Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber Age Level: Toddler and up
Synopsis: A boy, a girl, and a dog enjoy the fall leaves.

Flannel Board

	When Autumn Falls by Kelly Nidey Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: As September fades, a new season begins. Leaves and temperatures tumble. And, as autumn falls, new colors and smells gradually replace the heat and intensity that was summer. Children love caramel-apple making and bobbing for apples. Jack-o'-lanterns appear and piles of leaves stacked high beckon. Autumn means the end of summer, but the beginning of something new and crisp and familiar.

Song

	Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: When fall comes, two brothers enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures. Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.

Song

	Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: A child describes the growth of a maple tree from seed to sapling.

Films

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen Age Level: PreK-2

Synopsis: Among the greatest charms of children is their ability to view a simple activity as a magical adventure. Such as a walk in the woods late at night. Jane Yolen captures this wonderment in a book whose charm rises from its simplicity. "It was late one winter night, long past my bedtime, when Pa and I went owling." The two walked through the woods with nothing but hope and each other in a journey that will fascinate many a child.

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More Books to Read On Your Own

Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic
by Steven Schnur
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Describes the autumn season, with its animals, rain, cold winds, and harvested food. When read vertically, the first letters of the lines of text spell related words arranged alphabetically, from "acorn" to "zero."

The Little Scarecrow Boy
by Margaret Wise Brown
Age Level: Preschool and up
Synopsis: Early one morning, a little scarecrow whose father warns him that he is not fierce enough to frighten a crow goes out into the cornfield alone.

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More Songs for at Home

Five Autumn Leaves

Five autumn leaves, five and no more,
[Hold up 5 fingers.]
The caterpillar ate one, now there are four.
[Thumb down.]
Four autumn leaves, that's easy to see.
Along came a rainstorm, now there are three.
[Index finger down.]
Three autumn leaves, nothing much to do,
A big wind blew, now there are two!
[Middle finger down.]
Two autumn leaves, that's not much fun,
I glued one on my paper
[Ring finger down.]
Now there is one.
[Hold up pinky.]
Hang on, pretty autumn leaf!
Your branches won't break,
You're one less leaf for me to rake!

Leaves Are Twirling
(Tune: "Frere Jacques")

Leaves are twirling
Leaves are twirling
All around
All around
They are falling softly
Very, very softly
To the ground.

Autumn Leaves

Autumn leaves are floating down,
[Float arms and hands up and down.]
They make a carpet on the ground
Then swish, the wind comes whistling by,
[Move arms to the side quickly.]
And sends them dancing in the sky.

Way Up High in the Apple Tree

Way up high in the apple tree
[Hands up.]
Two little apples smiled at me
[Hold up two fists.]
I shook the tree as hard as I could
[Shake hands.]
Down came the apples
[Hands in lap.]
Mmm, were they good
[Pat tummy.]

The Little Leaves Fall Gently Down

The little leaves fall gently down
[Flutter hands.]
Red and yellow, orange and brown
Whirling, whirling round and round
[Turn hands.]
Down, down, down.
[Drop head into lap.]

Look at the Apple I Have Found

Look at the apple I have found
[Circle hands.]
So round and rosy on the ground
We will wash it and cut it in two
[Perform actions.]
Half for me and half for you
[Hold out both hands.]

Falling Leaves

All the leaves are falling down
[Flutter fingers downward.]
Orange, green, red, and brown.
[Flutter fingers.]
If you listen, you'll hear them say,
[Cup hands around ears.]
"Wintertime is on it's way."
[Whispering.]

This Little Squirrel

This little squirrel said, Let's run and play
[Point to each finger following rhyme.]
This little squirrel said, Let's hunt nuts today
This little squirrel said, Yes, nuts are good
This little squirrel said, Yes, my favorite food
This little squirrel said, Come climb this tree
[Hold up arm with open hand, run fingers of other hand upwards quickly.]
And crack these nuts, one, two, three
[Clap hands.]

Autumn

The trees are gently dropping,
Leaves onto the ground
[Flutter fingers down.]
The flowers are all nodding,
Down and all around
[Turn around slowly.]
The wind is blowing
A chilly breeze
[Sway back and forth.]
The birds are flying
Into the trees
[Flap arms like wings.]

Squirrel Gathers Nuts

These are brown leaves,
Fluttering down,
[Flutter hands down to ground.]
And this is the tall tree
[Hold up right arm.]
Bare and brown.

This is the squirrel
[Make fist with left hand, stick thumb up.]
With eyes so bright
[Two circles with thumbs and index fingers.]
Hunting for nuts,
With all of his might

This is the hole
[Make hole with right thumb and index finger.]
Where day by day
Nut after nut
He stores away
[Place nuts in hole with left hand.]

When winter comes
With its cold and storm
He'll sleep curled up,
[Circle right hand around left fist.]
All snug and warm.

Pumpkins on the Ground
(Tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
[Crouch down.]
How'd you get so big and round?
[Stretch arms out wide to sides and then make a circle.]
Once you were a seed so small,
[Pretend to hold a seed.]
Now you are a great big ball!
[Make huge circle with hands.]
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
[Crouch down.]
How'd you get so big and round?
[Stretch arms out wide to sides and then make a circle.]

Swaying Apple Tree
(Tune: "Rock A Bye Baby")

Here is the apple tree with leaves so green,
[Stand up and stretch and hang arms and hands out to your sides.]
Here are the apples that hang in between,
[Make a small circle with your two hands.]
When the wind blows,
[Sway body and arms back and forth.]
The apples will fall,
[Crouch down on the floor.]
Let's use a basket to gather them all!
[Pretend to pick up apples and put them into a basket.]

Five Apples

[Count to five on fingers.]
The first apple in the basket was bright and shy red.
The second apple in the basket said, "What a cozy bed!"
The third apple in the basket said, "Please move over there."
The fourth apple in the basket said, "Now we are two pair."
The fifth apple in the basket said, "Oh dear, me-oh-my!"
"This basket looks like pastry."
"I think we're apple pie!"