I like to let my kids work and only occasional comment on what I see them doing. Leave the glue off the table for now. Start as a sensory invitation to move around the loose pieces and see what they can create. Remind your kids of the different ways the author/illustrator used leaves to make the pictures. The brilliant illustrations in this book were created with copies of leaves, but using the real materials is a far more interesting sensory experience. Note: If you are doing this will a larger group, offer multiple copies of the book or print out leaf guides for your table, like this one. You could also look up the type online if you prefer to add a little technology use to your activity. Then see if you can find your leaf on the end pages of Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert.

We started with a space for each child with a magnifying glass and a leaf. White Construction Paper or Tag Board (I prefer Tag Board because it is a little sturdier when loaded with generous portions of glue) Regardless of where you go leaf hunting, for this activity you will need: Materials to Gather:

The result is a pretty awesome collection – especially after our morning in Central Park where the variety is truly stunning. My kids can’t seem to help but pick them up everywhere we go. On our many Fall Adventures we have been gathering leaves. This unique illustration material was the inspiration for our activity. Beautiful and informative, Ehlert continues to be a master of non-fiction for young children. They are all labeled so you can identify the ones in your collection as well. The end papers are a collection of the various kinds of leaves from Beech and Cottonwood to Fig and Linden. The fun part about this book is that Lois Ehlert created all of the pictures using color copies of real leaves. Through impressive leaf collages and beautiful lyrical language the reader follows along as the wind blows across the countryside. The concept of the story is that Leaf Man is going where the wind blows. Our featured book is Leaf Manby Lois Ehlert. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon Read: Leaf Man This is the perfect book and theme for when those pops of colors start exploding everywhere. My kids loved our Preschool Story Time about Leaves and have been picking them up everywhere we go. Luckily, the week’s theme for Virtual Book Club for Kids is LEAVES! Whether we are driving into the country for a trip to the apple farm or walking home from school, colorful Fall leaves seems to be the only thing on the minds of my twins. The little reds and oranges and yellows that slowly take over the trees and horizon. Leaves are often the first sign that Fall is arriving. “There are red leaves on that tree!” my daughter cries from the backseat, “It must be Fall!”

Leaf man ehlert