Preschool Pumpkin Circle Time Color Matching Activity

Inside: Put together this preschool pumpkin circle time activity for your fall pumpkin theme! Can also be used during small groups and independently.

What color is your pumpkin?

This pumpkin circle time activity works not only on color recognition, but also taking turns and listening.

Young preschoolers match their card to the one in the center of the circle time area, calling out the color while doing so.

Can be adapted for toddlers, too!

We love using circle time to build skills!

Some examples:

• Here is the Beehive (Counting)
• 5 Little Ducks (Counting)
• Flower Matching (Colors)
• Gingerbread Matching (Colors and Numbers)

Even better is when you can use these printables in a variety of ways, like as an independent activity at the table.

Favorite Fall Circle Time Activities

Preschool Pumpkin Circle Time Color Matching Activity

Our theme for the last two weeks of October is pumpkins.

We explore pumpkins inside and out, paint them, use their seeds for a collage,  and make delicious pumpkin muffins.

During circle time our teachers add some color recognition using our colored pumpkins printable and the best part is that it can be adapted for older and younger preschoolers/toddlers.

Supplies

For this circle time activity (and the independent activity shown below), you will need the colored pumpkin cards from our Pumpkin Activity Pack.

I will go into more detail in each activity section below.

Circle Time: Color Matching Cards

Preparation

• Make one copy of the pumpkin cards with the color labels. These will be for the center of your circle. You can leave them in strips or cut them apart.
• Make as many copies necessary of the pumpkin cards so that each of your students has one. Make sure each color is represented. You can use the plain cards or the ones with the color labels included. Cut them apart.
• For best results copy on cardstock. For even sturdier cards (that you can use year after year), laminate.

The Activity

• Place complete set in the middle of the circle.
• Hand each child a color pumpkin card.
• Go over each of the colors and then have each child come up and place their card on top of the matching card that is on the floor.
• When everyone has had a turn, count how many cards each color has. Does one have more than the other?

Small Groups

You can do the circle time activity during small groups, too!  Since you will have less children, you will want to give each one multiple cards (so that each color is represented).

Related: The Importance of Small Groups with Preschoolers

Independent Table Activity

During our free-choice centers time, we have a table with 4-6 activities that can be done independently.

Simple place a strip (or two strips) of the colored pumpkins (with or without text) on a tray and then add a container of individual colored pumpkin cards that match those in the strips.

Children can take the cards from the container and match them to the pumpkins on the strips.

Table Activity with Pom Poms

Instead of matching cards to cards, use pom poms and cards instead!

Place the strip(s) on a tray and provide matching colored pom poms.

Children then transfer the pom poms from their container and place them on top of the matching colored pumpkin.

For a fine motor challenge, include tongs or tweezers.