The leaves have begun to fall to the ground, and there’s a slight chill in the air. Yes, that’s right hot chocolate season is upon us! And what a magical time it is. Autumn offers so many opportunities for learning before the winter months hit, from sensory to STEM activities, here’s our ultimate list of autumn activities for kids!
Here are some of our favourite autumn activities for kids that will engage your child’s senses by incorporating the most magical smells, tastes, and colours of autumn!
Get super messy with this ‘pumpkin guts’ slime recipe! Your child will love squishing, pulling, moulding and shaping their slime as they explore this new texture that will provide hours of family fun. You can even pop the slime inside pumpkins for even more of an autumn feel!
This simple sensory bin is one of our favourite autumn activities for kids. It’s super quick to put together and is a great way to encourage younger kids to learn about autumn. They’ll love swirling the autumn leaves and splashing around in the water!
Playdough is a great addition to any activity and can keep kids busy for hours. Why not add an autumn twist and create this pumpkin-scented playdough recipe? You can even add in a few pumpkin seeds to experiment with new textures.
Click the picture above for the full activity!
Foam is a great way to take your sensory play to the next level, and children will develop those crucial motor skills as they explore the bubbles. We love this bubbly water tray that incorporates autumn leaves and pouring utensils and for children to explore!
Foam is a great way to take your sensory play to the next level, and children will develop those crucial motor skills as they explore the bubbles. We love this bubbly water tray that incorporates autumn leaves and pouring utensils and for children to explore!
Children learn the best when an activity incorporates their existing interests. This construction-themed sensory bin is perfect if your child is interested in diggers and trucks. But if diggers aren’t their thing, you can experiment by adding in any of their favourite things to engage them.
Sensory bottles are a fun way to capture the spirit of autumn, even on those days when it's not possible to get the kids outdoors. The beauty of them is that you can explore so many different materials like autumn leaves, pumpkin seeds, and acorns to create different sounds and visuals effects.
Tip! Use a few drops of olive oil in the water, as this will allow the contents of the bottle to fall more slowly when it’s shaken up. Here’s some inspiration!
These tactile sensory bags will captivate your child and are particularly good for younger children as they’re mess free! To create them, simply pop some watercolours, autumn leaves, glitter and oil into a zip lock bag, mix them together, and you’re good to go!
Writing trays are perfect for developing early letter recognition and allowing children to practice writing before they can hold a pen. We love this twist on the writing tray that includes lots of autumn treasures like pine cones and leaves! Click the image for the full activity!
Autumn is a great opportunity to experiment with new materials and colours when creating your favourite crafts.
Who says you need a paintbrush to create your artwork? Why not truly embrace autumn activities and use some leaves instead? The fall months are a great time to go on a walk with your child and collect lots of different leaves before dipping them in paint and using them to create their leaf painting masterpieces!
We love fun ideas like this adorable leaf family craft! Autumn activities like this are perfect for younger children as they’re really simple to make but will also allow for plenty of creativity. You can even make a few and give them all different features to create a whole family!
What better way to add a little sparkle to those darker evenings than to decorate your home with a colourful autumn wreath? Your child will love getting involved with creating these little autumn treasures before proudly hanging them on the front door!
We love the marble effect you can create with this crafty idea. This is a really hands-on activity that will not only allow your child to make something but will also help their sensory development. It's a winner all around!
Click the image for the full activity!
Put your marbled leaf designs to good use with this beautiful leaf garland craft. All you’ll need is some paper towels, markers, paintbrushes and art supplies to create these decorations that will keep your home vibrant throughout the fall months.
Leaf confetti is one of our favourite autumn activities because it’s so versatile. Firstly, get the kids outdoors to collect a selection of leaves in different colours, then use different shape hole punchers to create your leaf confetti. This can then be used in sensory trays, sensory bottles or even as counters in number activities.
These DIY lanterns are perfect for a harvest festival or if you’re going on a trail with your little one this autumn. They can get involved with collecting the leaves and sticking them to their lanterns. What a wonderful way to light up those darker evenings!
