As the leaves turn and the air gets crisp, it’s the perfect time to bring the beauty of fall into your classroom with Tuff Tray invitations that spark curiosity, imagination, and early learning. Tuff trays offer an ideal surface for play-based learning from sensory setups to literacy provocations; allowing children to explore, experiment, and lead their own learning journeys.
In early childhood education, the environment is the third teacher, and seasonal tuff tray invitations can turn any corner of your room or outdoor space into an inspiring, hands-on learning experience.
Why Use Tuff Trays in Fall?
Tuff trays are a versatile tool in early learning settings. They provide a contained space for messy, sensory-rich play, and are easily adaptable to indoor or outdoor learning. Fall is especially rich with natural materials and seasonal themes that encourage:
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Fine motor development through scooping, pinching, and pouring
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Early numeracy as children sort, count, and classify leaves, pinecones, or acorns
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Early literacy through storytelling with mini pumpkins and forest creatures
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Scientific thinking as children investigate seasonal changes and explore nature
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Creative expression with open-ended art using natural fall materials
Fall Leaf Investigations
STEM meets nature play in this beautiful invitation to explore autumn leaves! Using magnifying glasses and various nature-inspired tools, children can closely observe different leaf shapes, textures, and colors. This hands-on activity encourages scientific inquiry as little explorers investigate leaf veins, edges, and the variety of fall hues.
Why is this beneficial?
STEM Learning: Children develop early science skills by observing, comparing, and analyzing natural materials.
Nature Play: Engaging with nature fosters a sense of wonder, curiosity, and environmental awareness.
Fine Motor Skills: Using tools like magnifying glasses helps refine dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Ways to extend the learning:
-Try leaf rubbings or stamping to discover more about leaf textures!
- Discuss the different types of trees and how they change throughout the seasons.
- Let children draw or paint what they see, connecting science with art and literacy.
This fall leaf investigation tuff tray is the perfect blend of learning and nature play, bringing outdoor exploration right into your child's hands.
Fall Leaves & Play Dough Fun
Nature meets sensory play in this delightful fall-inspired play dough invitation! This activity combines the textures and colours of autumn with the creative possibilities of play dough. Using real leaves, pinecones, and acorns alongside wooden and silicone stamps, children can explore patterns, leaf shapes, and nature’s beautiful details, all while developing fine motor skills.
By pressing leaves into play dough, children can create imprints, fostering creativity and tactile learning. The mix of loose parts and play dough makes for an open-ended, sensory-rich experience that supports early childhood development.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Skills: Encourages exploration and experimentation with nature’s textures and shapes.
Nature Play: Connects children to the outdoors, inviting them to interact with natural materials in creative ways.
Fine Motor Development: Rolling, pressing, and shaping playdough helps strengthen hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Extend the Learning:
-Challenge children to create leaf patterns or sort the leaves by type or size.
- Ask children to identify the different leaf shapes and talk about the changes in trees during the fall season.
- Incorporate literacy by inviting children to describe their creations or make leaf “recipes” using their play dough and nature items!
Fall Leaves Soup Water Play
This is such a fun and easy fall leaves water play activity that children will love as they pour, scoop, measure and create!
Go on a nature walk in your community and collect fall leaves of all colours, shapes & sizes. Then take your deep tuff tray outside and fill it with water. Add your leaves, scoops, kichen utensils, bowls, etc. Then invite children to mix and explore creating soup!
Why is this activity beneficial?
Cognitive Development: Encourages imaginative thinking and open-ended exploration of natural materials.
Nature Play: Fosters a love for the outdoors and helps children connect with the changing seasons.
Fine Motor Skills: Pouring, scooping, and stirring water and leaves helps to build hand-eye coordination and muscle strength in little hands.
Extend the Learning:
- Encourage children to name the ingredients they add to their “soup” and describe the textures of the leaves.
- Introduce counting by asking, “How many leaves did you add?” or “Can you find three red leaves?”
- Use warm or cold water for a sensory experience that can be adapted to different weather conditions.
