Autumn is a great time to observe nature at its most beautiful – animals are preparing for winter, the colours are amazing and flowers are turning into seeds and pods. Outside activities in the garden is an excellent time for children to learn about nature whilst also developing the following skills:-

• Fine motor skills
• Responsibility from caring for plants
• understanding as they learn about cause and effect ( for example plants die without watering and weeds complete with plants)
• Self-confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the foods that they have grown
• Physical activity – doing something that is productive and fun
• Creativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow foods, build shelters for animals and make fun things out of conkers and pumpkins
• Nutrition – learn about where fresh foods come from

There are more activities than you might think as Autumn turns nature into the ‘ big yawn’ before winter:-

• Raking and Tidying - In Autumn there are always lots of leaves falling from trees. Your children will love raking grass cuttings and leaves, pulling them into fairly neat piles and saving adults lots of leg work in the process. Invest in children’s gardening gloves and a rake and they can help you with household chores. Raking is good for children as it develops for gross-motor skills and upper body strength.
• Press Autumn leaves - Dry out the beautiful autumn colours in a traditional old fashioned flower press – if you can find any left-over flower heads then that’s even better
• Collect conkers - There is something special about collecting conkers – children will love building a tower, making a bracelet or caterpillar or even a conker spider
• Pumpkin carving -  Autumn wouldn’t be complete without carving a pumpkin in time for Halloween. Hide pumpkins in the garden or head to a local pumpkin patch.
• Wash out seed trays and pots - Children love a bucket of water and a scrubbing brush. Washing out pots and seed trays in Autumn can prevent the spread of plant disease
• Start growing plants for next Spring - The majority of bulbs are being planted now to ensure their wonderful emergence next Spring, by planting now, children can have great fun in guessing which bulbs will sprout first. This teaches children about the lifecycle of plants as well as the importance of preparing thoroughly and encouraging them to be patient.
• Fill the compost bin - Compost is a combination of green (fresh plants) and brown waste (old plants is brown leaves, paper, cardboard etc). Green waste is high in nitrogen while brown waste is high in carbon. Every Autumn the children love helping clear all the dead plants and fallen leaves resulting in an overflowing compost bin – children love chopping leaves
• Make a bug hotel - Try propping up an old tyre against a sheltered wall, get the children to stuff it with all sorts of wood, sticks, dried leaves and straw – it needs a waterproof hotel to keep it dry

It is important to make your garden safe for children

• Keep fertilisers out of reach
• Select the correct sized tools
• Provide safe storage for equipment and tools
• Provide safe storage for equipment and tools
• Do not leave buckets of water unattended

Using your garden in the autumn will provide your children with childhood memories, developing skills and ways to keep the garden tidy ready for winter.

If you are considering selling your home and would like a free market appraisal call David Phillip FRICS on 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk a: David Phillip Estate Agents, 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds LS16 9AN

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