Winter is a great time to get out and learning with your child. The cooler weather is more comfortable and the cold winter air hasn’t moved in yet. Take advantage of the cool autumn days and get out to enjoy these fun educational winter activities.
Take a field trip to the local pumpkin patch or apple orchard. This is a great way for your child to see how food is grown and harvested. Look for a you-pick option so your child can try their own hand at harvesting. Take advantage of other offerings these farms often have like petting zoos and corn mazes. Many do trails for Halloween which can include tractor rides and treasure hunts.
Go for a hike with your child. Bring a camera along so you can capture the amazing sights of creatures preparing their homes for the winter, collecting the last of the food available, and settling in before winter arrives. Many animals are very active in the fall finishing preparations making it easy to spot them compared to hikes on a hot summer day. You can then use the things you find for Christmas crafts for children or for autumn crafts for kids from Red Ted Art.
Gather leaves and study how they are changing as the season progresses. Preserving leaves from the same tree over time is a great way to help your child watch the process of the leaves changing colors over the season.
Winter gardening is very different from spring and summer gardens. Take the time to help your child plant a winter garden or prepare your gardens for the winter. The fall is the perfect time to plant garlic that your child can watch grow over the spring and summer.
Hop on down to your local farms market to explore what is in season as the winter rolls in. It can be so fascinating to see the new winter fruits and vegetables as they arrive. Learn new ways to cook these treats to work on science and math in the kitchen.
Go foraging in your local area, last weekend Erin and I collected blackberries and apples for free. We then made a yummy crumble where Erin weighed out the ingredients and cooked a crumble for dinner. She felt a great sense of achievement from doing this.
Take up a new sport or hobby, now is the time for new seasons for team sports like hockey – just a tip for parents wrap up warm standing on the sidelines as you will get cold feet whilst your child is running around having fun.
Let me know how else you enjoy getting out and about tackling educational winter activities with your children.
