Autumn Activity for Preschool – Easy Pine Cone Pom Pom

Skills: Fine Motor Skills

Ages: 2 Years +

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

toddler picking pom poms out of pine cones at a table

This autumn activity for preschool using pine cones and pom poms is a great way to use ordinary objects for strengthening fine motor skills.

Hide the pom poms inside the pine cones, then set your preschooler the task of picking them out. It looks easy, but it can be tricky for little hands.

All activities should be supervised by an adult. Pom poms can be choking hazards. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fine Motor Skills Shine with This Autumn Activity

Their hands and fingers have to coordinate with their eyes to remove each pom pom, one at a time. Their pincer grasp gets stronger as they go.

Plus, asking them to remove all of the pom poms and then providing other sensory materials like water and some cups is a fun way to turn this fine motor activity into sensory play.

Watch the Activity in Action

You will see how my daughter, at 2 years old, enjoyed picking the pom poms out of the pine cone and then asked for water to turn the set-up into sensory play. I quickly added faux leaves (use real fall leaves if you have them) and other fall-themed items along with sensory tools. She enjoyed picking all the pom poms and mixing everything up into a watery soup.

Materials

What you need

Pine Cones
Pom poms
Fall Leaves
Acorns
Water
Tongs, spoon, or other tools

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Stuff the pine cones
Place pom poms into the pine cones. The further you place them inside, the harder it will be for your kiddo to pick out.
Hand them over
Provide the pom pom-stuffed pine cones to your kiddo along with other sensory materials to extend the play.

Benefits of This Autumn Activity

toddler scooping acorns and fall leaves in a water sensory table

For all the reasons above, the main benefit of this activity is strengthening fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are incredibly important and an essential part of early childhood development.

It also provides a fun sensory experience if you include water and other textures to explore. And providing objects that are autumn-themed can spark conversations all about fall, leaves, acorns and the cooler weather, which is great for language development.

For more fine motor activities, see our comprehensive list.

More Autumn Activities for Preschool

thanksgiving printable activities worksheets for kids

We love all things fall and have created a bunch of printable activities that extend the playful learning. First off, do not miss our Thanksgiving bundle of activities — it includes unique activities that help your kiddo strengthen scissor skills, alphabet recognition, number recognition, fine motor skills, writing, coloring, phonics and matching.

We also have a fun Fall Leaf Craft that is a great way for kids to visualize a leaf transforming from green into a colorful autumn leaf. Plus, our free printables Pin the Peg on the Turkey and Trace the Pumpkins keep working those fine motor skills.