We are officially in Autumn - Sigh!
Although there are lots of great activities you can provide your Nannying children with over the next few months. Read on to find out what these could be and how you can develop their imagination, senses, creativity and more.
Take a look at the tuff tray idea below, using items you can find in the garden and in the kitchen. The rice is usually dyed with food colouring, although you could switch this out completely and use dried lentils if you'd prefer.
Go on a scavenger hunt or autumnal walk and find lots of brightly coloured leaves and pinecones to add to your tray.
Adding little tubs and spoons alongside or inside the tuff tray encourages children to explore and use their physical development skills further.
Following on from this, you could also think about making some autumn sensory bottles or pouches. We made these recently in our Nanny Workshop in Surrey and used a variety of bottles from tiny to fairly large. I personally have always found the innocent smoothie clear bottles or the VOS bottles to be great for sensory bottles. You must ensure they are superglued with the lid to the bottle - you will be surprised at how strong those little hands can be when they want to be!
You could place all sorts of autumunal items in the bottles;
Different coloured and sized leaves
Pinecones and Acorns
Orange & glitter water
Dried lentils
Orange and yellow water beads
Take a look at the image below for some inspiration. These are quick and easy to make in nap times. You can also use laminating pouches to achieve a similar effect.
Autumunal playdough is another great idea which is quick and easy. Think about all the different smells you can make; brown chocolate playdough, orange coloured and smelling playdough, cinamon playdough and more! My kitchen smells delicious after making these at this time of the year.
You could also use the chocolate playdough to make some hedgehogs and use them as a talking point to learn about facts including where they live, hibernation, nocturnal and more.
Take a look at the below recipe to see if you have the ingredients available and if not, then think about adding them to the shopping list or online groceries order:
2 cups plain flour
1 cup salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsps vegetable oil
2 tbsps cream of tartar
2 cups of boiling water
Take a look at the method of how to make the chocolate playdough here in a few steps, in less than 4 minutes - https://theimaginationtree.com/easy-chocolate-play-dough-recipe/
You can always substitute the cocoa powder for a different smell such as cinamon.
Using the leaves from your autumn walk, you could look at painting them, making rubbings with crayons or even painting over the top of them with a peg and pom pom to achieve a 'spotty' painting. You could then look to encorporate patterns, depending on the age of the child you are nannying.
Another great activitiy for this time of the year with paint and paper is to look at 'magic drawings'. You will need a candle for this.
Using a candle and a white piece of paper, look to draw an item. Then using watery paints and a paintbrush, ask the child you are nannying, to paint over the paper and see if they can see a magic drawing hiding on the paper.
This is great for practicing writing skills with older children.
Leave a comment in the box below if you have tried out any of these activities! It would be great to hear if you have any further autumn craft ideas to share with fellow Nannies too.
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