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Fall Music Activities for Preschoolers at Home
With the start of school fast approaching, you might be thinking “What type of fall music activities for preschoolers are there?” You can take advantage of this type of changing weather to have a wonderful variety of music activities as well! So, below you’ll find several fall music activities, with some that can be done indoors and others outdoors.
In contrast to the summer season, the fall season makes many of us search for more indoor activities. But it’s the best of both seasons! Because while you get to take advantage of the last, warm rays of sunshine on some days, you also get cozy indoors on those rainy days.
The types of music activities that you can do that will help boost not only your child’s musical development but their overall development as well. Music has been shown again and again to help boost your child’s development. BUT, this boost in development typically only occurs if you engage with your child when they make music, sing songs to them regularly, and encourage their own musical development!
What kinds of skills can these music activities develop for preschoolers?
You’ll find activities that help your preschooler with the following set of important developmental skills:
- Listening skills: Listening for new, different, or unusual sounds helps your child to differentiate between the various sounds they might hear in music. Make sure you use descriptive words, like loud, soft, shrill, soothing, or booming to describe the sounds you might hear.
- Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Music and Movement is a fun activity for any age group, toddlers and preschoolers especially. Let them get creative and make their own fingerplays (fine motor skills) or dances (gross motor skills) to their favorite song.
- Creativity: Singing songs can help your child be expressive and creative. Encourage them to sing their favorite song quietly, quickly, or in a sad way. They will have to be creative and think about how they can express sadness while singing.
- Language skills: Singing songs will help introduce your preschooler to new words, get a sense for sentence structure, as well as hear rhyming and rhythmic patterns with the songs. Try clapping along to each song to highlight either the syllables within the words or the overall pulse of a song.
- Math Skills: The most obvious example of maths skills in songs are evident in counting songs. But singing songs goes beyond this by introducing your child to patterns (both in the melody and in the words), and introducing sequences in the story.
- Critical Thinking Skills: Making connections between the things kids sing about and the experiences they have in real life is so incredibly important! This not only helps children realize that music is everywhere, but that music can help us learn about loads of things! If you are taking a walk around your neighborhood this fall, ask them what songs they are reminded of when they see those pumpkins.
What’s important to remember about these kinds of music activities for preschoolers?
Just remember that for your preschooler (or any child) to truly benefit from these types of activities, they need your guidance, encouragement, and engagement. But most of all, they need room to explore, discover, and play! If you show interest, they will almost certainly follow along.
And, the fall music activities for preschoolers below will also help give your little one some great, foundational knowledge in music as well. Playing games (and playing in general!) while making music or singing songs will help your child enjoy music as a part of their life.
So, if you want easy, fall-themed music activities for your preschooler that can help with these types of skills developments, then take a look below!
Sing Songs About Fall to Your Preschooler
Now, this activity is a no-brainer, but it should definitely be listed here. It’s kind of like singing “Jingle Bells” in July. Sure, it’s a bit funny, but it might be weird to be singing about riding around in a sleigh during the broiling hot summer! If you sing about things that are actually happening around you, like the leaves falling or pumpkins, your child is more likely to engage with that song.
And, it’s important to note that these should be songs that you sing to or with your child. It’s much more beneficial for your child when you sing these songs when compared to simply playing a recording. Singing to your preschooler encourages them to engage with you and even sing along.
If you aren’t sure where to start, then check out this list of the best fall-themed songs you can sing to your child. The songs on that list are either well-known or super easy to learn! This makes them great to learn for busy parents.
Unsure which to choose? Sing any song about falling leaves. It’s a perfect chance to sing about why leaves change colors, all the various colors that you might see, and the sensation of watching those leaves fall to the ground, raking them up, and jumping into a pile of fall leaves!
Visit an Indoor Concert with Your Preschooler
With the weather turning a bit more unpredictable, you’ll probably be able to find loads of concerts indoors. And while many professional performances won’t be geared towards younger children, you still have quite a few options.
Look for children’s concerts at churches, community centers, or those offered by community groups. Even high school concerts are a bit more kid friendly as many of the students have younger siblings.
Exposing your young child (yes, even preschoolers) is an excellent way of showing them music being performed live! It’s a fascinating experience for them to see music in action. And it’s a completely new experience to see people making music, rather than just hearing it on the radio or streaming device.
Here are a few tips on attending a concert with your preschooler:
- Make sure the concert is appropriate for young children or that younger children are allowed. If possible, contact the organizer to asking if the concert is appropriate for preschooler-aged children.
- Double check how long the concert will last. Shorter concerts are much better for younger children.
- Sit in an aisle seat towards the back, just in case they get restless and you need to make a quick exit.
- Don’t be surprised if they ask lots of questions. Just encourage them to ask in a quiet whisper, if at all possible.
- Some children might not like the unexpected changes in loudness. So, if they cry or are startled, it doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t like the overall experience.
