In Autumn we always seem to gravitate towards the forest. With the crunchy leaves under foot, the slight chill in the air and the abundance of colours, it’s a wonderful place to be! The forest also provides an endless supply of wonderful natural resources. S (2.6yrs) proudly walks with armfuls of Autumnal treasures to bring home with us.
This activity is a fantastic way to explore the loose parts collected!
I washed the pinecones and large sticks in soapy warm water and cleaned them gently with an old toothbrush before leaving them to dry.
We made a batch of our Perfect No-Cook Play Dough and split it three ways to make three different colours; yellow, red and a marbled brown colour.
I set the play dough alongside the natural loose parts and invited S to play.
This activity was great for prompting discussion about the walk we had been on the day before and for talking about the different objects; their colour, texture and shape.
First she flattened the dough and pressed all of the objects in.
She soon started to realise that when pressing the pinecones and other objects into the dough they make wonderful imprints!
Lastly she imaginatively thought the pine cones would make brilliant birthday candles so she made a cake and stood them on top. We sang happy birthday, blew out the candles and cut the cake.
I am learning to…
- recall and talk about past events :: Communication & Language
- handle malleable materials with increasing control :: Physical
- show interest in the texture of materials :: Expressive Arts & Design
- talk about some of the things I have observed; such as plants, animals, natural and found objects :: Understanding the World
As Autumn starts drawing in take a look at my AUTUMN Pinterest board for more ideas…
Follow Beth @ Wings and Roots’s board Fall / Autumn Activities on Pinterest.