When it was forecasted that Huracán Sandy, was eminently going to strike our area, the first thing we did was go out and collect the beautiful fall leaves that colored our barrio. I knew that after the storm, we would be left with few vibrant reminders of fall.  Even so, I felt like we needed to add a little more color of fall into our lives.  So I reverted to a favorite childhood activity that my sister and I used to always enjoy.  As it turns out, this is a great activity to teach science concepts of solid and liquid changes of state through temperature.

What you will need:

• Cardstock, white
• PDF print out of letters O-T-O-Ñ-O
• Wax paper
• Red, orange, brown, and yellow crayolas
• Scissors
• Hot glue or tape
• Sticks
• Ribbon
• Iron
• Scrap cardboard

First print the OTOÑO PDF on white cardstock.  Carefully scrape the crayolas with scissors and let the shavings lightly speckle a piece of wax paper and the cardstock, leaving space between shavings.  Since you will be melting the crayolas, less is best.  Cover each with another piece of wax paper.

For Sofía, I made the shavings ahead of time and allowed her to sprinkle them on the wax paper and cardstock.

Using an iron on the lowest setting, carefully hold down the wax paper and cardstock, and pass the iron over the top wax paper to JUST melt the crayola shavings.  Sofía had to just watch this, but older niños could assist the adult. (I also placed all of the above on top of scrap cardboard for easier clean up.)

For the leaves, trace your niño’s hand and make a pattern out of cardboard.  Then trace the pattern 5 times on the wax paper with melted crayolas.  Be sure to cut out the hands/leaves only once the shavings are very cool.  The letters to spell out OTOÑO can be easily cut out by evenly folding the cardstock into fourths first.

Using tape and/or a hot glue gun, connect the letters and hands/leaves with small sticks or real stems of leaves.  String each letter (now connected to the hand/leaf) with ribbon or twine and use tape or hot glue to hold together.

Want to change up the activity a little bit?  Just use the hand/leaves to decorate your windows or mantel.   Instead of O-t-o-ñ-o, use the letters to spell Gracias!  Trace the hand pattern 5 times on cardstock also and use them as the feathers to make a turkey, using a traced foot as the body.  Maybe you want to make your own family or Thankful tree out of brown paper and use the wax paper hands/leaves to write names or things for which you are thankful.

Even if your barrio is left without those vibrant orange and red hues, this art and science activity will be sure to brighten your casa and hopefully spread a little bit of fall warmth.