Even though economic times are changing every day in our world and around us daily, the variety of learning lessons and opportunities for a family with young children to enjoy remain constant, season after season. Fall in Baldwin County offers so many activities along the bay and in its fields of harvest for a young child to learn and remember.

I just love the fall time, with all it has to offer—the leaves beginning to change, the beautiful red sunsets by this bay, a nip of cool fresh air, animals bustling about getting ready for winter, and the fall holidays that come year after year.  In planning for the preschool children I teach, so many times those tried-and-true ideas from years gone by are best. I have loved teaching in this area of the country because the environment of the Eastern Shore offers such rich lessons for young children, that don’t cost much and this area provides nature lessons that can be remembered for a life time. I’d like to share some of these lessons, as follows:

Gathering flowering plants and having children observe the seeds with a magnifying glass are always fascinating, and offer wonderful science lessons.

Another seasonal favorite is when scraping pumpkins out with the inside “mush” is to separate the seed, wash them, dry, and let the children plant.  Yes, new pumpkins will grow if properly taken care of.

I had one of my students in second grade each year after he had planted the seeds from his classroom science experiments to provide holiday pumpkins for each grade year after year.

Cutting an apple in half sideways is another favorite fall activity, where a star appears and the children can pick out the seeds. This just takes a little bit of time and the children are fascinated.

They will be fascinated at how the leaf appears, and you can point out how the leaf through the main vein drinks up the water and nutrients from the soil. Making fall colors such as orange, yellow and red, mixing colors with food coloring is a special fall remembrance with young children. Taking the children’s hands and making hand leaves is another fall favorite that you can tape and hang in the kitchen windows to celebrate the season of fall. I like to add a little glue glitter so the hand leaves shine!

Also, many fish migrate. They swim south into warmer waters. Also some insects migrate. Take for example butterflies and moths that travel some distance to their winter homes, far south where it is warmer. But also some insects remain dormant during the winter or in a state of “diapause,” which resembles hibernation.

Boiled peanuts are another Southern seasonal favorite with families.

We also seem to crave the beginning of hot chocolate as the cool, fall air begins to turn our thoughts toward winter.  Children certainly get caught up with the excitement as the seasons begin to change.

One sees chopped wood beginning to pile up by the sides of homes and stores as fall brings the excitement of cool nights. Even down here in South Alabama, when the first really cold night hits, point out to your children to smell the smoke coming from people’s fireplaces in the neighborhood.

I hope some of these fall delights will get you and your family enjoying the simple pleasures of fall, truly savoring every minute of the season.

As you look back over with what I have suggested you will see the suggested activities don’t cost a lot at all—simple pleasures of sight, smells, feel, hearing and taste are the best and ones that are remembered by your young child.

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as the director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.