We brought nature inside as we filled the tables and sensory play boxes in the classroom with autumn-related items (autumn leaves, acorns and other nuts, rocks and stones, pine cones, etc.).
They stimulated our senses, increasing the sensory inputs into the brain. Everything smelled incredible and different, the leaves were vibrant fall colors, each item had a distinct texture, and the leaves made crunchy noises.
Tongs, chopsticks, and spoons were added to the boxes to encourage fine motor development.
It was great fun to sift through the leaves to find various objects. Empty jars were placed in the sensory boxes to encourage children to, for example, count how many acorns they found by placing them one-by-one in the jar.
If you try this at home, please do so with close supervision as toddlers may put small objects in their mouth.