Children love dipping their hands in paint and getting messy whilst creating their designs, so this activity is perfect. Simply ask them to dip their hands in paint and encourage them to print it onto a sheet of paper and watch as it transforms into a tree!
Click the image above for the full activity!
We’re big fans of junk modelling and love this idea of transforming old materials into these adorable woodland hedgehogs!
What’s better than painting? Sensory painting! We love this idea of adding a few drops of autumn spices to paint for an experience that will excite all your child’s senses. This will be your new favourite addition to all of your arty autumn activities!
Add some additional learning to these autumn activities for kids by introducing them to these STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts but, of course, with an autumn twist!
This leaf rubbing activity is the perfect combination of art and science. Your child will love using different colours to create their magnificent leaf patterns, but this is also a great opportunity for them to learn about their structure as it emerges before their eyes.
This is one of our favourite autumn activities for kids, as it’s a great way for children to explore something that’s both a solid and a liquid (or a non-Newtonian fluid). We also love the autumn twist of combining a pumpkin to really enhance their sensory experience.
What better way to use your leftover pumpkins than with these adorable pumpkin boats? All you have to do is scoop out the pumpkin seeds and pop them in a water tray. This is a really easy way for children to experiment with how objects float and sink.
For this simple oxidation experiment, all you'll need is some apples and a variety of different liquids. This is a really engaging way to help younger kids learn about scientific concepts like observing and making predictions. What better reason to get apple picking?
Click the image for the full activity!
This exciting STEM apple challenge is inspired by the book, Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss and is a really easy way of getting children to work together and try out new ways to build their tower of apples! This activity will develop problem-solving, teamwork and analytical skills.
If you’ve spent the evening carving pumpkins and are not quite sure what to do with all that mess, fear not! You can create a wonderful educational activity out of some good old ‘pumpkin guts’! This pumpkin seeds estimation activity will help children improve counting and estimation skills, along with a good dose of autumn fun!
This popcorn experiment will be a big hit with the whole family and is an exciting way to teach children about the different scientific reactions that can take place. All you’ll need is a few ingredients you probably already have around the house to get started.
Watch as an amazing volcano of foam erupts from inside a pumpkin with this awesome experiment you can do at home. Keep the kids busy as they learn about the reaction that takes place when you mix baking soda with vinegar.
Click the image for the full activity!
One of the most fun things you can do in autumn is to go on a walk and collect leaves with your child. When you get home, why not use them for this great counting activity that will keep the kids busy for hours?
The fall season offers some of the most wonderful colours, and you’ll begin to be surrounded by hues of orange, green and deep red. We love this activity that captures the beautiful colours of autumn and introduces younger kids to mathematic concepts like sorting.
The first full moon in September is known as the harvest moon, and it marks the beginning of the autumn season. Whether you’re a parent or an early years teacher, this is a great opportunity to teach children about the autumnal equinox, and you can discover lots of harvest moon activities for kids here.
There’s no better time to explore the great outdoors than during the autumn months! So much happens in the wild during this transitional month that goes beyond visiting the pumpkin patch, so get out there and experience it all with your child!
The darker evenings are a great opportunity to join in with a local lantern trail this autumn… what better way to show off their amazing homemade creations? Have a google and find one near you! Here are some to get you started.
Something as simple as going outside to collect conkers is one of our favourite autumn activities because it opens up a world of learning opportunities. You can use them as counters to help develop mathematical skills, or you can use them for sorting activities and group them into size, shape and colour!
This activity is a brilliant way of supporting children’s fine motor skills and will help them celebrate all the fun things about autumn!
Something as simple as going outside to collect conkers is one of our favourite autumn activities because it opens up a world of learning opportunities. You can use them as counters to help develop mathematical skills, or you can use them for sorting activities and group them into size, shape and colour!
Can’t make it to a fireworks display? We’ve got you covered with our amazing bonfire night activities!
Whether you collect conkers, pine cones, or leaves, there are so many benefits that foraging can offer children, as it’s a great way for them to explore the world around them. Here are some top tips for you to get started.
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