Fall Scenery

One of my favorite things to do is to create a huge thematic scene. I used to do it in the classroom during rain forest week, when we studied the ocean, and pretty much any time I could justify making a huge picture as a group.
A few things I always try to have on hand: rolls of brown (or any color) butcher paper, craft glue (like Tacky Glue), glitter, and sheets of foam and/or construction paper. The rest can really be improvised.
Charis and I have made wall hangings when learning about different subjects, and today's theme was Fall.

Materials Needed:(all are optional,this is just my personal list of what I used)

• Large sheet of paper, a plastic tablecloth, or even an old sheet


• Black, green, and orange construction paper and/or foam


• Orange and brown washable paint


• Foam paint brushes


• Baby food jar (1 plastic, lid included)


• Cotton swab


• Leaves (real and/or fake)


• Paper plate(s)


• Craft glue


• Glitter (any color)


• Pipe cleaners
  
• Twisted craft paper


• Wiggly eyes
  

This activity can be done in one day or you can break it up into steps and complete one or two a day.

Prep: Lay out brown paper (I put a plastic table cloth underneath because I knew I'd be using glitter and it's easier to shake out the cloth after).

• Cut out the spider pieces (body, legs), bird pieces (body, beak, and feet)


• Paint a large tree (if desired) on the paper for the bird and/or spiders.
  

Activity:

1. If the time of the year is right, have your child hunt for fall colored leaves. We found some pretty neat ones right in the front yard. Yes, my child is still in her pajamas *gasp*. What can I say? It was one of those kind of days.

2. Paint paper plates, turning them into pumpkins. You can glue leaves and a stem as well. It's a great opportunity to talk about parts of a plant.

3. Make twirly vines out of pipe cleaners. I showed her how to twist them around her finger.






4. Assemble the crows. I showed her some possibilities, but let her apply all the glue (with cotton swab), and position all the body parts where she wanted.







5. Next she assembled the spiders. I gave her the eyes and legs and explained that they have 4 on each side. I let her position them.

6. I stapled the vine down. We positioned the pumpkins while I explained how they grow on vines. I let her choose where to glue the leaves, birds and spiders. She glued them on with the craft glue.
7. Last I made a line of glue to look like the spider was hanging from a web. She sprinkled glitter.



8. We hung her picture in the hall at the house. It makes a very festive decoration!