This activity works well with these resources:

Apple Art Musical Shakers

Get kids moving with apple art musical shakers made from paper plates! September marks the beginning of school for kids, and for those entering kindergarten, it may be the first time they’ve spent time in a classroom. Apple crafts are a fun way to incorporate back to school, autumn, harvest, and seed growing into your learning units. I’m sharing a cute apple craft made from paper plates that will get kids moving! This project mixes both art and music-making it perfect for fall centers and circle time.

I love to create art with kids because it gives them the freedom to express themselves and to get a little messy. Cover a desk with paper or place these paper plates with paint at an art table for festive fall fun. We used red and green paint for our apples, but yellow would make a great addition too. Pair this with more apple-themed activities for a complete fall unit.

Supplies for One Apple Art Project

The supplies for this craft are simple. We had some unused party plates and faced the decorative side in so you’d never know they were a bright blue! As long as the underside of the plate is white, it can be painted to resemble an apple.

• Two Small Paper Plates
• Green or Red Paint
• Green Construction Paper Cut into Leaf Shapes
• Dry Beans or Dry Pasta (macaroni, or another smaller sized pasta works best)
• Stapler and Staples

Instructions

Paint the bottoms of the paper plates green or red. Let dry.

Use a stapler to attach the plates together, painted side out to make your apple. Leave 3″ open at the top.

Use a spoon to add about 1 tablespoon of dry beans or pasta into the apple.

Staple closed.

Glue a leaf to the top of the apple.

Shake, shake, shake to music!

Ideas for the Classroom

• Make these musical apple-themed shakers during centers for apple week! The apples need to be painted and dried which makes this a great multi-day activity.
• When filling the apples with beans or pasta kids can work their motor skill by scooping beans or pasta from a bin using a spoon. Then a teacher can staple the apples closed.
• During music time, get students dancing with their apple shakers. They can shake them or beat them like a tambourine.

If you’re hosting a fall open house multi-colored apples look festive when clipped along a string in the classroom. Kids love bringing home their apple shakers after their families visit their class!