Pumpkin Patch

Builds on: hand strengthening, sensory development, vocabulary

 

What you'll need:

1 package of cream filled chocolate cookies- cream removed

1 package of candy pumpkins

A large spoon

Rectangular container

Small cultivator/ hand rake

Toy tractor

What to do:

Place just the chocolate cookies into the container and hand your Hoot the large spoon. Show them how to use the spoon to crack, smash and crumble the cookies into tiny pieces so that it looks like soil. Make sure you offer a helping hand so that they don't loose interest before the work is done. Place the tractor in the "soil" and the opened bag of candy pumpkins on the side with the small cultivator. You can bury the pumpkins and have your kids dig them out. You can read a story about farming or growing pumpkins or you can just set them loose and see what happens. Either way it's a fun activity that will help to strengthen little hands with all the smashing and provide a fun dramatic activity with multiple sensory elements. 

*Don't forget to talk about how it smells, feels and even tastes to help develop the senses and build descriptive vocabulary.