Five Fruity Questions

A Fine "Fruity" Activity for Preschoolers

‘Tis the season to enjoy fresh fruit! You can build a study unit around the subject of fruit. Where does fruit grow? What are the colors, the textures, the smells? How many different ways can we sort fruits? Do animals eat fruit? Do all cultures eat the same types of fruit, prepared in the same way? How many ways can we use fruit in recipes?

Age/Grades:

Preschool, Kindergarten

Learning Domains:

Language Development; Approaches to Learning; Science Knowledge and Skills

Materials Needed:

Paper bag or small container

4 or more different types of fruit

Set the Stage:

Whole group or small group

This activity introduces children to the defining features of different fruits. Children will build their “sensory” word vocabulary, concept knowledge and question-asking skills. In this game, they also will learn how to take turns and practice their deductive reasoning.

Introduce the activity by telling the children that this is a question game. If you use the word “guessing” game, children will start shouting out guesses before you even begin. Tell the children that you have a fruit in your bag and they cannot say what it is until they hear the answers to 5 questions.

Try a practice session first. Show children an apple, orange, and lemon. Talk about the colors, the shapes, the tastes, how you eat it (peeled, sliced, whole), how it grows, etc. This will give children practice in asking purposeful questions. You can adjust the types of questions based on your students’ existing background knowledge.

​​What color is it?
How does it taste?
Is it small or big?
Does it have seeds or a pit?
Is the skin smooth?
Does this fruit grow on a tree?

Five Fruity Questions Game: Put a whole piece of fruit in a bag or container that is not see- through. Children can take turns asking questions. Just remember - no guessing until all the information is revealed!