Autumn

The time of transition, autumn is when the leaves begin to turn and the weather begins to cool again – so keeping this in mind can help shape some activity ideas for this time of year. All those leaves changing and falling are a great start, as there’s so much you can do with them. Make a leaf rubbing – simply pop a piece of paper over the top of a leaf (keeping the bumpy side of the leaf facing up), then gently rub a crayon over the top until the shape of the leaf shows through. To make this even more fun, you can try using the same piece of paper to make several leaf rubbings in different colours, and with different leaves, to create a collage. Alternatively, once the crayon is on, paint over it with watercolour paint – the wax will repel the paint, leaving it to soak in everywhere else.

Another leaf-based activity is to collect a range of shapes, sizes and colours, then glue them all down to make leaf animals – or any other image you want to make with them, really. You can even add other little touches, such as eyes or other decorations, using things you have around the house!

Winter

Did you know you don’t have to reserve picnics for only spring and summer? Winter picnics can be a great deal of fun. Pick a day that isn’t in too much danger of leaving you drenched in rain or snow, bundle up, and head out. Fill a flask with soup, wrap up some other warm foods, and head on out. Just make sure to take a waterproof picnic blanket with you, just in case the ground is still wet. Or, if it’s too cold and wet, have an indoor picnic! Indoor picnics have the advantage of allowing you to prepare a greater variety of food (since it doesn’t have to be kept warm or transported), and cleaning up is  much easier. Even better, once the picnic and cleaning up are done, it’s just a few short steps to put your baby down for a nap.

An alternative is baking together – especially good for the slightly older children. There are even no-bake options available if you’d prefer to make something without having to worry about your little ones around the heat of the oven or cooktop. Having a hunt around for something that matches your culinary wishes is bound to turn up something, with the huge amount of recipe websites and blogs that exist out there for you to experiment with!

These are just a few ideas, and not all of them are required to be done in the season they’re listed under. It really depends on your location, your needs and wants, and just generally what the weather is doing in your area on any given day. Use this as a starting point, and let yourself dream up a whole new stack of fun activities to do with your children!

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