Autumn Activities With Children That Build Skills
- Bethany Powell
- Nov 20
- 4 min read
How Autumn Inspires Learning, Curiosity, and Development in Early Years
There is something truly magical about autumn in the early years. The crisp air, vibrant leaves, cosy indoor activities and rich natural colours all offer a world of sensory experiences, and even more importantly, learning opportunities.
At Pippa’s House Nursery, each season brings its own unique inspiration, but autumn might just be our favourite. From autumnal sensory baskets to pumpkin-themed tough trays, from poppy crafts to “autumn soup” explorations and outdoor adventures in changing weather, this time of year naturally supports every part of the EYFS curriculum.
Let’s take a closer look at the autumn activities happening across our nurseries, and how each one nurtures children’s development in meaningful, joyful ways.
Autumn Through the EYFS Lens
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) emphasises learning through rich, hands-on experiences. Autumn gives us endless opportunities to support:
Communication & Language
Personal, Social & Emotional Development (PSED)
Physical Development
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts & Design
Literacy & Mathematics
Every activity described below is intentionally planned not just for fun, but to build important foundations for future learning.
Autumnal Sensory Baskets: Building Language & Curiosity
One of the most loved activities in our nurseries is our autumn-themed sensory baskets. Filled with pinecones, leaves, acorns, textured fabrics, conkers, small pumpkins and cinnamon sticks, they invite babies and toddlers to explore using all their senses.
Development Benefits:
Communication & Language
As children pick up objects, practitioners introduce rich vocabulary such as smooth, crunchy, spiky, soft, bumpy, long, shiny. These early words help build a strong foundation for expressive language.
Understanding the World
Seasonal sensory play helps children link objects to nature and the world around them, an essential EYFS goal.
Physical Development
Grasping, transferring and manipulating natural items strengthens fine motor skills, supporting early writing development later on.
Sensory baskets encourage children to investigate, experiment and discover. Core elements of early learning.
Poppy Crafts: Remembering Together
In November, children across our nurseries created beautiful poppy-themed crafts ahead of Remembrance Day. From tissue-paper poppies to playdough creations and giant collaborative artwork, this experience encouraged reflection, gentle conversations and creativity.
Development Benefits:
Personal, Social & Emotional Development (PSED)
Crafting poppies helps children explore feelings such as gratitude, kindness and empathy in an age-appropriate way.
Expressive Arts & Design
Manipulating materials like tissue paper, glue, paints and playdough allows children to express ideas and develop artistic confidence.
Physical Development
Tearing, rolling, squishing and sticking supports finger strength and coordination.
While the topic is sensitively approached, children begin to understand the meaning behind the poppy and why we take time to remember.
Pumpkin-Themed Tough Trays: Messy Play With Purpose
Autumn wouldn’t be complete without pumpkins! Our nurseries have explored seasonal tough trays filled with:
orange foam
pumpkin seeds
“pumpkin spice” scented oats
scoops and bowls
hidden objects
themed small-world figures
These trays offer endless open-ended exploration.
Development Benefits:
Mathematics
Children practise counting seeds, comparing sizes, exploring capacity and noticing patterns.
Communication & Language
Messy play sparks conversation: “It feels sticky!” “I found a seed!” “Look at the orange foam!”
Personal, Social & Emotional Development (PSED)
Working together at a tray encourages turn-taking, collaboration and building friendships.
Pumpkin play captures children’s interests while embedding rich opportunities for learning.
Autumn Soup Tough Tray: Imagination Meets Real-World Learning
One of our standout activities this year has been the autumn soup tray. Children used ladles, spoons, tongs and bowls to scoop up natural materials like:
leaves
oranges
pinecones
cornflakes
water
herbs and spices
They role-played chefs, created recipes, and served each other imaginary “warm autumn soup.”
Development Benefits:
Understanding the World
Children explore real-life processes such as cooking, mixing and preparing food.
Mathematics
Measuring, pouring and estimating quantities build mathematical thinking through play.
Physical Development
Using ladles, tongs and spoons strengthens hand-eye coordination and fine motor precision.
Communication & Language
Role play encourages storytelling, negotiation and use of descriptive vocabulary.
The autumn soup tray shows that the simplest materials can often provide the deepest learning.
Outdoor Play in Changing Weather: Building Resilience & Independence
Being outdoors is at the heart of the EYFS, and at Pippa’s House Nursery, children play outside every day, whatever the weather brings.
This autumn has brought rain puddles, windy days, crunchy leaves and the first hint of winter chill. Our children have been:
splashing in puddles
exploring the forest school
searching for insects
playing in the mud kitchen
collecting leaves and natural treasures
observing weather changes
Development Benefits:
Physical Development
Running, climbing, balancing and navigating uneven surfaces support gross motor skills and core strength.
Understanding the World
Children witness seasonal changes first-hand, an essential part of early science learning.
Personal, Social & Emotional Development (PSED)
All-weather play builds confidence, resilience and independence (“I can put my waterproofs on!”).
Wellbeing
Outdoor play reduces stress, improves mood and supports emotional regulation.
Why These Activities Matter
Autumn activities are far more than just themed fun. They are carefully planned experiences that deepen children’s understanding of their world, strengthen developmental skills, and support their well-being.
The EYFS encourages settings to follow children’s interests, provide rich sensory experiences, and embrace the outdoors. Autumn naturally offers all of this, making it an exciting time for children to learn in ways that feel joyful and meaningful.
Every leaf collected, every pumpkin scooped, every poppy crafted and every muddy puddle jumped in contributes to children’s cognitive, emotional and physical development.
Come and See the Magic for Yourself
If you’d like to experience how Pippa’s House Nursery brings learning to life through the seasons, now is the perfect time to visit. From our inspiring environments to our caring teams and beautiful outdoor spaces, a tour is the best way to truly see what makes our nurseries special.
Book a tour today and discover a warm, nurturing place for your child to learn, grow and thrive.
Comments