I LOVE using file folder activities. These activities are kept neatly in a file folder and don’t take up much space, but can keep students engaged during center or station work. These activities can be made for any grade level, but the ones in this post are geared towards lower elementary and preschool students. These can even be used for toddlers or working with your young children at home!
All children need opportunities for independent learning. Independent learning time should involve activities that are developmentally appropriate for them to do by themselves. Especially when teaching, students need to be able to have independent activities to do while the teacher is working with someone else.
Not only are these activities great for learning about numbers, letters, shapes, colors, and sizes, but they also give students a chance to work on their fine motor skills!
I have recently created some fall themed file folder activities that you can use in your classroom for centers or stations. If you want to check them out on our TPT store, click here!
Keep reading for information on how to make the file folder activities, each fall file activity we have created, and even a few management tips!
Making the File Folders
Materials Needed:
- File Folders
- Glue
- Velcro Dots
- Laminator (Optional)
- Card Stock (Optional)
- Printed Activities (here)
These activities are great to use for centers and stations. You do not have to put them in file folders if you choose not to. These could also just be used as pieces for students to make matches. I personally like putting all the pieces into a file folder for easy clean up and storage.
For some file folder activities, I like to use Velcro dots so students know where to place the items. For some others, I just like to glue pieces on the file folder and then have the students put the match on top of the glued item.
I also like to laminate the pieces. This just helps to make the pieces more durable for play over and over again. You could also use card stock for more durability. Sometimes, after I glue the pieces on the file folder, I will laminate the entire folder. This is not necessary either, but it does make the entire folder more durable.
Leaf Shape and Color Match
This file folder activity is great for recognizing shape and color. Students will match up the different leaves and colors to the correct match on the file folder.
Instructions
Print leaves, cut out leaves, and glue each leaf on the file folder. Next, print out the leaves again, cut them, laminate them (optional), and keep them in a bag for children to play.
Play
Match each cut out leaf to the correct shape and color match on the folder.
Pumpkin and Apple Sizes
These activities focus on students ability to put object in order from smallest to largest or largest to smallest. Students can do this activity with pumpkins or apples. You can make a file folder for each or use one folder for both activities.
Instructions
Print out Pumpkins, cut them, and laminate (optional). Place 8 Velcro dots on the file folder. Place the other side of the Velcro on the back of each pumpkin. Keep pumpkins in a bag for children to play.
Play
Attach pumpkins to the folder in order from smallest to largest.
Pumpkin Letter Match Up
This activity is great for practice on letter recognition. You can make this in a file folder and glue the capital alphabet on the folder, then have the students match up the lower case letters. You could also have the lower case letters glued and students match up the capital letters.
Another idea for this activity is for students to put the letter pumpkins in the correct order!
Instructions
Print Lower Case Letter pumpkins, cut, and laminate them (optional). Print and Cut Capital Letter Pumpkins. Glue capital letters to file folder. Keep lower case letters in a bag.
Play
Match each lower case pumpkin to the correct capital letter on the file folder.
Apple Color Match
This is a great activity to practice matching colors. The colors used are basic colors that children should know. Students can match up the correct apple color to the match Apple color on the folder. You could also make this activity where students have to match up the color word to the correct Apple color. This can be used a variety of ways to work for your group of students.
Instructions
Print out apples, cut, and glue them to a file folder. Cut out apples again and laminate (optional). Keep cut out apples in a bag for children to play.
Play
Match each color apple to the correct color match on the file folder.
Counting Squirrels
This activity is fun to practice counting and number recognition. Students count the number of acorns, then match up the squirrel with the correct number of acorns. Another way to play is to have the squirrel glued on the folder and students match up the correct number of acorns.
You may want to put all ten out for your students, or just focus on five at a time. Also, you could make this two different file folders, one for 1-5 and one for 6-10.
Also, depending on the level of your students, you could make the numbers in order or mix them up for more of a challenge.
Instructions
Print out Squirrels and Acorns. Cut out Squirrels and Acorns. Glue Squirrels to file folder. Put a Velcro dot beside each squirrel. The other Velcro dot goes on the back of Each set of acorns. Keep Acorns in a bag for children to play.
Play
Attach the correct amount of acorns beside each squirrel.
Classroom Management Tips
I prefer to keep these as independent activities, but you could have students work together. Just consider the noise level and make sure students know how to work together properly.
Teach students exactly how to play with each file folder before you put it out for a center or station. This will save you from constantly answering questions, especially if you are trying to work with other students.
You may want to use these activities where a teacher’s aide can be available for assistance to students. This just depends on the level and age of your students.
These file folder activities don’t have an answer key. You could take a picture of a correctly completed activity and glue it to the back of the folder for students to check their answers. You could also assign the picture to a QR code for students to scan to check their answers (click here to read our article on how to use QR Codes in the classroom).
I hope you enjoyed this article and are able to use this in your own classroom.
Remember, if you want to purchase ALL the fall themed file folder activities mentioned in this post, click here to check them out!
Also, make sure to check out some of our other fall posts. Click here to read about our fall themed wreath craft and click here to read about our fall sensory bin!
Thank you for Continually Learning with us!
Kyle and Sarah
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