Weekly Update November 7 - Leaf Man Activities and Hands-On Fall Learning

Reminders:

• November 11 - Veterans' Day - NO SCHOOL

• November 14 - Tuition payment 4 scheduled

• November 26 - Early Release @ 11:30 - No "Explore More" program

• November 27 - Thanksgiving - NO SCHOOL

• November 28 - Day after Thanksgiving - NO SCHOOL

• December 8 - Grinch Family Fun Event at the Danvers Art Association 6pm

Focus Book of the Week: Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

This week at Fox Hill School, our preschoolers were inspired by Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, a whimsical story that follows a “Leaf Man” and his leaf friends as they travel across fields, rivers, and gardens on the wind. The vibrant illustrations and playful storyline invite children to explore nature, notice the unique shapes and colors of leaves, and spark their own creativity by turning everyday natural objects into art. Beyond reading for fun, this book encourages observation skills, imagination, and an early appreciation for the environment.

Exploring Nature Through Art

Inspired by Leaf Man, Ms. Isabella led the children in a nature-based art activity. The children began by observing leaves collected from the playground, noticing their colors, textures, and shapes. Then they experimented with silky stick leaf rubbings on paper, and some even glued real leaves to their creations. The children were fully engaged, exploring the natural world while practicing fine motor skills and creative expression.

Activities like these don’t just spark creativity—they also encourage scientific thinking. Children learn to observe, compare, and ask questions about the world around them, building early STEM skills in a fun, hands-on way.

Ms. Isabella has also started posting some of the new adventures of Mr. Fox Hill on his Instagram page! Families can check him out and take him on adventures! You can follow his adventures on his Instagram page @adventures.of.mr.fox.hill.

Hands-On Science and Creativity

Ms. Liz brought excitement to the classroom with two interactive projects. First, the children experimented with marble painting, rolling paint-covered marbles across paper inside a box. It was messy, colorful, and incredibly fun! This activity helps develop fine motor coordination, hand-eye skills, and introduces cause-and-effect concepts, all while giving children a chance to explore their creativity without rules or limits.

Next, Ms. Liz brought in chicken eggs and an incubator from her farm. The children created a countdown predicting when the eggs would hatch and used a special light to peek inside the shells and observe the growing chicks. This hands-on project teaches life cycles, responsibility, and predictive thinking, all while building excitement and anticipation. The children can’t wait to welcome their new little friends!

Transforming Dramatic Play into a Farm Stand

Inspired by family apple-picking trips and our focus books, the children decided to transform our dramatic play area into a farm stand. They added apples, pumpkins, and even a pretend cash register. Each class designed “Open/Closed” signs, and then the fun really began—they made apple cider donuts using aluminum foil and plaster, which will soon be painted and added to the stands.

While this might sound like pure play, it’s packed with learning opportunities. The children practiced counting and basic math as they assigned prices to items, strengthened literacy skills by creating signs and product labels, and developed social-emotional skills through role play and collaboration.

Seasonal Fine Motor and Sensory Fun

Fall is a perfect time for sensory exploration, and our classroom was buzzing with activities that engaged all five senses. Children hammered golf tees into pumpkins, painted clay pumpkins, scooped and poured corn kernels in the sensory table, and painted autumn trees at the easel. These activities not only support fine motor development but also encourage experimentation, focus, and sensory awareness—all important skills for young learners.

Learning Through Our Interactive Calendar

Every day, our group time includes an interactive calendar activity. One child writes the date, another tracks the weather and adds a sticker to the date card, and at the end of the month, the children graph the weather they observed. This simple daily routine introduces math skills like counting, comparing more or less, and interpreting data. It also teaches early scientific observation and pattern recognition, helping children make connections between numbers, the environment, and seasonal changes. Over time, these calendar journals become a rich resource for seeing patterns and growth in their learning.