Get outside this season and make some memories with these fab autumnal activities
As the temperature drops it may be tempting to draw the curtains and hibernate, but there’s plenty of time to do that in the coming months. Autumn is one of the best seasons for getting your brood out of the house and close to nature; the air is crisp but it isn’t properly cold yet and there are plenty of sensory sights and sounds to be enjoyed outdoors.
One of the greatest benefits of spending time outside in Autumn is the boost it gives to both children and adults’ mental health. In the UK, one in 20 people are diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and it is estimated that 1-3% of children and adolescents also suffer. Not only can it improve your mood and lessen your chance of developing SAD, getting outdoors can help to boost your immune system and regulate your Circadian Rhythm, resulting in better sleep.
1. Collect Chestnuts for Conkers
Conkers has to be the OG autumn game! If you have never played before, look out for prickly green casings that fall from Horse Chestnut trees. Break open the outer shell and uncover the chestnut. Take it home and (carefully) drill a hole through the chestnut. Afterwards, thread a piece of string through the hole and secure it with a knot. The game is usually played with two kids who will strike their conkers together until one breaks. The chestnut left standing is the winner.
2. Treasure Hunt
There’s no better way to teach your children about the changes that come with the season than an Autumn scavenger hunt. Before you set out encourage kids to draw each item they wish to find on a piece of paper. Take the paper with you so they have a visual reminder of what they are looking for and once home you can stick the items beside each drawing as a keepsake. If you are short on time, a verbal scavenger hunt can inject some spontaneous fun into any outdoor adventure. Ask them to point out five things they can hear, or bring you the most unique leaf they can find.
3. Gather craft supplies
A quick search of Pinterest will uncover an abundance of art projects that can be crafted using natural materials. Spend an afternoon collecting the most vibrant leaves you can find before going home to make your very own autumnal wreath using your found treasures. All you will need is a paper plate with the centre cut out and some glue to arrange your leaves in a wreath design.
4. Visit a Farm
Lots of farms take a hiatus in the winter months, so September and October can be the last chance to get your farmyard animal fix before spring. As summer comes to a close you will find some locations offering sunflower fields and as we move further into autumn pumpkin patches and hair-rasing Halloween experiences.
5. Bird watching
Autumn is a busy time for wildlife, and as the trees start to lose their leaves birds become easier to spot. It is also the season that our friends at WWT Castle Espie start to welcome light-bellied Brent Geese to the shores of Strangford Lough. Up to 90% of the global population of this species make the 3,000 mile trip from from Canada to County Down each year to spend the winter months grazing on the vast expanse of eel grass in the area.
6. Prepare for Spring
If you are struggling to get past the front door, there is no need to go further that your own garden. Take the opportunity to plant spring bulbs while the soil is a good temperature and teach your children about the life cycle of the garden. If you are just starting out, planting wildflowers is one of the easiest ways to bring some colour to your garden.
7. Play Poohsticks
Another classic autumnal game is Poohsticks. Best played in the colder months when there are plenty of sticks on the ground to choose from, Poohsticks needs no preparation, just an outdoor space with a river or stream running under a bridge. Get your kids to choose their own stick and have them toss it over the side of the bridge where the water travels upstream. Once all sticks are in the water, race over to the other side to see whose stick flows past first.
8. Visit a Garden
Autumn is categorised by its colours and textures and can make even the most mundane walk look beautiful. It’s a sensory dream and there’s so much to see, smell, touch, and hear. Challenge your kids to spot as many colours as they can and compare it to your last visit. How have the trees changed? What are the flowers like now compared to in the summer? Make sure you wear your wellies as one of the best parts of an autumnal walk is splashing in muddy puddles or jumping in piles of crunchy leaves.
