September is a great month to visit the apple orchard. How I love the smell of autumn in the air and the crinkling of the leaves as I walk through the apple orchard with my kids. After a fun afternoon of picking the best apples we head over to feed the goats in the barn. Then we are off to get some fresh apple cider and donuts to finish off the day. It’s a very relaxing and stress free experience we all enjoy. Spending this stress free time together is healthy and brings us closer together. Memories of children who don’t want to go to bed or do their school work are long forgotten like an undesirable chore.
A homeschool mom can make a lesson out of any outing or concept imaginable. Yet sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy the family. This has its own rewards and lessons. There are times when children should be able to express themselves without the scope of a teacher’s lens. Allow your children time to explore and learn on their own. This is a nice break for the teacher as well. Often mom and teacher get fused together and distinguishing between the two is nearly impossible. Go to the apple orchard this year with your children and be mom and kids and not teacher and students.
Oh but we cannot resist teaching moments, can we? Of course not, and I would not expect you to! After your outing go ahead and use this wonderful experience as a springboard to learning. You can discuss sequence of events, compare and contrast apples and so much more.
Books to enhance your apple experience:
The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree, by: Gail Gibbons
How do Apples Grow?, by: Betsy Maestro (a Let’s Read and Find Out Science book)
The Apple Pie Tree, by: Zoe Hall
Websites to enhance your apple experience:
Everything Preschool (http://www.everythingpreschool.com) Great apple coloring pages!
DLTK’S (http://www.dltk-kids.com) Johnny Appleseed crafts, projects and more!
Teaching Heart (http://www.teachingheart.net/appleunit.html) Apple Unit Study with so many wonderful ideas!
New York Apple Country (http://www.myapplecountry.com) This site contains a bunch of information from nutrition to recipes. It also has a kid’s page full of fun items.
Related Articles:
How an Apple Became a Unit Study
Things Homeschoolers Can do in September
Using Newspapers and Magazines for Fun Learning