by Rachel Perrier on 24 September 2014
As Autumn is settling in and the nights are getting shorter the opportunities for children to play outside are rapidly decreasing so the garden is invaluable at this time of year. Autumn brings wonderful changes to the colours and landscape of the garden, providing new play opportunities for the imaginative and adventurous child. As long as your child's clothing is appropriate for the weather, a little bit of rain and chill in the air will certainly not stop play.
Here are some exciting ideas you could try out in your garden this Autumn:-
Dazzling Leaves
Creating a huge pile of fallen leaves and burying yourself in them is so exciting, especially when you scare people by pretending to be a leaf monster. If you enjoy making interesting sounds see how many different sounds you can make with a pile of leaves, using your hands and your feet. Splash about in the leaves like they are an amazing amber puddle.
When is A Stick not A Stick?
When it is a wizard's wand or a picture frame! In fact sticks are one of the most universal toys your child could ever choose to play with. If you have a large garden with lots of sticks you could build a magnificent den in the most secluded part of the garden. If you are partial to a bit of target practice find some elastic bands and attach them to a 'V' shaped stick so you can create a catapult. Use little sticks to make a mouse house, a bug hotel or a bird feeder. If you have difficulty sleeping you could make a dream-catcher - the possibilities are endless!
Search For Mini-beasts
Autumn is a fantastic time of year for creepy crawlies to find homes. The fallen leaves and damp weather provide perfect environments for these sludge loving creatures to set up home. Find a particularly slimy area and slowly separate the leaves, making sure that you don't hurt any of the tiny creatures you find. Look at the shape of their bodies, how many legs they have got and what colour they are. When you have finished looking at them put them back safely and unharmed.
Create Garden Art
As autumn persists the garden will get littered with many beautiful treasures that would make a splendid piece of natural art. Collect sticks, stones, leaves, seeds and anything else you find lying around in a box and start creating your masterpiece. Andy Goldsworthy is a famous natural sculpture who created beautiful pieces of art from natural objects. Don't forget to photograph your design.
Get Muddy
Glorious mud is why we invented washing machines. Once you have overcome the fear of getting dirty you can either wallow in the mud and get filthy or use a stick to draw or write in the mud. Make mud pies and decorate with leaves and berries you can find in the garden. Make animal footprints, either copy real animals or be imaginative and make dinosaur footprints.
