My favorite time of year is Autumn. I love the colors, the smells and, after a hot summer, the cooler temperatures! I make a point of getting outside every day. If I’m not hiking or biking, I’m gardening or walking in the neighborhood. During Autumn, the trees are so stunning, in all their colorful glory, I usually collect some leaves because….
Mother Nature Provides Learning Opportunities
Trees make the perfect visual markers for the changing seasons.
READ: seasons come, seasons go TREE by Britta Teckentrup. I actually spotted this book whilst visiting grandbub#1. We’d gone out for tea at the Ickworth Hotel. Following tea, exploring the extensive (beautiful) grounds is a must, ending with a stop the gift store. What I especially liked was my purchase benefited the National Trust.
Nursery rhymes have multiple benefits for child development. I try to offer a nursery rhyme or fingerplay for every occasion. Hence Go PLAY Activity Cards™! A nursery rhyme you can include with this book is I Had a Little Nut Tree. It’s a very old nursery rhyme, dating back to the late 1700s. And that was a written record, it’s probably much, much older as a shared, oral story. The words to the nursery rhyme are below. I’ve sung the 1st couple verses for you in the video.
I Had A Little Nut Tree
I had a little nut tree
& nothing would it bear.
But a silver nutmeg
& a golden pear.
The King of Spain’s daughter
Came to visit me.
& all for the sake
Of my little nut tree.
The dress was made of crimson,
Jet black was her hair.
She asked me for my nutmeg
& my golden pear.
I said so fair a princess
never did I see.
I’ll give you all fruit
From my little nut tree.
I danced over the water,
I danced over the sea.
& all the birds in the air
Couldn’t catch me.
& all the birds in the air
Couldn’t catch me.
& all the birds in the air
Couldn’t catch me.
NOTE: The colored and underlined words highlight the fact these are rhyming pairs.
There’s still time to enjoy the wonderful sights of Autumn. Get out and enjoy it!
Yours in Play!
Teacher Karen