An interactive activity that fosters skills like listening, following directions and small motor skills is perfect for the preschool crew. Here is a seasonal themed activity, coined in many versions "The Orange House", to complete with your preschoolers. This version is different from others, but the concept is generally the same. Be sure to tell the story in an animated and interesting way, taking care not to rush through the details. You will model this activity alongside your students.

*Each child, as well as the teacher will need a pair of appropriate aged scissors and an 8 1/2 X 11 piece of orange construction paper.

Here is the story:

Once upon a time a very small girl was walking in the woods. The blustery wind was blowing the dry leaves all around her. The little girl was frantically searching for a house for the winter. She could not find one. Suddenly a piece of orange paper, blown by the wind, flew above her head and landed at her feet. She picked it up. The little girl looked closely at the paper and then she said, "I shall make myself a tiny house, perfect for me, from this piece of orange paper." She folded the paper in half. Then she took her scissors out from her bag, and cut off the two corners to make a roof. {Cut the construction paper as the story indicate}. "This will do just fine," she said as she looked at her new house. "But I will need a door." Then she decided that she would definitely need a door to go in and out of her little house, so she cut a small rectangular door out. {Cut the door} door. The little girl walked through the door into the little orange house. It was very dark inside. She quickly hurried back out. "I will need to make windows to let in the Autumn sunlight," said the little girl. She cut a front and back window. {Cut a square shape in the top middle of the paper opposite end of the paper than the door. Cut through both sides of the paper}. The house was now beginning to look quite cozy. The little girl was admiring her special little house, with a roof, a door, and windows that were all finished. But just as the little girl decided to head inside for the cold winter ahead she saw a tiny ghost floating down the wind swept path. As the tiny ghost came to a stop near the little house, the little girl saw that she was crying. "Why are you crying?" asked the little girl. The tiny ghost stopped crying and answered, "It is cold and windy. It is getting dark. And I have no place to spend the winter." The little girl replied, "You may spend the winter with me in my new house." "Thank you so much!" the happy tiny ghost said as she peeked in through the window. "This is a very lovely house." "First," said the girl, "I will need to make you a little door of your very own." She took her scissors again and began to cut. She cut a very tiny door. {Cut a triangle on the folded edge of the paper between the big door and the window. Make the longer part of the triangle point up} When that was done the two happy new friends went inside. The tiny ghost went in the very little door, and the little witch went through her own special door. All winter long they lived happily together inside the little orange house. If you want to see inside their little orange house, just open your piece of paper and... Surprise! *The children really love to see that the house is really a jack o lantern!