With summer ending, there is plenty of time for you and your child to enjoy the autumn weather. Children are capable of noticing changes throughout the seasons, including the presence of different colours, textures and tones in their natural environment. That’s why we’ve compiled five engaging play activities for you and your little one to try this autumn.
These activities are simple, fun and align with key learning areas in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). They help children to connect with nature and their community, explore the world around them and enjoy outdoor play.
Dried flower art helps children understand contrast, framing, colour combinations and different shapes and textures. To start, collect bright and vibrant types of flowers, like chrysanthemums, dahlias, marigolds and asters. You can also collect native flowers, such as bottlebrushes, banksias, crowea, and wattles. Use a flower press or a heavy book to flatten the flowers.
Once your flowers are dry and flat, arrange and glue them on a blank canvas. Or, you can start small by placing the dried flowers on cardboard to create bookmarks. Laminate them to ensure longevity.
Nature walks in the crisp autumn weather are great for learning more about your local environment. You could take your child for a walk in your backyard, around your neighbourhood, or make a day trip out of it and visit the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens.
While walking, encourage your child to look for insects and bugs and observe them in their natural habitat. Invite them to listen to sounds associated with the autumn climate, such as birds chirping, wind blowing against trees, and rustling leaves. You can also add another element of fun by jumping in puddles or piles of autumn leaves along your walk.
Whatever the objective of your nature walk may be, you should discuss the experience with your child and help them reflect on what they’ve learnt about their environment.
This activity is ideal for completing in your backyard or at a local park. Bring a large container or basket and start to create your sensory box by collecting natural items from the ground. These items may include sticks, branches, dried leaves, pinecones and seed pods. Once the box is full, sit with your child and explain how these elements relate to one another. For example, seeds are used for planting trees, which grow branches, and these branches grow leaves. To help your child explore their creativity, you can use these collected materials to start an autumn art project or a collage when you get back home.
Autumn in Australia is a time when a variety of trees and plants flourish. Native trees like maple, eucalyptus, and acacia produce leaves with distinct shapes and surfaces, making them the perfect materials for leaf printing. Once you have collected your leaves, paint one side of them before pressing this side onto blank paper. Remove the leaves after a few minutes to produce a beautiful leaf print, showcasing the different veins and lines of each leaf. This creative activity allows children to explore the natural textures, patterns, colours and tones that autumn has to offer.
Building a veggie patch for your home is a fun way to collaborate with your child. This hands-on learning opportunity introduces children to different vegetables, plant life cycles and the importance of sustainability. It provides them with a sense of responsibility and achievement. To promote healthy eating habits, you should add vegetables like broccoli, leeks, beetroot, peas, cabbage, and radish to your autumn garden.
At Little Zak’s Academy, we incorporate play-based learning exercises into our curriculum, helping children utilise and extend their five senses. With a balance of problem-solving and creativity, our educational program strengthens cognitive development by helping build language skills, nerve connections, and fine and gross motor skills.
Together, we can guide children on their journey to becoming well-rounded and resilient individuals. Contact us today to enrol at a centre near you.
