apple adventures! creating core memories with Littles!

Our Grand Lives
19 hours ago
7 min read

Updated: 15 minutes ago

Thursday, September 25, 2025

BRING ON FALL!

Where every leaf is a little work of art

and every apple a sweet adventure!

Each new season brings new opportunities

to create memories with loved ones, including our Littles,

and autumn’s apples are one of the sweetest gifts of all!

Apples, apples everywhere!

Shiny red, golden yellow, and even a touch of green!

These crisp fruits are like nature’s toy box,

just waiting to be explored with our Littles.

Today, we’re sharing our September choice for Our Monthly Story Time.

(Yep!! It’s a favorite apple story!)

Then, we’ve got an apple treat or two for you

and, finally, we’ll look back at some of our favorite apple activities

from the past!

Each idea we share will turn any fall day

into one filled with discovery and delight...

MEMORY MAKING, INDEED!

Earlier this month, we began a new feature!

Our first selection - The Kissing Hand - was a perfect choice

to celebrate “Back to School” season!

You can find the post that includes this book and our activity here!

Our choice for SEPTEMBER is….

Ten Apples Up On Top!

In this book, by Dr. Seuss,

we get to count our way through this silly stacking adventure!

Laurie and her two Littles recently had fun with this story!

This Dr. Seuss' book was a staple in my kindergarten classroom every September before we took our field trip to the apple orchard. The kids loved the rhythm and rhyme of the story of three friends each trying to “outstack” each other by balancing apples on their heads.

Since Little D is heading on her preK field trip to the apple orchard this week, I took the time to read the book with her and Little P. Then they had fun making their OWN Apples Up on Top Book!

The activity did take a little prep work for me before I introduced it to my girls. I found pictures of people in our family, printed them off, cut around their outline and glued their pictures on the bottom of white construction paper.

I’m sure there is an easier way to do this

especially if one is computer savvy.

If you know of a way, please let us know!!

I also ordered 2 packs of these apple stickers from Amazon

You could also cut out your own apples, use stamps, or draw the apples,

but since Little P is just shy of two years old,

I thought stickers would work best.

I shared the pages with Little D and Little P. I used their immediate family (Little D and Little P, Mom, Dad, and Wally, the Dog), my husband and I (BaBa and Grammy, my son and his wife (Auntie Ria and Uncle Roo) and four of their cousins. Little D decided she wanted to do all the girls, and Little P happily agreed to do the boys.

I let Little D and Little P choose the numbers they wanted. Of course Little D wanted everyone to be “4” like her, and I directed her younger sister, Little P to choose a lower number, such as 1 - 5, for each. However we ended up with all the numbers 1-10 represented in the end.

When I did a similar project while teaching kindergarten, I would have the students draw cards for their number of apples (everyone wanted 10 of course!) I rigged it so most of the cards were numbers 7-15! My kindergartners drew their apples and then labeled them with numerals. Number recognition, counting and numeral writing all in one lesson!

When doing the project this year, I wrote the numerals on the paper (just to make it easier for them to “read” the book when finished.) In hindsight, I wish I had dotted them so the girls could have traced them for extra practice!

I put the book together with a colored photo-copy of the book cover.

Then I put the pages together by punching holes and using binder rings.

My Littles got a lot of counting practice in,

the stickers were bright and cheery

and the book provided lots of fun and giggles!

AN ADDED BONUS?

My little authors and illustrators got to practice their reading skills

as they shared their story with lots of loved ones!

During a recent visit to see her Littles,

Laura was able to enjoy a trip to the apple orchard with them!

Of course, we had to make an apple treat (or two) afterward!

Caramel Apples on a Stick… Little Style!

These were so simple and so yummy AND were a brilliant way to reign in the stickiness for young Littles while still enjoying the flavors of a traditional caramel apple!

We took two of the apples from the orchard and sliced them into eighths. Then, we stuck a craft stick into one end, turning our apple slice into a lollipop of sorts!

NOTE: If you don’t have craft sticks, you can use lollipop sticks, skewers. Straws might work, too, but you’d probably need to make an indent into the apple with a knife first OR try using a spoon by pushing the handle into the apple slice (and then holding onto the “spoon” of the utensil when eating)!

Little L and I looked in the pantry to see what we could add to our dipped apples. We found mini chocolate chips and sprinkles! Jackpot! We had picked up some delicious caramel sauce during our visit to the apple orchard so I put some in a mug and melted it slightly. You could also melt caramels on the stove, too.

The dipping began.

Followed by the sprinkling.

And then the best part… the sampling!!

It’s a little hard to tell from the photo above,

but both girls loved these gooey treats!

While we were enjoying these,

I kept thinking of different combinations we could try…

Dipped in chocolate and then sprinkled with toffee bits,

chopped nuts or coconut…

You could even set up a caramel apple “bar” with all the goodies.

Your Littles, Middles and GRANDS alike would have fun dipping and sprinkling!

STICKY GOOEY AUTUMN GOODNESS!

YUM!

Apple “Donuts”!

The next day, we enjoyed another apple treat! We called these Apple “Donuts” even though we didn’t make a hole in the middle. (We wanted to see the “star” inside the apple instead! Keep reading if you want to know more!)

We cut our apple in slices about ¼” thick and then spread peanut butter on each. We, of course, also had to add our sprinkles and chocolate chips. Little L insisted!

Little L and Little P used craft sticks as "knives" to spread the peanut butter on their "donut"!

Again.. The combinations are endless! For example, you could spread nutella, vanilla frosting or yogurt on the apple slices and then top with mini m&m’s, coconut, chopped nuts!

ENJOY!

Since we first began writing this blog almost three years ago,

we’ve been having lots of fun with apples!

Check out these past faves!

A Special Apple Story!

Do you know the story of

The Little Red House With No Window or Doors

and a Star Inside?

This apple story includes a touch of mystery and a thoughtful message! For those of you who have never heard it or don’t know about the secret inside an apple, you can learn more here!