Pumpkin patches are so much fun! The games, the food, the learning. Yep, I said learning. There are so many things that your students can learn at the pumpkin patch. And the best part is, you don’t have to make a daily trip to the actual patch to have some of the fun. You can do pumpkin patch counting practice in your classroom. It is actually one of my favorite center activities.
Setting Up the Pumpkin Patch Counting Center
For the pumpkin patch counting center you will need to cut out the pumpkins and grab some green yarn or string for the vine. I like to laminate my pumpkins so they last longer once little fingers get a hold of them. I put 10-20 pumpkins at the center depending on which set of counting we are working on that day.
Easy Differentiation
Since the students in my kindergarten classroom have a wide range of learning levels, differentiating my center activities is a must. With pumpkin patch counting practice differentiation is easy. I can give my students various numbered pumpkins and exit ticket pages based on where their skills are. They can count by 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s to show their understanding.
Small Group Uses
Pumpkin patch counting practice is perfect for centers. But I also like to use it with my small groups. For my more advanced students I will have them place all the pumpkins in numerical order to match the assigned skill. For my students who need a little more practice I can place some pumpkins on the vine for them and have them fill in the missing pumpkins in order.
Hundred Chart & Digital TPT Easel Activity for Extra Practice
When I first introduce the pumpkin patch counting practice I give my students a hundred chart for reference. This allows them to double check their work and find their own answers if they get stuck.
But, as students show a higher understanding of the skill, I use the hundred chart for some fun learning games. I will print a chart on colored paper and cut it into puzzle pieces. Students spend time putting the numbers back in order by putting together the puzzle. They can race to 100 by rolling dice and moving that number of spaces. I even have some students who play Connect 5. The rules are the same as Connect 4, but students must have 5 in a row to win.
My students love anything interactive and the new digital TPT Easel activities allowed me to create engaging pumpkin patch counting activities for extra practice. Students drag and drop the pumpkins to the vine in the correct order. I was able to create activities for counting by 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s and easily assign a specific activity to each student. Super simple differentiation that students love!
Time to Leave the Patch
My students are always a little disappointed when it is time to stop using pumpkin patch counting practice in center time. It is all of the best things in a classroom, fun and learning. There are so many different options for this one resource. It makes every visit to the classroom pumpkin patch memorable.
Supports Common Core Standards: K.CC.A.1, K.CC.A.2
If you would like to use these fun fall-themed counting and skip counting activities with your students, they are available here.
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