The changing of the seasons each fall means incredible foliage, the return of snuggly sweaters, pumpkin-spiced everything, and best of all, an opportunity for children to spend time outside learning about all things Autumn! We’ve rounded up some fun ways you and your family can get outside this season to celebrate fall.
It’s the perfect time of year to learn about the water cycle and explore ice! This fun and refreshing activity is great for a warm summer day. In this activity, children will develop an understanding of the water cycle as they sing and move along to a song, read stories, and observe water changing from a liquid to a solid, and from a solid back to a liquid. These ideas can be adapted and used in a home setting or classroom setting.
Step aside, lemonade stand! Enter: bike shop! This activity can provide hours of creative and imaginative fun, while also fostering a love for bikes! Here you will find fantastic children’s books about bikes, steps and resources for creating your own dramatic play bike shop, and our favorite children’s songs about biking. Move, learn and explore!
Exploring the outdoors is a fun learning experience for kids of all ages. This activity will encourage children to observe the world around them by looking for natural items and collecting them in a unique and reusable container. Enjoy getting outdoors in every season, while enhancing your child’s powers of observation with this Spring Scavenger Hunt activity, straight from the pages of the WinterKids Guide to Active Outdoor Learning.
We were inspired by “I LOVE the Rain” (one of our books of the month) to make little stick rafts for bugs and fairies! We anxiously waited for a rainy day to bring enough puddles and streams, so that we could give this a try. Next time it’s raining where you are, gather your supplies, slip on those rain boots and raincoats, and head outside to create your own stick rafts!
Our book of the month for February teaches how nature stays warm and busy when it’s snowy outside. Whether you’re dealing with cabin fever or just looking for a fun new perspective when getting the kids outside in the snow, Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner (author) and Christopher Silas Neal (Illustrator) will reveal nature’s secret life beneath the snow.
Here is a simple activity for kids as you are gearing up for the new season and taking inventory for upcoming snow adventures. This is a great opportunity for kids to familiarize themselves with snow sports gear while working on their measuring skills.
An outdoor, dramatic play activity inspired by the book Summer Supper!
After reading the story, children are invited to head to the farmers’ market to buy ingredients and make their own farm-to-fork dish! Succotash recipe card and farmer’s market shopping list downloads are provided in this blog post.
