5 Autumn Activities for Children

Whether you’re eager to explore the natural world or huddle beneath an ultra-snug duvet for a family movie marathon, autumn is a season that demands cosy.  

But as the nights draw in and the temperature begins to drop, it can be difficult to conjure up enough activities to keep your little ones engaged and entertained, especially on those rainy, windswept afternoons. (Looking at you, late October.)  

With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a selection of autumn activities for children, packed with creative ideas designed to entertain and educate.  

From seasonal storytelling sessions to enjoying the sensory delights of crunchy leaves, we’ve got you covered with a batch of children’s activities for autumn.  

(FYI: frothy hot chocolates aren’t compulsory but are very much encouraged.)  

Educational benefits of autumn activities for children

Like any season, autumn is packed with opportunities to spark your little one’s curiosity and support their cognitive development.  

Whether it’s exploring new textures by carving pumpkins, discovering new colours with leaf-y scavenger hunts, or honing fine motor skills by sorting pine cones, autumn serves up plenty of educational benefits, helping your little one grow their understanding of the natural world, which is one of our key areas of discovery.  

And between seasonal holidays such as Halloween, bonfire night, and Diwali, there’s even an opportunity to expand your little one’s cultural understanding too. 

1. Autumn Leaf Collage

You can’t beat the classics. A staple autumn activity for children since, well… always, crafting a collage from vibrant seasonal leaves is a must for your little one.

Ideal for toddlers and preschoolers, it’s a creative activity that’ll allow them to channel their inner artist whilst learning about texture, colour, size, and shape.  

As with any creative project, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to designing a leafy masterpiece. Simply select your backing—paper, card, or canvas—and encourage your little one to arrange their leaves in any way they like.  

If you like, you can set out paints and pencils for your child to expand on and embellish their design, softly making creative suggestions as they work.  

Top Tip: Sourcing Leaves

Otherwise known as: the super-satisfying crinkly, crunchy bit.  

Whether it’s your garden or a nearby park, wrap up in your cosiest coats and pick up generous handfuls of leaves - ideally a variety of sizes, textures, and colours.  

As you’re gathering your haul, ask your little one about the leaves themselves. Are they crunchy? Are they damp? What sounds do they make? What colour are they?  

By doing so, you’ll subtly support your child’s understanding of the natural world, introducing them to entry-level concepts that they’ll expand on at nursery/school.  

2. Shadow Leaf Drawing

A creative riff on the previous entry or a clever way of using up the many (many) leaves your little one will have gathered?  

Spoiler: it’s both. Much like its sister entry, shadow leaf drawing is a fantastic way to ignite your child’s creative spark and sneak in some nature facts as you sketch.  

The process is a little more involved than crafting a collage, so it’s more of an autumn activity for early years (i.e. ages 3 – 5).  

Here’s our handy step-by-step guide: 

• If you have leftover leaf stock from your collage (see entry #1), set aside a selection of differently sized, coloured and shaped leaves to work from.  
• Then, lay a large sheet of paper on the table (or any solid surface) and affix a selection of leaves to a piece of string or wire, hung so they’ll cast a shadow when the light strikes them, whether from the sun or a carefully-placed lamp.  
• Now you’re ready to draw! We’d recommend using pencils or crayons, as they offer the most control, but charcoals and felt tips will work too. 
• Using the shadow as a guide, encourage your little one to trace the shape of the leaves.  
• (Optional): As your little one is sketching, ask them a few questions. They don’t have to be complex, as you don’t want to bombard them. Maybe just something simple like ‘what happens if you move your leaf’ or ‘will the shadow stay in the same place all day?’  

With benefits for creative thinking, fine motor skills, and understanding of the natural world, shadow leaf drawing is a multi-benefit autumn activity for children.  

3.Seasonal Storytelling 

Question: Is there a season better suited to curling up with a good book? 

Answer: No.  

Ideal for rainy days, a spot of seasonal storytelling is a low-effort, huge-reward way to introduce your little one to the magic of books, requiring only the building of a cosy den, a hefty stack of autumn-themed stories, and the best character voices you can muster.  

We’re huge believers in the power of storytelling, and if you steer into the season and create an immersive experience, your little one will be truly captivated.  

The trick is to strike the right balance of book and setting, so spend a little time cultivating the cosiest reading nook possible, using duvets, cushions, and soft toys. 

If the weather isn’t too damp, you could even design an outdoor reading den, making sure everyone is wrapped up warmly.  
Need a few book recommendations to get you started? Why not try: 

1. The Gruffalo (Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler) 
2. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Michael Rosen) 
3. The Squirrels Who Squabbled (Rachel Bright & Jim Field) 
4. Little Goose’s Autumn (Elli Woodward & Briony May Smith) 
5. A Stroll Through the Seasons (Kay Barnham & Maddie Frost) 

As you’re reading, be sure to engage your little one by asking a few simple questions, such as ‘what do you think will happen next?’ or ‘why do you think X character did Y?’  

Whether you’re curled up indoors or snuggled up beneath blankets in a garden fort, seasonal storytelling is a fantastic autumn activity for children, big and small.  

Psst… We’ve got a few tips to bring storytelling to life, should you need them.  

4. Nature Walk and Scavenger Hunt

As the weather takes a turn for the blustery, it’s understandable that your little one might begin to feel cooped up, especially if they’re the adventurous type.  

But if you’re willing to bundle up and brave the elements (or wait for a more settled day), autumn offers up a feast of gorgeous sights, sounds, and smells.  

And there’s no better way to appreciate the season’s beauty than with a nature walk and scavenger hunt. And the best bit? Your little one will develop their understanding of the natural world with each item ticked off their list.  

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just choose a nearby spot that’s filled with foliage and plays home to a variety of animals—forests and nature reserves, for example—and explore to your heart’s content, discussing the plants, trees, and animals you see along the way.  

If you really want to capture your little one’s imagination, maybe spend some time designing and printing out a scavenger hunt card, featuring a list of things to see.  

It’s up to you what to include, but you could try: 

• Leaves of various colours (orange, red, green) 
• Leaves of various sizes  
• Different types of bird 
• A squirrel 
• A spider web 
• Various insects (ants, beetles, ladybirds) 

As you’re ticking off your list, ask your little one questions about what they’ve seen to help widen their understanding of the natural world.  

5. Leaf Sensory Time

Perhaps more than any other season, autumn serves up sensory delights by the bucket load, from dry, crunchy leaves to mossy branches and beyond. 

And that presents a perfect opportunity for a spot of sensory exploration, helping to boost your little one’s understanding of the natural world and expand their vocabulary. 

As autumn activities for early years go, it’s super low-set up. Simply head out into your garden (or nearby public space) and gather armfuls of leaves before laying them on a blanket or tablecloth.  

Then, encourage your little one to get hands-on with the leaves, crunching and tearing to their heart’s delight. As they do, use descriptive words such as ‘crunchy’, ‘crispy’ and ‘rustle’ to further stimulate their senses.  

As you can imagine, leaf sensory time is a deceptively effective learning activity, posing benefits for cognitive development, language development, and even fine motor skills.  

And if leaves aren’t your thing? You can replicate the activity with seasonal vegetables, scooping out squashes and pumpkins and encouraging your little one to explore the gloopy, stringy textures. 
 

And there you have it. A batch of awesomely autumn-y activities for children, guaranteed to stimulate their senses and help develop their understanding of the natural world.  

Need more activity inspiration? Check out our blog, where you’ll find articles on everything from the benefits of sensory play to tips for expanding your child’s vocabulary.