The Great Leaf Hunt
As the canopy turns to gold and crimson, the excitement of fall floods the air at the Rye Nature Center. Our staff can’t help but marvel at the beauty—and the learning opportunities—that come with falling leaves. There’s something magical about identifying trees not just by photos or the shapes high above, but by the freshly fallen leaves in your hands. Each one tells a story of the season’s change, making autumn the perfect classroom backdrop for anyone curious about the natural world.
Fall for Forest Preschool means Leaf-Puppet Shows!
For our Forest Preschool classes, this means scanning the forest floor for leaves like maple, oak, or sweetgum and gathering them to examine. Young children are endlessly fascinated not only by the different ways color change can express in a fallen leaf, but also the difference in shapes each tree’s leaves can have. Watching our students begin to recognize and identify these leaves by their respective type makes this autumn unit a favorite amongst teachers here. However, you don’t need to be a preschooler to get in this action!
This fall, families, nature lovers, and curious explorers are invited to celebrate the season’s colors and textures with a hands-on adventure through the woods. Have you seen a leaf so big it seems fake? Bring it to us and see if it fits one of the several superlatives we’ve assembled — Biggest simple or compound leaf, most colorful, smallest, widest, longest, the list goes on!
The Great Leaf Hunt was a staple of Rye Nature Center’s fall program guide for years, and its long-awaited return promises to rekindle that same joy and wonder. Participants will enjoy a guided walk through Rye Nature Center’s trails, learning how to identify local trees and discovering just how much variety nature puts on display each fall. This program is ideal for families, kids, and anyone who loves the crunch of leaves underfoot.
For anyone who has been or would like to participate in our month-long leaf hunt, it’s not too late! November 1st we will be concluding The Great Leaf Hunt with a celebration featuring leafy crafts, the aforementioned hike, and the selection of the superlative winners for each category. If you would like to attend this free program, please register here!
