Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. -Oscar Wilde
Ordering leaves from shortest to longest is a fun measurement activity to do with young children during the autumn or any time. Before teaching children how to measure using standard units such as inches, centimetres, feet or meters, children should have experience comparing lengths so that they can understand what the measurement of length is, and how to think about what is long or short (relatively speaking).
The following post contains a range of different autumn leaf activities for children that are related to the autumn season. I’ve done some of these at home with my children and others I have used as teaching activities in school. They all have a teaching and learning objective in mind, but some of them are focused on creative arts and design, whilst others are maths or science focused.
Children enjoy playing with rocks and they can be put together in a range of different ways to make exciting and beautiful artworks.
Rocks can be all sorts of fun for sorting! They can be sorted by size, shape, colour. They can be sorted in groups or it can be done in gradients. Children can be free to sort them and organise them in any way they like. It’s a great way for children to begin to think about similarities and differences and how things can be similar in some ways and different in others.
I think this is my favourite gross motor activity for young children and it is one that the children in my classes get really excited about. Children have so much fun doing this that they don’t realise that they are working hard and building muscle and strength.
Numicon are a great resource to help children learn about numbers. They are visual, tactile and can be used in so many different ways.
Children enjoy threading and making necklaces, so it is a fun way to help them develop their fine motor skills (essential for writing).
Nursery rhymes and action songs are a great way to build babies language. These will help them begin to tune into and become aware of patterns in our language. Engaging … Continue Reading This is How the Ladies Ride – Nursery Action Song for Babies
Playing tickle rhymes and games are a nice way to build attachments with your baby as they provide positive shared experiences. My babies have all really enjoyed this rhyme as it provides a mini hand massage as well as plenty of tickles and giggles. 🙂
The Swapping Number Game provides the opportunity to practice recognising numbers and playing with the support of an adult. For older children (5-6 year olds) it can provide practice in their understanding of number order as well as playing independently with friends.
Missing Number Game with Numeral or Dice Rocks This may seem like a fairly basic game but children enjoy playing it and it is a great way to teach them … Continue Reading Missing Number Game
My children love playing with rocks and pebbles in the garden. Writing numerals and sets of dots on them provides an opportunity for them to see and use numerals during their everyday play. Having these around for children to play with allows them to become familiar with numerals and numbers and gives them the opportunity for them to incorporate them into their daily play.
Mud Kitchens are a fun way to get children pouring, mixing, using their imaginations and engaging in pretend play. Children can also create their own mixtures for sensory play.
Children love making noise including banging on pots and pans! Making a sound wall outside is a great way to give children an outlet to explore making sounds by hitting a range of different objects.
Telling time is a difficult skill and it takes a long time (pun intended) to learn how to read an analogue clock. There are a lot of different mathematical skills needed to read a clock so the process of learning to tell the time needs to be broken down into many smaller parts.
This is another fun way for children to explore the properties of ice and water and discover how it changes from solid to liquid.
Pot and pan play is a great activity for babies and toddlers to do on their own for short periods of time to help build their independent play but it’s also a nice thing to do together. Taking turns hitting the pots and copying what they do is a great way to bond with your child and continue to build attachments.
Make an enticing place for children to read books outside with a reading tree. Its perfect for the summertime when children may need a quiet, cool place to escape the heat.
This is a fun and easy way for children to explore the property of ice and water and discover how it changes from solid to liquid.
Wet chalk can add a bit of an exciting twist to mark making, drawing and painting. It can be a great way for young children to experiment with mixing colours.