Gardening and nature activities teach your preschooler the basics of caring for a living thing and a little bit of basic biology. Plant next year's jack-o'-lantern in your yard. Allow your little one to choose which variety he wants to plant, so long as it's adapted to your climate and soil conditions. Start the seeds indoors, or wait until after the last frost to plant them in the ground. Care for them per instructions until they're ready to harvest in the fall. Go on a scavenger hunt for items like smooth pebbles, red leaves, and purple flowers. Grow a sweet potato, starting it in a jar filled with water. Prop up the potato with toothpicks, then watch it grow.
Art activities let your preschooler work on her motor skills, learn basic color theory, familiarize herself with different media and tools, and allow her to express herself. Tape a giant piece of butcher paper on her work table. Let her free draw, or have her write about her favorite moment that day, or a book you just read. Matte and frame the piece together, and place it in an area in your home designated as her gallery. Provide opportunities for sculpting, painting and paper art.
Allow your child to take part in the storytelling process through writing and role playing. Have her make a storybook about her favorite animal, for instance. Help her organize the storyline, compile and bind the book with a hole punch and yarn. Make sock puppets and a puppet theater from a cardboard box and scrap fabric, and write and stage shows. Include music and costumes. You can do the same with plays, letting your little one direct other members of the family or collaborate with friends. Role playing and rehearsing teaches your child about the creative process and about collaboration and social skills.
Listening to music with your preschooler works well to alleviate stress and develop a love for the art, but letting her make music allows her to take matters into her own hands. Make instruments together, filling old tubs with beans, rice or pebbles, then taping them up and painting them. Look around your home for supplies you can refashion into instruments. Fill glasses with different amounts of liquid, then tap each one lightly with a utensil for different tones. Gather the family together, and have a jam session, switching out instruments every song.