Autumn Fun

The Pumpkin (a fingerplay)

by Maude M. Grant

Here is a long and trailing vine, (Hands trailing through air.)

Watch it and see the green stems twine, (Hands twine in and out)

This is a pretty yellow flower.(Hands curved to form flower.)

That blossomed one day in a sunny hour.

When one by one the petals fall, (Hands drop to sides.)

And now we see a small green ball. (Hands curved to form ball.)

The big sun shone so warm and bright, (Arms curved to form sun.)

That the ball grew bigger and yellow, quite,

And yellow, and yellower still it grew,

Until under Autumn skies so blue,

It lay so still on the sun-warmed ground,

And lo! it was a pumpkin round! (Hands and arms curved to form a large pumpkin.)

And then one frosty Autumn day,

The pumpkin was taken quite away,

'Twas cut by a knife from the shelf so high,

And mother made a pumpkin pie! (Forefingers and thumbs curved to form pie.)

Cornhusk Dolls

from Little Acorn Learning

**This activity can be difficult for small children - be sure to work with them closely and allow them to be 'helpers' during the more difficult parts.

In some Native American traditions, making cornhusk dolls and doing corn dances were a way to give thanks and celebrate harvest time.

Supplies Needed:

Cornhusks - You can buy these in bags at craft stores or ask the produce department of your local grocery store if you can take some.

String or Yarn

Scissors

Pail of Water

Hot Glue

Have the children place the cornhusks in the pail of water until they are very soft and easy to bend. Separate the husks. (Each doll requires 10-15 husks to complete.)

Begin with four husks approximately the same size and lay them on top of one another. With your yarn, help the children tie the pointy ends of the husks together to close the top and bottom. This is the body of your doll.Take two husks in each hand and fold them over the yarn so the string is inside. The fold is the top of the doll's head. Pull a string around the husks and tie to make the head.

Take another husk and smooth it flat, cut the pointed end straight with a scissor. Roll the husk into a tight tube to make the arm. Do this again for the other arm. Tie each end of the arm tube with string. Put the tube between the body right below the head. Tie a piece of string around the body right below the arms to hold them in place. Wrap another husk around the back of the neck and criss-cross it around the chest to make shoulders. Tie it around the waist to stay on the doll. To make legs, separate the body husks into two equal parts below the waist... tie each section at the ankle to complete.

These dolls are meant to have no face. Hair for your doll can be made with additional husks, yarn, silk or twine and added with hot glue.