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Cristi Wuenschel

Learning About Mangoes with Preschoolers

Updated: Nov 30, 2020

As an Experience Early Learning Blog Ambassador, we receive the Experience Early Learning preschool curriculum in exchange for sharing our honest and authentic stories resulting from our personal experiences. As always, our opinions on amazing things for children are 100% our own. Keep in mind that all preschoolers do things in their own time and on their own terms. What one is ready for, another might not be. Please use your best judgement when planning activities for your children.

collage of rainforest activities with text: Mango Rainforest Activities

Today’s topic was Mango, which meant exploring lots of important concepts with Experience Early Learning (formerly Mother Goose Time).

lid containing red and yellow paint mixed together

We started our morning with a wonderful read-aloud told in a mix of English and Spanish about a young boy who learned an important lesson about perseverance as he worked toward picking mangoes from the mango tree near his home.

preschooler placing animal card on rainforest layers matching card game

This story was incredibly unique because it was told through proverbs and the children really enjoyed hearing the proverbs in both languages.

preschooler sponging red and yellow paint onto paper mango

After that, we had snack and I mentioned needing to be somewhere closer to the equator where it was warmer. After all, it’s not exactly tropical weather here in PA in the middle of November.

preschooler blending paint on paper mango

One of the children of course asked me about the equator, so not only did I explain what the equator was, but I also showed the preschoolers a map of the tropical rainforests, most of which are very near the equator.

two preschoolers working together on rainforest layers matching game

After all, one of the things that we’ve learned this month is that rainforests are humid. Not only are they really hot, but it also rains a lot.


One thing led to another (as it usually does with inquisitive preschoolers) and our class decided that it would be a lot of fun to take a virtual field trip to the Amazon Rainforest.

preschooler placing butterfly card on rainforest layers gameboard

Thanks to modern technology, we got to see each layer of the rainforest up close and personal and learned quite a lot about rainforest plants and animals in the process.

rainforest layers gameboard with animal cards sorted by layer

Today’s process art was a great opportunity to discuss color mixing. We practiced Blending Colors to make our very own mangoes.


One of the children had asked me what colors make orange and we experimented with a few possibilities.

rainforest layers gameboard containing animal cards

When it was all said and done, we learned that mixing red and yellow makes orange.

preschooler painting paper mango with sponge

The children had tons of fun mixing and blending colors and using their creative thinking and problem-solving skills for this activity.

paper mango craft

Another fun idea included in this week’s Teacher Guide from Experience Early Learning was a Rainforest Friends matching game.

preschooler placing bird card on rainforest layers gameboard

We received a beautiful mat that included each layer of the rainforest as well as a set of matching cards sorted by layer.

mango market math game using manipulatives

I cut out one set of matching cards and the older children took turns matching each animal to the proper rainforest layer while the younger preschoolers used the other matching cards that we hadn’t cut out and matched each set of rainforest friends.


It was so amazing to see how excited the children were about matching all of the animals we’ve learned about with the layer of the rainforest where they live.

mango market game with manipulatives and open sign

What an amazing way to wrap up this month’s Explore the Rainforest theme and to see all of the learning that’s taken place in our classroom in just the last few weeks.

child counting pretend money

And last, but not least, there was a Mango Market math game using the manipulatives that we received in this month’s curriculum kit.

preschoolers exchanging pretend money

Each type of mango (pattern block) was assigned a price and the preschoolers used pretend money to buy and sell mangoes to one another.

preschooler counting pretend money

Not only was this activity a great opportunity to practice early math skills, but also civics and economics and of course dramatic play too.

preschooler counting pretend money for mango store dramatic play

Dramatic play is so important for preschoolers because it gives them a chance a experience real life situations in an age appropriate way and to work together as a group each playing specific roles which in turn encourages communication and language skills as well as teamwork.


Today’s Mango theme was lots of fun for everyone and we all learned so much!

preschooler's mango process art

Don’t forget to check back next week to see what we’re up to with our new Ice Castle theme from Experience Early Learning (formerly Mother Goose Time).

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