Fall is such a fun time to bring seasonal themes into the classroom—and apples are always a favorite! If you’re looking for math activities that are hands-on, engaging, and easy to prep, this Apple Worm Math Craft and two companion centers are the perfect fit for your preschool, kindergarten, or first grade students.
These activities combine math practice with fine motor skills and will keep your little learners excited to learn during Apple Week or Johnny Appleseed Day.
Apple Worm Math Craft
There’s just something about crafts that makes math more memorable for young learners. In this activity, students create their own apple worm by threading cereal pieces (like Apple Jacks or Fruit Loops) onto a “worm” pipe cleaner.
As they work, students:
- Count objects as they add each piece of cereal
- Sort cereal pieces by color
- Strengthen their fine motor skills
I’ve done this craft 2 different ways, depending on time and the ability levels of the students.
The first method focuses mainly on the math skills. The apple is already assembled. All students need to do is build the worm by threading cereal pieces onto a pipe cleaner (which they love!) and then count how many of each color they used. They can color the apple afterwards.
To prepare the activity, I punch a hole in the apple and thread a pipe cleaner through it, folding down one end in the back to secure it.
Then I give students some cereal. Apple Jacks work great, not only because of their name, but also because they only have 2 colors. Therefore, they are easy for younger students.
The students love building their worms! They can easily bend and curve the pipe cleaners to resemble worms. After they are finished, they bend over the end to secure the cereal from coming off.
Fruit Loops cereal can also be used for more of a challenge. Students sort the cereal and pick out fall colors, then count how many of each color.
The second method is more of a craft project with math skills integrated. Students assemble the apple by gluing the apple, stem, and leaf together. Then, they build their cereal worms and complete the math section. This method builds extra fine motor skills (cutting and gluing) while still practicing math.
To differentiate, I create some apples where students add up their numbers and record the total number of cereal pieces used to create their worms.
Apple Worm Patterning Math Center
Pattern practice is so much more engaging when it’s hands-on and the students are actually making something with the patterns.
The apple worm math crafts are perfect for pattern practice! Students can build their worms according to the different patterns shown on the apple cards.
I give students apple pattern cards with a pipe cleaner threaded through the bottom along with some cereal, and they thread the cereal on the pipe cleaner following the pattern shown to create a worm.
If I wish to assess their center practice, I have them complete an exit ticket. They color a worm to look like the pattern worm they created with their cereal pieces. They do this 2 times.
You can create a number of different patterns depending on your students’ ability levels and the type of cereal you use. Apple Jacks only has 2 colors, but Fruit Loops has multiple colors and can be used for more advanced patterns.
The recording page can also be used on its own for a simple, fun small group activity or morning tub activity. Students create patterns using cereal or crayons.
Apple Worm Counting Math Center
A similar fun, hands-on math center can be set up for counting practice. Students choose apple cards with numbers on them and build worms using the correct number of cereal pieces.
I like using a coordinating page (exit ticket) to give students practice with tracing and writing numbers as well as counting and one-to-one correspondence.
The recording page can also be used alone as a morning tub activity or early finisher.
Teaching Tip
I like to use the craft for whole group fun, then rotate the counting and patterning activities into my math centers. The recording pages double as exit tickets or small group practice, so the same resources can cover multiple parts of your math block.
Save Prep Time
If you’d like ready-to-use templates, counting cards, patterning cards, and recording pages all in one place, I’ve put them together in my Fall Apple Math Crafts & Centers resource. Everything is designed to be easy to set up and flexible to differentiate, so you can focus on teaching (and your students can focus on learning).
🍂 Even better, this is part of my Fall Math Crafts Growing Bundle, which will include pumpkin and Thanksgiving seasonal math crafts soon. The earlier you grab the bundle, the more you save, since the price goes up with every new addition.
