My favorite season is fall, and our family always enjoys heading to the local apple orchard. Learn about the parts of an apple and how an apple grows with this hands-on activity. Grab some real apples for this easy-to-set-up, simple-to-do, and tasty-to-eat apple theme activity for preschoolers!
Explore Apples For Fall
I chose a few apple theme books from our local library to read during our hands-on parts of an apple science activity below. I love pairing books with hands-on activities as often as possible. There is always much to learn, and these Apple books offered some exciting concepts I had forgotten!
What an excellent and simple preschool apple science activity! Quick and easy but filled with lots of room to explore, discover, learn, and play. Perfect for a September preschool theme!
Grab a few extra apples at the store or visit a local orchard and try this simple apple activity this fall!
Parts of An Apple Books
Here are five apple-themed books perfect for pairing with these hands-on activities! I am an Amazon Affiliate.
“Apples for Everyone” by Jill Esbaum: This book introduces young readers to the science of apple growth and the apple harvest process. It features vivid photographs and simple explanations, making it an excellent choice for teaching the life cycle of apples and their journey from orchard to table.
“How Do Apples Grow?” by Betsy Maestro: In this book, kids will learn about the stages of apple growth, from the tiny seed to the fully grown apple. It covers the pollination process, the role of bees, and the changing seasons that impact apple trees.
“The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree” by Gail Gibbons: Explore the four seasons as they relate to an apple tree named Arnold. The story explores how the tree changes throughout the year, affecting the growth and appearance of the apples.
“Apples, Apples, Apples” by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace: Through charming illustrations and cut-paper artwork, this book combines science and math as a group of animal friends explore an apple orchard. Readers learn about apple varieties, parts of an apple, and even how to make applesauce.
“Apple Picking Day” by Candice Ransom: Join a brother and sister as they enjoy a fun filled day at a local apple orchard and all the adventures that await. This is also a great early reader book with simple rhyme.
Note: The book, shown below, “Fall Apples Crisp and Juice” by Martha E. H. Rustad may be available in your library!
Start With A Float or Sink Experiment
Before cutting our apples, we decided to test whether apples sink or float in water. See our sink or float experiment here for ways to set this up!
I love sink-or-float experiments for easy preschool science because they allow kids to make predictions and talk about why they think something will sink or float. Of course, apples are pretty intriguing for a sink-and-float activity!
My son was amazed to discover that apples do float! This is because apples have air in them. The air makes them less dense than water and thus floats. Why not give it a try? Learn more about density here.
What Are The Parts Of An Apple?
Next, it’s time to dissect the apple and explore the different parts of the apple.
You Might Also Like: Apple Anatomy Coloring Page
Stem
Attaches the fruit to the apple tree and is part of the core. You can eat the stem but mostly it gets thrown away because it is not very tasty!
Skin
The skin is the outer part of the apple. The skin is smooth and tough to help protect the fruit. It can be green, red, or yellow, depending on the type of apple.
Flesh
The part of the apple underneath the skin. This is the best part to eat because it is the sweetest, and contains lots of nutrients. The color of the flesh can vary depending on the variety of the apple.
Core
It is simply the center part of the apple that contains the seeds. The core can be eaten.
Seeds
Apples have 5 to 12 tiny dark brown seeds. Yes, you can plant them and watch them grow!
Get Your FREE Printable Parts of an Apple Worksheet!
Use our free printable Apple diagram (free download below) to learn the Apple parts. Students can see the different parts of an apple, discuss whether they can eat each part, and then color the apple.
Parts Of An Apple Activity
Also, check out our life cycle of an apple tree worksheets!
Supplies:
- apples, green and red (whatever varieties you enjoy!)
- Tray for sorting the different apple pieces (A dollar store snack tray works well!)
- Apple cutter or knife (Make sure to supervise and keep safety number one!)
- Optional – magnifying glass
Instructions:
STEP 1. Carefully cut or slice the apple to show the different parts of the apple.
STEP 2. Sort them into each section to take a better look at each part.
TIP: Use a paper plate and label each part of the apple.
STEP 3. Take a look at each part. Optional – Use your magnifying glass to look at each piece close up. See our list of suggested science tools for kids.
Our Results
Examining and Identifying Parts of an Apple
My son loved using his mighty strength to cut through the apple, and it’s great for practical life skills. We could take apart the apple for more careful observation of the different parts using the apple slicer. Learn more about making observations here.
Of course, a magnifying glass is a staple for most of our experiments. Lastly, tasting is an essential part! This hands-on apple activity uses all of the 5 senses too!
Here’s a great Apple 5 Senses Activity with printable!
Parts of An Apple Playdough
Whip up an apple-scented playdough with our simple recipe and turn it into an additional sensory-rich activity to explore the parts of an apple.
More Fun Apple Theme Activities
- Apple Races for Simple Fall Physics
- Why Do Apples Turn Brown?
- Build LEGO Apples
- Apple Volcano Experiment
- Balancing Apple (FREE PRINTABLE) Activity
Printable Preschool Apple Theme Pack
Get ready to explore this year with our growing Preschool STEM Bundle!
What’s Included:
There are 4 fun preschool themes to get you started. This is an ” I can explore” series!
Each unit contains approximately 15 activities, with instructions and templates as needed. Hands-on activities are provided to keep it fun and exciting. This includes sensory bins, experiments, games, and more! Easy supplies keep it low cost and book suggestions add the learning time.
The magnifying glass and books are such a fabulous addition to this activity. I like how you separated each part into a different part of the tray!
I love how you all explored that the apple will still float even after being cut apart. actually I love the whole exploration of the apple. Fall happens to be one of our favorite seasons also.
I love how you dissected the apple in the tray! We are loving the book Apples, Apples, Apples for this theme as well!
LOVE!! we need to dissect an apple like pronto! hehe
My toddler (2) absolutely LOVES ‘studying’ things with a magnifying glass! She enjoys checking out our apples, too!
We will have to do sink or float soon!
The tray was a fun way to feature all the parts of an apple! I wonder if we included a few toys apples to the mix how they think they would sink or float. All great ways to incorperate science with apples. Thanks for sharing.
What a fun science experiment! My son is a big fan of his magnifying glass as well. Great idea using the tray to sort out all the parts.
A great book to accompany this activity! I love the hands-on approach to learning.
Love this! Exploring apples is such a fun activity for kids! Great job!
This would be a hit with my preschoolers. There’s just something about getting to really look inside an apple that they love. Even though it’s a fruit they’re familiar with, it’s different when they’re looking at it like scientists!
What a great idea to separate each of the parts of the apple in a divided tray! We’ll be trying this!
I have never thought of the science of apples. My daughter will love this for sure. I may even do it tomorrow to wrap up our fall theme.
What a fun way to learn more about apples! I love how they were able to see all the different parts of the apple!
What fun ideas for playing and learning with apples! Thanks for sharing at the #LovetoLearnLinky. I will be featuring your post tomorrow. I hope you will stop by and link up again 🙂 -Katie