Nature Meets Fine Motor Skills
Get ready for a delightful fine motor adventure with this nature-inspired loose parts play invitation! This setup encourages little ones to explore the beauty of acorns, pinecones, and twigs while practicing essential fine motor skills. Using tweezers to pick up the small, natural items and complete the patterns on the fine motor boards or replicate them building key hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and precision.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Fine Motor Development: Strengthen those tiny muscles as children pick up and manipulate small loose parts with tongs.
Nature Play: Foster a connection to nature by using natural materials in open-ended, creative play.
Cognitive Skills: Encourage pattern recognition and spatial awareness by following the lines on the boards, introducing early math concepts through play.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Add more natural elements like leaves, small stones, or flowers to expand on the variety of textures and colours.
- Use the loose parts to create patterns, or invite children to sort by size or shape, adding layers of cognitive development.
- Bring in math by counting acorns or categorizing by different characteristics, all while enjoying the natural world around you.
Fall Leaf Measuring
Nature and math come together beautifully in this fall leaf measurement activity! Using colourful leaves gathered from the outdoors, children can engage in hands-on math learning by comparing sizes, practicing number recognition, and strengthening fine motor skills—all while enjoying the beauty of autumn.
This tuff tray setup is perfect for exploring early numeracy through nature play, as little ones use linking cubes and other tools to measure and quantify their leaves. They can count, compare, and even sort the leaves by length or size.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Math Skills: Encourages number recognition, counting, and comparison of lengths, setting a foundation for measurement concepts.
Nature Play: Fosters a connection with the natural world, sparking curiosity and creativity.
Fine Motor Development: Manipulating small leaves and measurement tools supports hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Ways to extend the learning:
-Let children predict which leaf is the longest or shortest and then measure to check their guesses!
- Try sorting the leaves by size or colour before measuring for added math and sorting practice.
- Encourage little ones to record their findings with drawings or numbers, integrating literacy into the play.
This leaf measurement invitation is a wonderful way to blend outdoor exploration with key math concepts, making learning engaging and fun for young minds.
Fall Nature Investigations
Encourage young minds to explore the wonders of autumn with this inviting nature observation setup! Children can examine different textures, colours, and shapes of leaves, pinecones, and natural materials through hands-on STEM play. This activity fosters curiosity, builds observational skills, and brings the magic of fall right to the play tray.
Why this activity is beneficial:
Nature Play: Deepens children’s connection to the environment by letting them explore and appreciate natural elements up close.
STEM Skills: Investigating with magnifying glasses enhances observation skills and sparks scientific inquiry.
Open-Ended Exploration: Children can use their senses and curiosity to discover the uniqueness of each item, building vocabulary and descriptive skills.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Try sorting and categorizing leaves by size, shape, or colour, introducing early math concepts.
- Let children record their findings through drawings or verbal descriptions, supporting early literacy.
- Encourage discussions about the changing seasons, enhancing understanding of the natural world.
This nature-based invitation is perfect for celebrating autumn and supporting play-based learning through exploration and discovery. Happy investigating!
Apple Pie Sensory Bin
Can you bake an apple pie? This is such a fun and easy sensory bin inspired by my favourite fall activity - baking pie and picking apples!
Take a bag of oats and pour them in a tray add little pie tins, cinnamon sticks, and green and red Pom poms to be your apples! Then take brown felt and cut it in strips to weave over top your pie to be your crust. Add kitchen tools to help with your baking and recipe cards!
Children will practice scooping, pouring, measuring and can talk about early math concepts!
Also I love the multi sensory aspect of the cinnamon sticks that makes this smell amazing
Reflecting on Fall with Nature Loose Parts
Celebrate the beauty of autumn with this engaging invitation to create and explore using natural materials! This reflective loose parts play setup allows children to combine leaves, acorns, pinecones, and other treasures to design their own nature-inspired art. It’s a perfect opportunity for little ones to connect with the season, enhance fine motor skills, and spark creativity.
Why this activity is beneficial:
Nature Play: Encourages children to appreciate natural materials, fostering a connection to the environment.
Fine Motor Skills: Picking up and placing small items strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Open-Ended Creativity: Each creation is unique, letting children express themselves freely through natural textures and shapes.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Try making symmetrical designs or patterns to introduce basic math concepts.
