Autumn Activities For Children

It is so important for little ones to get outside every day, come rain or shine, to see the wonders of nature and to feel connected to the world around them.

As the weather turns crisp and the sunny days are not guaranteed, it can be difficult to motivate your family to get outside. However, at our nurseries we believe there is no such thing as bad weather – just inappropriate clothing.

So, pack a brolly, add that extra woolly layer and venture out into your local parks and woodland areas to see the spectacle nature is providing and the learning opportunities to discover with your child during this changing season.

Scavenger Hunt

With the leaves turning orange and wildlife bustling in their preparations for winter there is so much to see and do outside this autumn! So, where to start? Why not get involved with the our scavenger hunt?

Download our scavenger hunt check list here and take your little one on a hunt throughout your local area to find:

• Orange leaf
• Red leaf
• Yellow leaf
• Green leaf
• Bark
• Pinecone
• Acorn
• Winged seed
• Stick
• Conker
• Feather
• Tree
• White Cloud
• Red berry
• Snail
• Cobweb

Once you have collected them all, snap a photo of your little one with their complete list and tag @kiddicaru and #autumnoutside on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Explore the different objects and encourage your child to compare the weights, sizes and textures. You may find that your little one enjoys collecting one object more than others, such as tree rubbings when looking at the tree bark patterns. So, make sure to bring a variety of coloured crayons to create tree collages of rubbings from different trees to see how the bark creates a multitude of patterns. Or if your child particularly liked hunting for conkers, discovering their spiky shell and the shiny brown seed inside, take time to find as many as you can. Point out what the conker tree looks like to see if they can identify any more and compare the different shapes and sizes the conkers grow in.

Take nature home with you to continue the fun with Autumnal crafts!

Keep your paint brushes in the draw. All you need is to provide your little one with paint, paper and their scavenger hunt collection to create their Autumnal masterpiece. Help to develop your child’s fine motor skills and grip by rolling the pinecone, acorn and conker through the paint and across the page to see the different patterns they create. Your child can choose to print with their leaves and winged seed, or you can attach the leaves to the twig to provide a natural paint brush!

Bring nature to you by creating your very own bird feeder

It can be difficult to venture to a park or woodland regularly. However, you can bring nature to you by creating your own bird feeder to encourage wildlife to visit you throughout Autumn and Winter when food is a little harder to find.

Of course, you can visit your local garden centre but at our nurseries we love to use recyclable materials whenever possible. So, all you need to create your own bird feeder with your child is toilet roll tubes, peanut butter, bird feed and a piece of ribbon. Visit the RSPB website for 3 easy homemade bird feeder ideas.

Once ready, hang in a visible area in your garden and keep an eye out to see the different birds that come to visit you. Visit the RSPB website to identify with your child what birds you have attracted and others that you may see.

At our nurseries, we have exceptional outdoor spaces and fully encourage little ones to spend time outside, want to see for yourself? Find the perfect nursery or preschool place and Book A Visit at your local day nursery today.

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