Autumn Fairy from Pinterest
I just love the Family Fun magazine. There are always so many fun ideas to do with kids. Here's a great link to some fun fall ideas (crafts and recipes) the whole family can do together! Click HERE!
One very simple activity to do with the kids is the time-tested leaf collage. I've often had the kids glue leaves (that we found through a quick nature walk) onto a piece of construction paper. Then we hang them up on the walls wherever we need a splash of autumn color. This year, I did an even simpler autumn design: we collected stable, "fat" pine cones. Then I set them up here and there around the house. Just that tiny, simple item brings a touch of nature inside and gives the room an autumn feel.
Naturally, this is the time of year we talk about hibernation and the process that animals go through to get ready for winter. We talk about how they collect food, fatten themselves up (for those not flying south), grow thicker fur, and fortify their homes for cold weather. As I begin the process of winterizing the home, I explain to the kids how it helps keep the cold air out of the house, just like the animals do to their own homes.
There are heeps of great hibernation books, so I would encourage you to take your kids to the library and check them out!
Youtube is a resource I just love. I know there are videos on there that aren't great for kids, so that's why I supervise their time on youtube. Here's an example of a fun story about autumn for kids.
There are other fun stories on youtube about autumn. I really love online stories for times like in the afternoon when the kids need some down time and I need to get some cleaning done in the house. When I combine video time with learning and growing, it's a double bonus in my book!
As homeschoolers (or unschoolers, or whatever you choose to call the education of our children outside of a public building), we tend to take that extra step to incorporate learning with our shared family values and ideals. I like to combine entertainment with learning as much as possible, and of course to combine any real life experience with learning (which happens whether I point it out to the kids or not!)
More than anything, I love to let my kids have time outside as frequently as possible. I like them to have time just to PLAY and be kids, to be creative and use their imaginations. A little fresh air play is so important. It connects us with nature and stimulates creativity in a way nothing else can. In my opinion, that is where the true learning begins!
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