- Discuss the different colours and textures in nature, enhancing vocabulary and observation skills.
- Pair with a nature-themed story for a fully immersive experience.
Leaf Crayon Rubbings
Engage your little artists in a nature-inspired process art experience with this delightful leaf crayon rubbing invitation! Perfect for a sunny day of outdoor play, or bring your favourite fall leaves inside, this activity encourages young learners to explore textures, patterns, and colours in a hands-on, creative way.
Start by collecting an assortment of leaves with different shapes and veins. Place them under a sheet of paper and use crayons to gently rub over the top, revealing the intricate details of each leaf. This sensory-rich activity not only enhances fine motor skills but also introduces children to the concept of cause and effect as they see the leaf impressions appear like magic!
Fall Counting Tray
Can you count and sort all the fall treasures? This activity is a fun invitation to explore numeracy and different opportunities to represent numbers with different loose parts and natural items!
Did you know an environment rich in loose parts naturally encourages math skill development? Children love to explore and group items as they are interested and incorporating math into an open ended activity will naturally lead them to inquiry! Through loose parts in this tray children can explore counting, number recognition, sorting, patterning grouping, beginner math equations, and more!
Ways to extend the play:
-Create fall patterns
-Represent numbers smallest to largest
Nature Colour Sorting
Bring the wonders of nature into your little one’s play with this engaging nature colour sorting and categorizing invitation! Using colourful autumn leaves, pinecones, and acorns, children can practice sorting by colour and type, exploring the beautiful shades of fall. This hands-on activity supports early math learning and fine motor skills as little hands use tongs to carefully pick and place items into matching colourful bowls.
Ways to extend the learning:
-Encourage your child to count the items as they sort them by colour or size, building early numeracy skills.
- Ask questions like, “Which basket has more leaves?” or “Can we sort by shape?” to promote critical thinking and classification.
- Take the play outdoors and explore other natural treasures to add to the activity!
Fall Leaves Colour Match & Graph
This activity is a fun and easy way to incorporate leaves into your early math activity!
Go on a nature walk and collect different fall leaves and bring them home! Place the leaves in a bowl. Using chalk markers draw a grid / graph on the tuff tray. On the bottom axis add colours of your leaves on the ascending axis add numbers!
Additional ways to play:
-Graph the leaves based on type
-Graph patterns
Matching Leaves
Bring a touch of nature into learning with this captivating leaf halve matching invitation! Perfect for an outdoor math play session, this activity supports young learners in exploring shapes, symmetry, and pattern recognition—all while engaging with the natural world.
Invite children to collect a variety of leaves from your backyard or local park, then gently find the middle of the leaf and invite them to cut them in half and spread them all over your tuff tray and challenge them to find and match each leaf half to its missing piece. This hands-on experience not only sharpens problem-solving skills and spatial awareness but also offers a wonderful opportunity for children to connect with their environment.
Autumn Weight & Measurement Tray
Can you weight and measure all the different nature treasures you have collected? This is a fun and easy way for children to explore weight & measurement!
Ways to extend the play:
-Order the items by weight
-Can you predict what will be heavier or lighter?
-Fill one of the weigh buckets with different items and amounts and explore how many you need to make it balance!
-How many of each loose part do you need to equal your heaviest?
Autumn Nature Investigations
Go on a nature walk in your local community or backyard with children and collect all kinds of unique and different nature treasures! Bring them back to your learning space and place them in a tuff tray, add magnifying glasses, a microscope, a book about nature, nature investigation stones and take observations on paper or a whiteboard.
Children can compare the stones to their nature treasures, make observations of up close discoveries, take rubbings using wax crayons, make imprints in playdough and more! They can also start a nature journal and continue to make connections with nature in their daily exploration
Conserving nature begins with connecting to nature! Research shows that giving children opportunities to engage in hands-on nature-based activities can increase children’s excitement toward environmental behaviors. As children participate in observing nature it can promote that connection to nature.
Pumpkin Exploration and STEM Investigations
Pumpkins are more than just a symbol of autumn they're a gateway to exciting STEM learning and nature play for young children! Engaging with pumpkins and gourds offers hands-on opportunities to explore science concepts, enhance fine motor skills, and spark curiosity about the natural world.
