Bring the Outdoors In!
Autumn is a lovely time to get children outdoors and noticing the changing season.
A simple walk can become a creative afternoon activity by collecting fallen leaves, small twigs and other interesting finds, then turning them into a seasonal collage at home.
It is easy to adapt for different ages, needs very little preparation and combines outdoor time with a calm activity afterwards.
What you will need
- Fallen leaves in different shapes and colours
- Small twigs
- Seed heads or dried petals
- Thick paper or card
- Child-safe glue
- Crayons or colouring pencils
- Optional paint or stickers
Start with a nature walk
Begin by heading outside and letting the children collect a few interesting natural items.
Encourage them to look for different colours, textures and shapes rather than trying to gather as much as possible.
You might find:
- yellow and orange leaves
- small twigs
- acorns
- seed heads
- fallen petals
- interesting pieces of bark
For younger children, simply collecting and talking about what they can see can be just as enjoyable as the craft itself.
Bring everything home and sort it out
Once you are back indoors, spread the items out on a table.
This is a good opportunity to talk about what the children found.
You can compare leaf shapes, notice which ones have changed colour, talk about which trees they may have come from or simply ask the child which ones they like best.
Older children may enjoy sorting everything into groups by colour, size or type.
Plan the picture before gluing
Give each child a piece of thick paper or card and let them arrange their finds before adding any glue.
There does not need to be a set design.
They might decide to make:
- an autumn tree
- a woodland animal
- a face
- a flower
- a seasonal scene
- or simply a pattern using the different colours and textures
Allowing children to decide what they want to create keeps the activity open-ended and gives them more ownership over the finished picture.
Time to create
Once they are happy with their design, they can begin sticking the pieces down.
Younger children may need some help with the glue, while older children can usually manage this independently.
Crayons, pencils or paint can then be used to add extra details around the natural materials.
For example, a large leaf could become a hedgehog body, smaller leaves could become ears or wings, or a twig could become the trunk of a tree.
There really is no right or wrong way to do it.
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Adapt it for different ages
For toddlers and younger children, keep things simple.
They can choose leaves, explore the textures and stick a few larger pieces onto card with help.
Preschool and early school-aged children may enjoy creating recognisable pictures and adding drawings.
Older children can take the activity further by identifying different leaves, labelling their finds or creating a more detailed seasonal scene.
Why we like this activity
This is one of those activities that can fill much more of the day than just the time spent at the table.
The walk itself gets children outdoors, encourages observation and gives them something specific to look for.
Back at home, the craft offers a quieter period where children can concentrate, make decisions and use their imagination.
It is also inexpensive and easy to repeat as the season changes.
A few safety points
Only collect items that are safe, clean and easy to identify.
Avoid berries, mushrooms or unknown plants, and supervise younger children carefully around small items such as acorns and seed pods.
It is also worth giving collected leaves and twigs a quick check before bringing them indoors.
Make it part of an autumn afternoon
You could easily turn the activity into a full autumn afternoon.
Go for a walk to collect your materials, come home for a snack or hot chocolate, then settle down to make the collage.
Once finished, the artwork can be displayed at home, added to a seasonal noticeboard or even given to grandparents.
At Mayfair Nannies, we love simple activities that encourage children to explore, create and enjoy the world around them.
Sometimes the best activities are the ones that begin with a walk, a handful of leaves and a little imagination.
