Fall Sensory & Toddler Storytime
Owls, pumpkins, and leaves, oh my! Fall is my favorite storytime season, thanks to its vibrant sights, sounds, and smells. In addition to the plethora of great fall books and movement songs, children will love crunching leaves in their hands, smelling pumpkin spice playdough, or biting into a sweet apple. Choose two of the following fall-themed sensory storytime books and pair them with these songs, crafts, and sensory play ideas for more engagement and fun in your next Toddler or Sensory Storytime.
Visit The Youth Desk’s Sensory Storytime page for a complete sensory storytime overview and more detailed guidance.
Fall Sensory Storytime Books
These great storytime books pair perfectly with fall-themed props (apple cutouts, leaves, scarves, bean bags, etc.) or flannel boards.
Fall Sensory Storytime Songs & Rhymes
Blowing in the Wind Scarf Song by Stephanie Leavell
This lovely song is sung a cappella, making it an excellent choice for Sensory Storytimes. Stephanie Leavell is one of my favorite musicians for kids, offering a variety of great storytime songs available on Amazon Music and other streaming services. “Blowing in the Wind” is featured on her album Fall Songs for Kids.
Blowing in the wind, blowing in the wind
My scarf is blowing in the wind
Falling down, falling down
With a woosh and plop
Dancing in the wind, dancing in the wind
My scarf is dancing in the wind
Falling down, falling down
With a woosh and plop
It’s time to sneak, put it in a ball
Make it so, tiny and small
It’s time to sneak, put it in a ball
Now ready, set, throw!
Hold Your Pumpkin
Sing to the tune “London Bridge.” Pass out mini pumpkins or paper pumpkins for the kids to dance along with.
Hold your pumpkin in the air
In the air, in the air
Hold your pumpkin in the air
Hold your pumpkin
Hold your pumpkin on your knee…
Hold your pumpkin on your head…
Hold your pumpkin way down low…
Give you pumpkin a shake, shake, shake…
Give your pumpkin a big tight squeeze…
The Leaves on the Tree with Leaves or Scarves
Sing to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus” and distribute either scarves or red and orange leaves for children to enjoy with the song. Cardstock leaves attached to craft sticks, or these artificial leaves work great.
The leaves on the tree turn orange and red
Orange and red, orange and red
The leaves on the tree turn orange and red
All around the town
The leaves on the tree go swish, swish, swish…(wave leaves back and forth)
The leaves on the tree come twirling down…(hold leaves high and wiggle them down low)
We’ll rake them in a pile and jump right in…(make scooping motion with leaves and JUMP!)
If You Have a Red Leaf
This is my go-to song for collecting props! Swap out “leaf” for apples, scarves, bean bags, etc.
If you have a red leaf
Red leaf, red leaf
If you have a red leaf
Please put it in the bucket
If you have an orange leaf…green leaf…yellow leaf…
Once I Had a Pumpkin OR 5 Little Pumpkins Flannel Board
Both of these pumpkin-themed flannel board songs are always a hit!
If You’re a Squirrel and You Know It
If you’re a squirrel and you know it, shake your tail
If you’re a squirrel and you know it, shake your tail
If you’re a squirrel and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re a squirrel and you know it, shake your tail
If you’re a cat and you know it, say “Meow”…
If you’re a bat in the night, flap your wings…
If you’re a pumpkin and you know it, grin real wide…
If you’re a tree and you know it, sway side to side…
Flap Your Wings (with Owl Puppet)
This is the perfect song to follow “Look Whooo’s Counting” by Susie MacDonald, sung to the tune of “London Bridge.” For more engagement, pair it with an owl puppet. The Folkmanis Snowy Owl Hand Puppet has always been my favorite.
Flap your wings and fly around, fly around, fly around.
Flap your wings and fly around, just like an owl.
Land on the ground and hop along, hop along, hop along.
Land on the ground and hop along, just like an owl.
Turn your head and say who, who, say who, who, say who, who
Turn your head and say who, who, just like an owl.
Fall Sensory Play & Craft Activities
Ending Sensory Storytime with free play provides children and their caregivers with an excellent opportunity to explore and socialize. Set out any puppets or flannel board pieces you used during storytime for attendees to enjoy, and offer one of these great fall-themed play activities.
Fall Tree Paintings Or Tissue Paper Craft
Print the tree template on cardstock and provide washable paint with your choice of paint dabbers, such as sponges, pom poms with clothespin handles, or broccoli! Dot markers work great, too. Provide a paper plate with a couple of dollops of paint at each station, along with a pack of wet wipes for easy cleanup.
You could also use the same tree template, but provide attendees with gluesticks and pieces of leaf colored tissue paper for a craft with less mess.
Pumpkin Spice Playdough
Knead pumpkin spice into regular playdough or make it from scratch using my favorite no-cook recipe found here. Set out the playdough along with any seasonal items you’d like, such as cookie cutters, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pinecones, etc. Children can form their own little playdough pumpkins or simply play.
Visit The Youth Desk’s Sensory Storytime page for more information about Sensory Storytimes, including a complete outline, additional books, songs, crafts, and play ideas.
