: Label the parts of an apple and explore how apples grow with an apple tree life cycle book activity.

• First Grade September Science: Learn about what we wear as the seasons change and explore the life cycle of an apple tree.

• Second Grade September Science: Dive a little deeper with a Fall Changes mini book and an apple tree life cycle activity.

And the best part? There are so many easy ways to extend the learning beyond the page! Cut open a real apple and identify each part together. Count the seeds. Compare different apple varieties. Head outside to look for signs of fall. Talk about where apples come from and how they grow!

2. Make Easy Apple “Donuts”

Learning happens in the kitchen, too!

For an incredibly easy fall snack, make these apple donuts together! And don't worry, there is no actual donut making or hard labor involved!

Simply slice an apple horizontally into round slices, carefully remove the center/core, and let your child decorate each slice like a donut! Spread on peanut butter, sunflower butter, yogurt, or cream cheese and add toppings like granola, mini chocolate chips, cinnamon, raisins, or sprinkles!

Beyond being delicious, cooking together gives kids opportunities to follow directions (listening/comprehension/auditory to action based skill practice, practice sequencing, measuring, counting, building fine motor skills, and trying new foods!

Put out a few toppings and let your little learner take over. When the activity involves a snack and it's healthy, we call that a fall homeschool win.

3. Open Your Own Apple Orchard 

Who says you have to leave home to go apple picking?

Our Apple Orchard Dramatic Play resource lets kids transform just about any space into their very own pretend apple orchard! Simply print your materials, set them up (or let the kids!), and let the playing begin!

Create an orchard in the playroom. Set one up outside. Turn your kitchen into an apple market. Add baskets, reusable bags, a play cash register, real apples, pretend food, or anything else you already have around the house, or keep it super simple and use only the printable pieces!

There is no “right” way to set it up, and that's part of the fun!

Dramatic play isn't just adorable. As kids pretend, they're naturally practicing language, communication, early math, problem-solving, social-emotional skills, creativity, and real-world concepts!

4. Become an Apple Investigator 

Grab an apple and tell your child they have a new job for the day: Apple Investigator!

This one requires almost no prep. Give your child an apple and start investigating it together using their senses.

What color is it? How does the skin feel? What does it smell like? Is it heavy or light? Does it roll? Will it sink or float? How many seeds do you think are inside?

Write down or draw your predictions before testing them. Then cut the apple open and keep investigating!

Count the seeds, look at the different parts, compare the inside to the outside, and of course, finish with a taste test! Is it crunchy or soft? Sweet or tart? Juicy or dry?

If you have a few different apple varieties, make it an apple comparison investigation. Have kids predict which will be sweetest, biggest, heaviest, or have the most seeds, then test their predictions.

You don't need a complicated experiment to introduce science at home. Observing, asking questions, making predictions, comparing, and testing ideas are all early science skills and one little apple can get them started!

5. Apple Crafts 

You knew we couldn't have an apple themed day without a craft!

For younger learners (or really any kid who loves a good fall craft) our 90s Fall Crafts Bundle includes an adorable apple craft that's perfect for adding a little creativity to your fall learning. Kids get to cut, assemble, and create while strengthening those important fine motor skills.

For older learners, try our If You Give a Worm an Apple Writing Craftivity! It combines fall crafting with writing practice, giving kids an engaging way to get creative while strengthening literacy skills.

And don't let the "second grade" label stop you if you have younger or older learners at home! This activity is super easy to scaffold and differentiate.

Younger children can draw their response, dictate a sentence to you, or complete a simple sentence starter. Older children can write a longer response, add more details, or even create their own full apple themed story.

That's one of our favorite parts of learning at home…you can take one activity and make it work for the child sitting right in front of you!

Apple Themed Activities: Your Turn!

Fall learning doesn't have to mean choosing between having fun and getting schoolwork done. Some of the best learning happens when the two become the same thing!

Investigate an apple, make a snack, open a pretend orchard, get out the scissors and glue… follow your child's questions and see where they take you!

These simple fall apple themed activities for kids give children opportunities to practice science, literacy, math, fine motor skills, creativity, and imaginative play, all through a seasonal theme they can actually see, touch, taste, and experience!

And for parents? We're always here to make it easier with print-and-go resources that bring meaningful, hands-on learning into your home without adding hours of prep to your plate.

Happy season of the apples! Show us how you add apple themed activities into your fall homeschool routine by tagging us on our socials or using #PlaygroundPressKids!