In the other gardens
And all the vale,
From the autumn bonfires,
See the smoke trail!
Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all,
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!
Autumn Fires by Robert Louis Stevenson
Sing a song of seasons indeed! Welcome Autumn, a beautiful and much-loved season. Are you a summer lover, or do you prefer the bright chill and orange hues of autumn? We think there is joy to be found in every season, but there really is something magic about autumn. Whether it’s the start of a new school year or the cosy nights that draw in or the appearance of yellow, red and orange hues, it feels like a special time. As nights grow darker we venture into festive seasons of Halloween and Bonfire Night - all seasons we’ll talk about here in the journal. For now, we have lots of fun ideas for family activities and play to celebrate this lovely season.
Don your wellies and get searching for treasure
Autumn has a lot of treasures to offer. We’re going to start our autumnal day with a walk. Search for an area near you with lots of conifers and horse chestnut trees - these friends give us the magic autumn treasures that are conkers and pine cones! Take a lovely bag and fill it to the brim with conkers and pine cones, as well as collecting as many varied colours of leaves as you can. You will need all these for later!
Have a cosy picnic
Take a break from your treasure search for a cosy picnic! Why not make your own soup beforehand or some simple sandwiches, then find a leafy spot in the trees to look at the magic of the autumn leaves? We have a selection of lunch bags and picnic blankets to help, as well as food storage containers.
Try out den building
Whether you stay out in the tree-lined paths or go home, autumn is a great time of year to enjoy a spot of den-making. You can create your own den with fitted sheets, pegs, long sticks and a nearby tree, or you can make the process a little easier with a den-building kit.
Make some autumn crafts with your treasures
Once you return home from your treasure collecting, it’s time to make some autumnal crafts!
Beeswax Leaf Wreaths and Garlands
A lovely craft to preserve the magic of the season is making a beeswax leaf garland. Simply melt beeswax onto a lined tray, then dip your various leaves into it, preserving them. Leave them to dry, and once complete, use a hole puncher or a pin to create small holes in your leaves, then sew them through a long piece of string to make a garland. They also make lovely wreaths if you attach them around a piece of sturdy circular wood or cardboard.
Pine Cone Owls and Conker Creatures
A straightforward activity to use your other autumn treasures - simply paint or add googly eyes to your pine cones or conkers along with paper, small leaves and other natural treasures to make little pine cone owls or conker creatures. Felt tips for drawing onto conkers can also create friendly hedgehog pals!
Autumn concoctions in messy play
If you have any spare treasures, add these to your outdoor mud kitchen or simply add to some pots, pans and water to encourage your little ones to make ‘autumn soup’ or other magical autumnal potions. If you are looking for a great set for mixing and stirring your concoctions, this eco-friendly sugar cane plastic Dantoy Dinner Set will help make many potions over the years, can be left outside, and is very easily cleaned. Play with nature - and be gentle with her!
Make a pizza for the birds
If you still have some energy, one of our founder Clo’s favourite activities to do with her children at this time of year is making a ‘pizza for the birds’. She uses this simple kit to do so. Children will love learning about what birds eat and will particularly enjoy helping them prepare for the chill of winter.
Enjoy!
We hope our autumnal ideas will help you embrace this lovely, magical season. Do tag us with the hashtag #eenymeenyco if you give them a go. We would love to share your activities over on our social media accounts!
Emily Hanson
Freelance Writer, Education and Play Specialist