In this pumpkin investigation activity, children get to dive into the life cycle of a pumpkin, from seed to sprout to flower to full-grown gourd. Encourage your little scientists to use magnifying glasses to closely examine the textures, patterns, and structures of the pumpkin and its seeds. Let them scoop, measure, and explore the inner workings of the pumpkin with tweezers and measuring tools, fostering both fine motor skills and early math concepts.
Here’s how you can extend the learning:
-Dissect and Discover: Cut open the pumpkin to reveal its seeds and fibers, letting children feel and describe the textures they observe.
-Seed Counting & Sorting: Have children count the seeds and sort them by size or colour, integrating math into the sensory play.
-Life Cycle Talk: Discuss the stages of the pumpkin’s life cycle, from seed to sprout, using visual aids like the cards around the table.
-Pumpkin Science: Investigate what happens when you add water to pumpkin seeds or bury them in soil—will they sprout? This is a great way to introduce concepts of germination and plant growth.
-Seasonal Stories: Pair this activity with a pumpkin-themed storybook to deepen the connection between literacy and science learning.
This activity not only nurtures early science skills but also connects children with the seasonal rhythms of nature. So, let's get those little hands messy and those minds engaged!
Counting Leaves & Building Math Skills!
Turn your little one’s outdoor adventures into a playful math learning experience with this leaf counting activity! By collecting and placing the right number of leaves on each tree, children engage in hands-on learning that blends nature exploration with early math skills.
In this fun activity, each tree is labeled with a number, encouraging children to match and count the correct amount of leaves. This not only helps with number recognition and counting but also introduces basic concepts of addition and subtraction as they add or remove leaves. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to bring nature into your math lessons, making learning more engaging and relatable.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Early Math Skills: Supports counting, number recognition, and one-to-one correspondence, essential foundations for early numeracy.
Fine Motor Development: Picking up small leaves and placing them carefully helps refine those small muscles in the hands.
Outdoor Play: Encourages children to explore their environment, fostering a deeper connection with nature.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Ask children to sort the leaves by size or colour before placing them on the trees.
- Turn it into a group activity where each child is responsible for a specific number, promoting collaboration and communication.
- Discuss why leaves change colour and fall off the trees, introducing early science concepts.
This activity is perfect for home or the classroom, blending math and nature in a playful, meaningful way! Happy counting!
Pumpkin Patch Small World
Let's explore the farm and pick pumpkins from the patch! This is such a fun fall farm themed small world that will have children creating all kinds of fun fall stories.
In your tuff tray slide in a grass matt and add your farm inspired pieces like a barn, farm animals, fall themed nature and small world pieces. Take little candy creme pumpkins and place them along the side to form a pumpkin patch. Add little peg people to explore the farm!
Ways to extend the play:
-Tell fall themed stories about your adventure to the pumpkin patch
-Talk about what animals live on the farm!
Acorn Counting
Nature meets math in this fun and easy acorn counting and ten-frame invitation! Perfect for blending loose parts play with math learning, this activity encourages children to use natural materials like acorns to explore early numeracy skills in a playful, hands-on way. By placing acorns in ten frames, little ones can practice counting, one-to-one correspondence, and even simple addition—all while enjoying the sensory richness of autumn.
Using tweezers to pick up the acorns also helps strengthen fine motor skills, making this a well-rounded activity that supports early childhood development.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Math Skills: Introduces children to counting, number recognition, and the concept of ten frames—a foundation for understanding place value.
Loose Parts Play: Fosters creativity and exploration as children manipulate natural materials in open-ended ways.
Fine Motor Development: Using tongs and small objects like acorns helps refine hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Try simple addition or subtraction by asking, "How many more acorns do we need to fill the frame?" or "What happens if we take two acorns away?"
-Explore sorting the acorns by size or colour, adding an extra layer of categorization and classification to the play.
-Let children record their findings by drawing or writing numbers, integrating math and literacy skills.
This acorn counting activity is perfect for math play indoors or outdoors, making learning both fun and meaningful for young minds. Happy counting!
