Autumn is here, bringing crisp air, colourful leaves, and plenty of opportunities for hands-on, messy play with your little one! At Milestones Early Learning, we love incorporating the changing seasons into our play-based learning experiences, and we encourage families to do the same at home. Sensory play isn’t just fun—it helps develop fine motor skills, language, and problem-solving abilities, all while creating lasting memories together.
Why Sensory Play is Important
Sensory play engages a child’s senses—touch, sight, sound, smell, and even taste—helping to strengthen their brain connections and support cognitive and emotional growth. Research has shown that sensory experiences enhance neural development, improving skills like communication, focus, and social interaction. Plus, messy play allows children to explore and express themselves freely!
With the cooler weather settling in and nature offering a variety of textures and colours, now is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy some autumn-inspired sensory activities with your child.
Autumn-Themed Sensory Activities to Try at Home
1. Crunchy Leaf Play
Autumn leaves provide endless fun! Try these simple activities:
- Leaf jumping: Rake up a pile of leaves and let your child run, jump, and roll through them.
- Leaf sorting: Gather different coloured leaves and sort them by size, shape, or texture.
- Leaf rubbings: Place a leaf under a sheet of paper and rub over it with crayons to reveal its pattern.
- Leaf sensory bin: Fill a large container with dried leaves, sticks, pinecones, and seed pods for children to explore.
2. Nature’s Loose Parts Play
Using natural materials encourages creativity and problem-solving. You can:
- Collect twigs, seed pods, and pinecones for building and stacking.
- Arrange sticks into letters, shapes, or numbers for an early literacy and numeracy boost.
- Use gumnuts or small stones for a simple counting or matching game.
- Make nature-inspired artwork using leaves and flowers as paintbrushes.
3. Weather-Inspired Sensory Fun
Autumn brings exciting changes in the weather! Help your child explore the season with:
- Wind play: Use scarves or ribbons to mimic the movement of leaves in the breeze.
- Puddle jumping: Put on gumboots and splash away after a light autumn rain.
- Temperature exploration: Talk about how mornings feel crisp while afternoons are warmer—encouraging children to notice these changes.
4. Bug Hunting and Nature Walks
Exploring nature helps children develop curiosity about the world around them. Try:
- Bug spotting: Look for ladybugs, caterpillars, or beetles hiding under leaves.
- Insect homes: Discuss where different bugs live and how they prepare for cooler weather.
- Listening walks: Take a quiet walk and talk about the different sounds of autumn—rustling leaves, chirping birds, or the wind blowing through trees.
5. Autumn-Themed Messy Play
Messy play is great for fine motor development and sensory exploration. Some easy ideas:
- Pumpkin or apple-scented playdough: Add cinnamon or nutmeg for an extra autumnal touch.
- Coloured rice bins: Use orange, yellow, and red rice with scoops and cups for pouring fun.
- Mud kitchen: Set up a station outside where kids can mix leaves, twigs, and water to ‘cook’ autumn soups.
Connecting Sensory Play to Early Learning
Our Lifelong Learning Curriculum, which is aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), ensures that every child engages in contemporary, research-backed learning experiences. As the most advanced approach to early childhood education in Australia, our curriculum incorporates sensory play as a key element in fostering children's cognitive, emotional, and physical development.
All these activities support key learning areas in the EYLF::
- Children develop a strong sense of identity by exploring and engaging with the world around them.
- They connect with nature and their community through hands-on play.
- Their well-being is enhanced by spending time outdoors and moving their bodies.
- They become confident learners by experimenting with new textures, patterns, and ideas.
- Their communication skills grow as they describe what they see, feel, and experience.
Bringing Autumn Play into Your Home
You don’t need fancy toys to create meaningful learning experiences—nature provides the best tools! Here are a few quick ideas:
- Take a walk and collect leaves for a mini autumn treasure hunt.
- Make a simple sensory bin with rice, pasta, or oats dyed in autumn colours.
- Enjoy an autumn-themed story time with books about falling leaves, changing seasons, and woodland animals.
- Encourage self-help skills by practising putting on jackets, hats, and boots for the changing weather.
Let’s Celebrate the Magic of Autumn!
At Milestones Early Learning, we believe that sensory play helps children develop essential skills while having fun. This autumn, take advantage of the season’s natural beauty to create memorable, hands-on experiences with your child. Whether it’s crunching through leaves, spotting bugs, or feeling the cool breeze on their face, each moment is a valuable learning opportunity.
We’d love to see what you create at home! Share your autumn sensory play photos with us and let’s celebrate the joys of the season together.
Looking for more hands-on learning experiences? Talk to your child’s educators at Milestones about how we integrate sensory play into our daily curriculum!