Fall is my jam. I love apple everything, cooler temps (though it’s still been upper 80s and 90s here.. gross), boots, scarves.. the list goes on! Most preschool classrooms do an apple theme, and if you’re following along with their themes, you probably want some fun and easy apple activities that specifically target your kids’ goals!
My apple speech and language unit includes…
File folder activities that are great for kids with Autism who are using workbox-type tasks, or even those who aren’t! Target size concepts /big, little/, as well as some additional core vocabulary words like “on” “off” “want” and “more” (want more, put on, take off, etc..)
Feed the boy/girl WH questions:
Questions are on apple cards you can feed the boy or girl (both are included) as you answer– preschoolers love to force feed people and animals (ha) attached to various boxes/containers, and this is no exception! Questions are a mix of apple-related and general WH questions. 12 apple-related what/where questions are included, as well as 12 each of general who/what/where questions (48 total questions). Blank apples are also included, making this activity an open-ended option for any other goal, too! To target core vocabulary words, model “eat” “in” “want” and “more.”
This activity also works well in targeting pronouns— “He is eating a yellow apple” “He is eating a green apple.” OR, use the category cards (pictured below) to feed the boy or girl different objects (“He is eating a cookie” or “She is eating a boat”)
Associations and Go Togethers:
For this activity above, you will use the spinner to see which color apple to pick from the tree. Once you pick an apple, name the item and something that goes with it. For example, if your student spins and lands on yellow and chooses the yellow apple with the glue bottle on it, have them name the picture (“glue”) and ask, “What’s something that goes with glue?” (“paper”) etc… Afterwards, they can smash a ball of playdough on that apple.
A blank apple tree is included, as well, so you can also use this activity to work on naming an item based on color (ie land on green, name something that’s green, cover a green apple).
Also included are pairs of cards used to target associations/go togethers. The way I play is by lining up rows of apples and baskets (all apples in one row and baskets in another row), and play Memory by flipping one card over in the top row and one in the bottom row to see if the two items go together, and if so, how they go together. You could also play by placing the apple cards in a sensory bin and leaving the basket cards out. When you pull out an apple card from the bin, try to find the corresponding basket of an item that goes with it!
Categories:
Sort the apples into the correct baskets based on category! 10 sets of categories are included, with four being basic categories (food, animals, clothing, transportation), and six being more specific categories (farm animals vs jungle animals rather than “animals,” and “fruits” vs “vegetables” rather than “food.”
Vocabulary:
Apple-themed Bingo cards to talk about parts of an apple, things you can make from an apple, and other apple-related vocabulary
“Parts of an Apple” interactive book with Velcro pieces to learn about the different parts of an apple. Each page has visuals for a two-word phrase: the apple part + “on” . (for example, “seed on” “leaf on” etc…) to also work on the core vocab word “on” with your kids using AAC.
Playdough and Dot Marker Pages:
Several fun playdough and dot marker pages are included with this so you can use materials from this unit with any other goals you’re targeting.
I adore these cute apples, and they make me smile each time I pull these pages out to use with kids!
I hope these activities will help make your apple theme planning a little easier! You can find the activities in my TeachersPayTeachers store here.
Hey blogger thanks for sharing apple speech and language! ideas that are really worked.