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Harvest, Farm & Nature. Explore nature and learn where food comes from. This is Month 2 of our free 12-month preschool curriculum for ages 3 to 5. Below you will find a weekly lesson plan, the letters and math to practice, science and art ideas, a supplies list, and easy ways to make it simpler or harder for your child.
- Month 2 of 12
- Ages 3–5 (best fit: 4–5)
- 4 weekly topics
- About 20–30 minutes a day
What Your Child Will Learn in Month 2
- New letters
- Tt, Pp, Nn, Cc
- Language & literacy
- Play with rhymes (cat–hat, pig–wig) and start listening for the first sound in words.
- Math
- Recognize numerals 1–5, make red-yellow-red-yellow (AB) patterns, and find circles, squares, and triangles.
- Science & discovery
- Life cycle of an apple or pumpkin. Cut an apple across the middle to find the star.
- Social & emotional
- Take turns and share. Practice saying “my turn, your turn.”
- Art & music
- Leaf rubbings and apple-stamp painting.
- Movement & hands
- Use kid-safe tongs to move pom-poms or small pumpkins. Jump over a “leaf pile.”
These goals match the five learning areas in the Head Start framework. Core goals are for most children. Anything marked stretch is optional. See the full list of learning areas and the typical milestones for ages 4 and 5.
Month 2 Weekly Lesson Plan
Do one short activity from each column, three or four days a week. Keep each one to about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop when your child loses interest.
| Week & topic | Letters & language | Math | Science | Art, music & movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1: Leaves and trees | Collect leaves and say the first sound in each word: l-l-leaf. | Sort leaves by color and size and count each group. | Look at leaf veins with a magnifying glass. | Make leaf rubbings with crayons. |
| Week 2: Apples | Clap rhyme pairs: pear and bear, tree and bee. | Make a red-yellow-red-yellow pattern with apple slices or paper apples. | Cut an apple across the middle to find the star and count the seeds. | Print apples by dipping apple halves in paint. |
| Week 3: Pumpkins and seeds | Read a pumpkin story and act out the beginning, middle, and end. | Count pumpkin seeds into groups of 5. | Feel and describe a pumpkin inside and out. | Paint a small pumpkin or draw a pumpkin face. |
| Week 4: Farm animals and where food comes from | Match animal pictures to their first sounds, like c for cow. | Count farm toys or animals up to 5, then up to 10 if ready. | Talk about where milk, eggs, and bread come from. | Sing Old MacDonald with animal sounds and movements. |
Not sure how to fit this into your day? Use the sample daily rhythm.
Letters to Practice This Month
Tt, Pp, Nn, Cc.
Play with letters through games, not drills: find them on signs and cereal boxes, trace them in sand or salt, and say the first sound of everyday objects. Knowing some letters is a typical milestone at age 5, so there is no pressure to master every letter.
Words to Use All Month
Use these words in everyday conversation and while you read. Hearing a word in many settings helps it stick.
- leaf
- apple
- pumpkin
- seed
- harvest
- farm
- tractor
- tree
Supplies Checklist
Everything here is common household stuff. Tick items off as you gather them.
Easy Activities to Try at Home
Try this
- Leaf hunt: collect leaves on a walk, then sort by color and size.
- Apple taste test: try red, green, and yellow apples and make a simple chart of favorites.
- Seed count: count pumpkin seeds into groups of 5, then plant a few.
Read together
- Ten Apples Up on Top! by Theo LeSieg
- Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson
Check your local library. Ask the librarian for more harvest, farm & nature books.
Make It Easier or Harder
If your child needs more support
Choose one leaf or apple activity each week and use big, easy-to-hold tools.
If your child is ready for more
Make longer patterns (red, red, yellow) and ask your child to explain where apples grow.
Parent tip: Take the learning outside. A 15-minute nature walk covers science, math, movement, and language all at once.
Month check-in: Your child can count 5 objects one by one and clap out a rhyme pair.
Month 2 Preschool Curriculum FAQs
What if we do not have a yard or park nearby?
Look at a street tree, a potted plant, or a bag of leaves and apples from the store. You can do every activity at a kitchen table.
Is it safe for my preschooler to use tongs and small objects?
Stay close and use larger items like big pom-poms. If younger children are at home, keep anything small enough to swallow out of reach.
Can we use a real pumpkin?
Yes. Let your child scoop the seeds and feel the inside, and keep any cutting for the adult.
All 12 Months
Add Free Printables to Month 2
Match this month’s lessons with free printables and coloring pages.
Sources
- Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five
- NAEYC: Developmentally Appropriate Practice
- CDC: Milestones by 4 Years
- CDC: Milestones by 5 Years
This guide is general educational information for parents. It is not medical advice and does not replace a developmental screening or guidance from your child’s doctor or teacher.