Leaf Symmetry
Dive into the wonders of nature and math with this engaging leaf symmetry activity! Perfect for young learners, this hands-on invitation encourages children to explore the concept of symmetry while using beautiful, natural materials. By tracing half of a leaf and completing the other half, children gain a deeper understanding of shapes, patterns, and spatial awareness—all through play.
Whether you’re in the backyard or classroom, this activity is a wonderful way to integrate outdoor play with early math skills. As children carefully observe the unique shapes and lines of each leaf, they’re also building their fine motor skills and developing a love for nature.
Why is this activity beneficial?
Math Skills: Introduces symmetry and geometric concepts in a tangible, relatable way.
Fine Motor Development: Tracing and drawing help strengthen hand-eye coordination and control.
Outdoor Play: Encourages children to connect with the natural world and observe the beauty of nature up close.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Encourage children to find other objects in nature that exhibit symmetry, like flowers or butterfly wings.
- Use watercolors to paint the completed leaf designs, adding an artistic twist to the activity.
-Discuss the different types of leaves and their purposes in the ecosystem, sparking curiosity about the natural world.
This leaf symmetry exploration is a fantastic way to combine math, art, and nature in one engaging activity. Perfect for the classroom or a quiet afternoon at home!
Autumn Guttering Construction Site
Can you clear the leaves and transport all the forest finds around the construction site? This is such a fun and easy nature play activity that children will love!
In a tuff tray add in your grass mat and then add in your fall treasures from a nature walk and then add your construction vehicles! For additional fun add your multi surface guttering channels for fun ways to transport all your fall treasures and rolling them down the channels into the trucks.
Ways to extend the play:
-Can you clear the leaves and make roads?
-How many of each treasure can you fit in the construction truck?
-Can you sort the rocks, pebbles, acorns, sticks and more by size?
-How big of a rock pile can you create?
-Transport all the objects around the construction site!
-How fast do each item roll down the channels? How do they vary from each channel?
Build a Habitat to Hibernate in for Forest Friends
This nature-inspired small world play invitation invites little ones to create cosy homes for forest animals to hibernate in! Using natural loose parts like wood rounds, twigs, and leaves, children can build shelters, stack logs, and tuck animals into their snug hideaways. This hands-on activity not only fosters creativity and imagination but also introduces concepts of animal habitats and seasonal changes in nature.
Why is this activity beneficial?
STEM Skills: Building structures for animals enhances spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Nature Play: Encourages children to interact with natural materials, building their connection to the environment.
Fine Motor Development: Manipulating small objects, stacking, and arranging pieces strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Open-Ended Exploration: With no set outcomes, children are free to create and explore at their own pace, making this a perfect play-based learning invitation!
Encourage them to observe and discuss the different materials, experiment with balancing, and imagine the lives of their forest friends through seasonal cycles. Happy habitat building!
Fall Leaves Letter Match
This activity is a fun and easy way to incorporate leaves into your early literacy activity!
Go on a nature walk and collect different fall leaves and bring them home! Count out 26 leaves and using a marker or a chalk marker write uppercase letters - place them in a tray! Then on a tuff tray using a chalk marker write lowercase letters and invite children to find the letter leaf and match.
Pumpkin Pie Sensory Bin
Can you bake a pumpkin pie? This is such a fun and easy sensory bin inspired by my favourite fall activity - baking pie and picking pumpkins!
Take a bag of oats and pour them in a tray add little pie tins, cinnamon sticks, and orange and white Pom poms to be your pumpkins and whipped cream! Then take brown felt and cut it in strips to weave over top your pie to be your crust. Add kitchen tools to help with your baking and recipe cards!
Children will practice scooping, pouring, measuring and can talk about early math concepts! Also I love the multi sensory aspect of the cinnamon sticks that makes this smell amazing.
You can download the recipe cards here
Apple Seed Counting
Can you count and add the correct amount of seeds to the apples? This is such a fun and easy fall themed activity that will have your children exploring early math while building fine motor skills!
Take your chalk markers and draw apples all over your tuff tray! Then take a white chalk marker and write the numbers 1 - 10 in the apples. Pour black beans in a bowl to act as your apple seeds! Then place easy squeeze tweezers in the tray and then invite children to count the beans and match them to the apples to add the correct amount of seeds.
