What could be more fun than learning about apples and then getting to experience them together as a family?
At Greenehouse Children’s Center, our monthly themes give children opportunities to explore the world around them through hands-on, age-appropriate learning. This month, we’re putting apples in the spotlight!
Apples may seem like a simple fruit, but they can inspire all kinds of learning—from science and nature to math, language, sensory exploration, cooking and creative play.
And the best part? Families can continue the learning at home with simple apple activities and a visit to a local orchard.
7 Fun Apple Activities for Kids
You don’t need complicated supplies or a Pinterest-worthy craft table to turn apples into a learning experience. Try one—or several—of these activities with your child.
1. Explore an Apple With Your Five Senses
Give your child an apple and ask them to describe what they notice.
- What does it look like?
Is it red, green, yellow or a combination of colors? - What does it feel like?
Is the skin smooth, waxy, cool or firm? - What does it smell like?
Does it have a sweet or fresh smell? - What does it sound like?
Listen for the crunch when you take a bite! - What does it taste like?
Is it sweet, tart, juicy or a little of both?
This simple activity encourages children to use descriptive language while developing observation and sensory skills.
2. Cut Open an Apple and Investigate
With an adult handling the knife, cut an apple in half and let your child examine what is inside.
Can they find:
- The stem
- The skin
- The flesh
- The core
- The seeds
Ask your child what they think would happen if you planted one of the seeds.
This is a great starting point for talking about how an apple tree begins with a seed and grows through different stages.
3. Count, Sort and Compare Apples
Turn snack time into a little math lesson!
If you have several apples, invite your child to:
- Count the apples
- Sort them by color
- Compare large and small apples
- Arrange them from smallest to largest
- Count the seeds inside an apple
- Talk about which apple is heavier or lighter
For younger children, simply counting and identifying colors can be plenty. Older preschoolers may enjoy making predictions and comparing quantities.
The goal isn’t to make math feel like schoolwork. It’s to help children discover that math is part of everyday life.
4. Make Homemade Applesauce
Cooking together is a wonderful way for children to practice following directions, measuring, observing changes and using their senses.
An adult can peel and cut the apples while children can help with age-appropriate steps such as washing apples, measuring ingredients, stirring with supervision or simply watching the apples change as they cook.
Talk about what happens when a crisp apple becomes soft.
What changed? What stayed the same? Why do you think the apples became softer?
And, of course, the best part is getting to taste the finished product!
5. Go on an Apple Tree Scavenger Hunt
If you visit an orchard—or even spot an apple tree in your neighborhood—turn the outing into a nature investigation.
Ask your child to look for:
- Apples at different stages of ripeness
- Leaves
- Tree branches
- Flowers or blossoms
- Seeds
- Insects
- Birds
- Different colors and shapes
Encourage children to look closely rather than simply walking through the orchard.
A child who stops to examine a leaf, notice an insect or wonder why some apples are still green is already practicing the skills of a young scientist.
6. Make Apple Art
Apples are fun to use as inspiration for creative activities, too.
Try:
- Apple stamping with cut apples
- Drawing or painting an apple tree
- Creating an apple collage
- Making a paper apple using different textures
- Counting and gluing paper apples onto a tree
- Creating a family “apple tree” with fingerprints or handprints
There doesn’t have to be a perfect finished product. The process of creating, experimenting and making choices is where much of the learning happens.
7. Read an Apple-Themed Book Together
Pair a family apple adventure with a story.
After reading, ask your child questions such as:
- What happened first?
- What happened next?
- What did the character learn?
- What would you do if you were in the story?
Reading a story about apples can help connect vocabulary and imagination with the real-world experiences your child is having.
Make It a Family Adventure: Visit a Local Orchard
One of the best ways to bring an apple-themed learning experience to life is to visit an actual orchard.
For families in and around Dunlap, two nearby destinations can make a fun fall outing.
Wheeler’s Orchard & Vineyard in Dunlap
Wheeler’s Orchard & Vineyard is a family-owned orchard on Fredonia Mountain that grows a variety of apples, including several heirloom varieties.
Their farm offers opportunities to learn about apples, the orchard and farm life. Their current offerings include farm tours and field trips, and their website notes that field trips include an extended farm tour, apple and juice tasting, apples for children and picnic-table reservations.
That makes a visit especially interesting for children who are already learning about apples at Greenehouse.
Before you go: Check the orchard’s current schedule and availability, since seasonal hours and apple varieties can change throughout the fall.
Visit Wheeler’s Orchard & Vineyard
Address: 956 Wheeler Rd, Dunlap, TN 37327
Phone: (423) 949-4255
Oren Wooden’s Apple House in Pikeville
Oren Wooden’s Apple House is another great destination for families who want to make apples part of their fall adventure.
The Wooden family has been growing apples in the area for generations, and the family business has grown into an orchard, farm market, bakery and gift shop. Their current website features seasonal apples along with apple treats made at their Pie Shop.
A family visit can become an opportunity to talk with children about where food comes from, how farms grow food and how apples can be used in different ways.
Before you go: Check the Apple House’s current hours and seasonal offerings before making the trip.
Visit Oren Wooden’s Apple House
Address: 6351 New Harmony Rd, Pikeville, TN 37367
Phone: (423) 447-6376
Turn an Apple Outing Into a Learning Experience
The most valuable part of a family orchard visit isn’t necessarily how many apples you bring home. It’s the conversation that happens along the way.
Ask your child:
- How do you think apples grow?
- Why do you think apples come in different colors?
- How does an apple tree change throughout the year?
- What animals or insects might live around an orchard?
- Which apple tastes the sweetest?
- What could we make with the apples we picked?
- What did you notice that you didn’t expect?
These questions encourage children to observe, predict, describe, compare and explain—important skills for young learners.
Learning Doesn’t Stop at the Classroom Door
At Greenehouse Children’s Center, we believe children learn through meaningful experiences. Our approach emphasizes developmentally appropriate learning, hands-on experiences and opportunities for children to explore the world around them.
A monthly theme like apples gives children a chance to connect many different areas of learning.
They can count apples in math, learn about seeds and plants in science, practice new vocabulary during conversations, create apple artwork, read stories about orchards and enjoy the sensory experience of tasting and exploring a real apple.
Then, when families continue those experiences at home, children get to make connections between what they are learning and the world they live in.
That’s when learning becomes an experience they can remember.
Looking for Quality Childcare in Dunlap, TN?
Greenehouse Children’s Center provides childcare and early learning programs for children from 6 weeks through 12 years old, including infant and toddler care, preschool, and before- and after-school programs. The center describes its approach as purposeful, hands-on and focused on helping children grow and thrive.
If you’re looking for more than traditional daycare and want an environment where your child can learn, explore and grow, we’d love to introduce you to Greenehouse Children’s Center.
Greenehouse Children’s Center
6401 State Route 28 – Infants & Toddlers
15105 Rankin Avenue – Preschool & Childcare
Dunlap, TN
423-949-3200
Serving families in Dunlap and surrounding communities including Signal Mountain, Whitwell, Soddy-Daisy and the surrounding Tennessee counties.
