I just love Autumn. The weather is still mild, the sunlight is at a fabulous angle, and nature is visibly changing everywhere you look. My kids love it too; it’s such a tactile time of year with all those crisp leaves, changing colours, and of course the conkers!
As September draws to a close, I’ve been thinking about how to make the most of being outdoors with the kids as much as possible before the colder weather arrives. Autumn is such a wonderful time to get outside and enjoy nature with children, here are some ideas which will hopefully inspire you to get out there.
Just go outdoors!
Simple really, but I think we’re sometimes guilty of over-complicating spending time with our kids. You don’t need much more than a pair of wellies and a coat to get out and have some Autumn fun – nature will always provide you with something interesting. If you need some inspiration to get you started, take a look at the Woodland Trust Nature Detectives website for loads of ideas on Autumn activities with children.
Collect seeds
It’s not just edible crops that you can harvest at this time of year; Autumn is a fabulous time to harvest seeds from your garden to grow into free plants, and kids can get involved too. My top tips for saving seeds post shows you how to do it.
Get crafty
Harvest time offers lots of wonderful resources for craft activities that you can do with the kids. You could grow names in courgettes, carve pumpkins, make a journey stick, create an Autumn collage, or make a veggie creature, to name a few. My garden craft board on Pinterest has lots more ideas.
Make a nature display
An inevitable by-product of a trip outdoors with kids at this time of year is a collection of treasures found along the way; in our house, Autumn adds berries, leaves, nuts, conkers and feathers to our ever-growing stick collection. A nature table or tray is a nice way to contain this collection, and allow kids to explore and add to it easily.
Go on a leaf trail
Leaves are in plentiful supply on the ground in Autumn, making it a perfect time to take the kids on a leaf trail. You’ll need an identification guide, find one here. And maybe you could do some leaf rubbing too when you get home, this is always a big hit with my kids.
Give back
One of my favourite things about growing our own food is being able to share it with others. Sharing your harvest with a local food bank, friends or neighbours is a wonderful way to make a positive difference in your local community, it’s a great life skills experience for kids too.
So – have I inspired you to get outside with the children and make the most of Autumn? I’d love to hear what you get up to, let me know in the comments.
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