Acorn Hunt
Can you help the squirrels find and count all the acorns hidden in the forest? This activity is a fun fall invitation to explore numeracy and different opportunities to represent numbers with different loose parts and natural items!
Did you know an environment rich in loose parts naturally encourages math skill development? Children love to explore and group items as they are interested and incorporating math into an open ended activity will naturally lead them to inquiry! Through loose parts in this tray children can explore counting, number recognition, sorting, patterning grouping, beginner math equations, and more!
Go on a nature walk in your community and collect all kinds of fall nature treasures like leaves, acorns, wood rounds and bring them to your learning environment. Then build you fall forest small world in a tuff tray and add your fall nature finds. Then add counting bowls or number stones to help children find and count the acorns!
Autumn Acorn Fairytale Village
Who lives nestled in the autumn acorn village? This magical autumn themed small world will have children creating all kinds of stories inspired by fall.
In a tuff tray add in your fall themed sensory bin filler and then add in your fall treasures from a nature walk and then take loose parts and small world pieces from your learning space and begin incorporating them to create your woodland autumn village. Then add your peg people and using the tops of your acorns place them on the peg people to create acorn villagers!
Apple Counting & Sorting Fun!
Enhance your child’s early math skills with this inviting apple counting and sorting activity! Using colourful pom-poms as apples, children are encouraged to count and sort them into the correct baskets, fostering a playful learning experience that merges loose parts play with essential math concepts.
With each basket numbered, this activity helps little ones practice counting, number recognition, and one-to-one correspondence, laying the foundation for more advanced mathematical thinking. The use of tweezers to pick up the pom-poms also strengthens fine motor skills, making this activity both educational and fun!
Why is this activity great for young learners?
Math Skills: Develops counting, sorting, and number matching abilities, key components of early numeracy.
Fine Motor Development: Using tweezers to place the “apples” in the baskets refines hand-eye coordination and pincer grasp.
Loose Parts Play: Encourages creativity and exploration, as children can use the pom-poms for various open-ended play scenarios.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Change the “apples” to different colours or sizes and sort by attributes such as colour, size, or quantity.
- Introduce basic addition or subtraction by adding or removing apples from the baskets and asking children how many are left.
- Use the pom-poms to create patterns or sequences, further enhancing their cognitive skills.
Let's Explore the Woodland Fall Forest
This small world is a fun way to explore forest animals and their habitats!
In a tuff tray slide in your grass mat and then add different forest themed small world pieces; sticks, tree blocks, rocks, gourds, mushrooms, pinecones, etc. When ready, add your forest animals!
Ways to extend the play:
-Identify all the animals we see in the forest! What do their tracks look like?
-Can you make a footprint rubbing?
-Match the footprint to the animal!
-What do these animals eat?
-Tell a forest story
Leaf Trouble Woodland Small World Bookish Play
Step into the enchanting world of autumn with this small world setup inspired by Leaf Trouble by Jonathan Emmett! This playful scene invites children to engage in bookish play, where they can explore the story's themes of changing seasons and nature through hands-on activities. Using natural loose parts like leaves, acorns, and wooden elements, little ones can recreate the world of the story and expand their imagination.
This setup encourages small world play, where children can create their own narratives and stories, helping to develop language, creativity, and fine motor skills. The combination of bookish play and nature play brings literature to life, allowing children to deepen their connection to the story while exploring the wonders of the natural world.
Why is this activity beneficial
Language and Literacy Development: Encourages storytelling and the retelling of the Leaf Trouble story, helping children expand their vocabulary and narrative skills.
Small World Play: Supports imaginative play and fosters creativity as children use natural elements to recreate scenes and characters from the book.
Nature Play: Connects children with nature, providing a sensory-rich experience that encourages exploration and curiosity about the environment.
Ways to extend the learning:
- Read Leaf Trouble aloud while children explore the small world setup, encouraging them to act out scenes from the story.
-Invite children to gather natural materials from outside to add to the play scene, extending the connection to nature.
-Encourage drawing or painting inspired by the book, blending literacy and creative expression.