In preparation for the fall and back to school, there is no better time than now to make some apple crafts with your kids. And if you are homeschooling, apple crafts are great for reinforcing the letter “A” and learning about the different components of an apple.
This paper plate apple craft is a simple cut and glue craft. I also used this opportunity to make up some simple counting puzzles and have my kid count out the number of seeds (a.k.a. raisins) in an apple. The raisins all ended up being consumed as her afternoon snack.
As always, I strived to use materials we have around the house. It’s so great to not have to spend any money while entertaining the kids with an educational craft!
How to Make Paper Plate Apple Craft
Materials:
- Paper plates
- Glue stick
- Red, brown, and green construction paper
- Scissors
- Raisins
- Raisins counting puzzles
- Black pen (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Tear or cut up the red construction paper until you have enough to cover the outer rim of the paper plate. My daughter loves using scissors so we cut the paper into little squares, but if you have younger kids who are not comfortable yet with scissors feel free to just tear the paper into little pieces.
- Glue the pieces of red construction paper to the outer rim of the paper plate.
- Cut out the stalk from the brown construction paper.
- Cut out the leaf from the green construction paper.
- Glue the stalk and the leaf to the paper plate.
- Use the raisins counting puzzles and have your kid place the number of raisins on the puzzles in the center of the plate. Feel free to eat the raisins as you go from one puzzle to another.
- (optional) Cut out a worm from the green construction paper. Use the black pen to draw the eyes and the furrows (or segments) of the worm. Then cut out a slit in the apple and insert the worm.
Using the Raisins Counting Puzzles
The raisin counting puzzles are great for teaching your kids how to count. First, cut out all the puzzle pieces and mix them up.
For beginner counters, you can pick up the matching pieces and show them to your toddler. Place raisins in the center of the apple according to the number you are working on. Show your toddler how the number of raisins in the apple matches the picture on the puzzle. Then eat the raisins before moving on to the next number!
For experienced counters, have them do the puzzles and count the raisins themselves! What they will need to work on is recognizing the numbers on the puzzles as well as the words. With a preschooler, learning the number words is probably too difficult. However, you can always present them to your kid and see if he takes an interest in learning the words. Never underestimate your kid!
Different Parts of an Apple
This paper plate apple craft is a great opportunity to talk to you kids about the parts of an apple. You can even go grab a real apple and cut it into a half to show your kid that she has made a true presentation of an apple with the paper plates and construction papers.
How Does a Worm Eat an Apple?
I actually never knew how a worm digs a hole in an apple and burrow into the center. After all, a worm is so soft and squishy and the skin of the apple is so firm.
Turns out … the worms get into the apple before the apples mature!
Codling moths lay their eggs on either leaves or fruit in the early spring, when the fruit is still developing. When the eggs hatch, the larvae more into the young fruit. The larvae continues to grow inside the fruit, feeding on the flesh. After the larvae are mature, they exit the fruit and drop from the trees, where they continue their life cycle in the soil or debris (source).
Interesting right? Makes me never want to eat an apple again after looking at gross pictures of larvae infested apples, but I will get over it. But what an awesome fact for your kids to know!
Final Thoughts on Educational Paper Plate Apple Craft
You probably heard of the phrase, “eating an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While the apple can’t always prevent you from going to the doctor’s office, it does have lots of great health benefits.
Therefore, use this apple craft as a way to encourage your kids to eat apples and other fruits. Read some apple-themed books and teach your kids how apples grow. I guarantee you that with all this knowledge about apples, they will be super excited when it comes to apple picking season!
