Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Nature · The activity desk
Mushroom picture observation
Look at a mushroom picture and draw its cap and stem.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
Paper, large child-appropriate crayons, and a mushroom picture.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: Choose a clear picture of a mushroom together.
Adult's role: Stay beside the child and explain that a mushroom is part of a fungus.
Let's make it happen
- Look at the mushroom picture and notice its cap and stem.
- Draw a curved cap and a stem beneath it. Add colors or marks you see.
- Explain that mushrooms are part of fungi. Draw leaves or other surroundings from the picture.
Make it simpler: An adult draws the cap and the child colors it.
Clean up: Put away the paper and crayons.
Observe wild mushrooms from a distance. Never touch, pick, or eat them.