Autumn is a great time of year as nature puts on a splendid display of colour.  Autumn is that time of year when certain trees, called deciduous, loose their leaves.  When the days get shorter and there is less light,  thats how the trees know its time to shed their leaves.

All through the summer these trees make food to store in their trunks and roots for the winter.

In autumn the weather gets a bit colder as its the season leading up to winter - but its a great time to get outdoors.

We went out to play in the leaves and make some magic carpets.

Magic carpets

Find a park or forest where the ground is fairly flat.  Each child can mark of the area they would like to make a magic carpet in, sometimes they can work in pairs if they like.  They can frame their magic carpet with larger sticks - there is no limit to the size - it can be as big or small as they imagine.

All around them during this time of year there will be loads of leaves, seed pods, bark and other natural materials that they can use to decorate their magic carpet with.

You can use berries and leves to make a face, animals or a intricate and detailed carpet.

Then use your imagination top dream of flying off to some faraway land.

Playing with leaves

During autumn there is an abundance of leaves lying on the ground creating a soft blanket.  The children made a big pile of leaves then jumped in them, they threw leaves at each other and even buried each other.

You can even play hide and seek.  Taking turns to hide in the leaves.

Two of the children just lay down on a picnic rug under a big tree and let the leaves fall on and around them, they felt they were in their own magic world.

Gathering special leaves

Children enjoy searching for special leaves. Send them off on a scavenger hunt where they need to find special shaped leaves.  When they return they can discuss their leaf and why its special.

You could even mix them all up and then they have to identify theirs.

This game encourages the children to look more closely at leaves and appreciate the diversity and intricacies found in them.

Did you know: If you catch a leaf as it falls from the tree ( before it touches the ground), you will have one years good luck!