Make a Fall-Themed Sensory Bin for Your Preschooler
You might be wondering how a sensory bin can be a musical activity, but it definitely can be! Sensory bins and games are wonderful for preschoolers because they encourage them to explore many different aspects of an item, like how it sounds, how it feels, or perhaps even how it tastes!
Encourage them to listen to the sounds (or lack of sounds!) that some items make. For example, just tap a wooden spoon on different sized pumpkins to see what sounds they make. Or perhaps how two acorns sound when bumped together. You’ll find a bit more detail on listening below, so keep reading!
Or, consider making a fall-themed sensory bin and see what songs your child can think of when they find those items! Do they think of “5 Little Pumpkins” when they spy those mini pumpkins? Or perhaps they can recall “Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down” when they see the different colored leaves. As always, just want to be sure that the contents are age appropriate and safe.
Another options is to take your child’s favorite fall song and make a sensory bin from that! Just check out these examples from Mrs. Plemon’s Kindergarten website. She has a whole list of toddler-related activities based upon children’s songs and nursery rhymes! Many of the songs can easily be used for fall-based activities, like “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring” or “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”.
Take Your Preschooler on a Fall-Themed Scavenger Hunt Based Upon Their Favorite Song
I love getting out in nature in the fall! My little ones really enjoy shuffling through the fallen leaves, throwing them in the air or spotting all the vividly colored fruits and berries growing on the trees.
And on those days where the sun is shining, there are many opportunities to get outside and find all kinds of fall items. The trick here is to get your child to think about all the songs they could sing about the things they see! Encourage them to sing about all the different colors they see.
Much like the sensory bins above, you can build links between the things they sing about and the things they find in nature. This helps to make music a part of their life, rather than just something they do occasionally. And it helps them see that they can sing about anything.
You can get some inspiration by printing off these free scavenger hunt pages below and giving it a try with your preschooler! Each page is related to a specific song but encourage your child to think of the other songs they might know about the other items listed. And if there aren’t any, have them create a new song!
Use Rainy Days to Play Musical Games with Your Preschooler
Rainy days seem to invite some type of indoor game. And your preschooler will get loads of enjoyment out of a game that features the characters of his or her favorite song!
Similar to the scavenger hunt above, you can make a memory game or even a simple, roll-the-dice type of game with their favorite characters! Why not try a similar game with the characters from their favorite song. This pack of 6 memory games will give you endless possibilities with music-themed memory games! Each page is related to a popular children’s song, so pick a single page or mix them up to get your child involved in different songs.
For memory, there are 3 great ways to play that focus on music and listening. For preschoolers, you can add the extra challenge of having them place the cards in the correct sequential order once they are all paired. Because each card also contains the text, you can help them place the cards in their correct order. Working on sequences is a great foundational math activity – especially for preschoolers!
If you signup for the mailing list below, you’ll receive two FREE Memory games! One if based upon “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and the other is based upon “5 Little Pumpkins” (you’ll want to print this page twice to get a set of each card). Pro Tip: Make sure you print them out on sturdy paper or laminate them so they last longer!
Encourage Your Preschooler to Focus on Listening to the Unique Fall Sounds
Now, I’ve saved the best (and my personal favorite) for last. Listening is a crucial development skill for preschoolers. One of my favorite explanations of why listening skills in early childhood are so important comes from Tanja, at Empowered Parents. And, as she also explains, music is just one of the ways you can help them become better listeners!
So, how can you combine listening with their favorite song? In fact, listening to sounds is a great way to engage them with listening, even if it’s for short time spans. Encourage them to listen to a song you are singing, but then sing a different word than the expected one. Did they notice the difference? Have them tell you what word they were expecting and try again.
One of the best ideas I’ve seen so far is a guest post on PreK-Pages. Julie, from My Mundane and Miraculous Life writes about how you can explore music with leaves! This combines everything I personally enjoy about the fall season and music. You can make a trip outside to collect leaves and encourage them to be curious about the sounds that leaves can make. You are getting them to take the lead and be creative, and you are also getting your little one up and moving!
What sounds do we hear in the fall?
Listening activities during the fall season are particularly rewarding. You’ll hear birds chirping and singing or even the geese honk as they fly south. Listen for the wind rustling through the leaves. Or, the sounds of leaves bring rustled as you walk through them. And, even the rain drops falling against the windows or thunder.
Take a cue from the activity above and take time to explore the different sounds fall items make. Tap on different sized pumpkins with a wooden spoon. Crunch leaves in your hands and under your feet. Can you hear a pattern in the raindrops falling against the window? Or try listening to see if an acorn rattles!
Your preschooler will hear and experience different sounds, so make sure you talk to them about those sounds. Have them recreate a specific sound. Ask them if it sounds “musical” or if it’s a sound they could use to make a song with. Be creative and encourage their creativity!
So, my dear readers, there you have 6 simple, fall music activities for preschoolers that you can do during the fall months! Make use of the fantastic variety of sounds, sights, and even holidays that fall provides us.
Which activities will you try? Make sure to let me know in the comments below.
Happy fall music making,
Liz