With budgets tight this autumn, here at My Little Green Wardrobe we want to share some ideas for fun free things to do with kids this autumn half-term.
We’ve teamed up with Amy over at Tillys Toys, who is sharing some of her inspirational ideas for creative play to give you some great activities for children of all ages.
Read on for some fantastic tips on how to keep little ones entertained with both indoor and outdoor games, as well as a fantastic twist on a classic - so you'll be covered whatever the weather has in store this autumn half term.
And if the weather does stay relentlessly wet, then nothing beats getting togged up in some of our amazing eco-friendly wet weather gear, and going outside to do some puddle jumping!
Hello!
...I’m Amy, the grown-up behind Tillys Toys and I am so excited to share some ideas for simple and hopefully free things to do with kids over half-term.
You might not have the exact same things at home as I do but I bet you have something close enough. Or if you don’t, maybe you’ll feel inspired to try something similar and put your own spin on it….
5 Free Things to Do With the Kids This Half Term
Autumn Crafting Ideas
Autumn is such beautiful time of year. The season offers a lot of inspiration for fun free crafting activities for toddlers and kids to enjoy this half-term.
1. Conker Hedgehogs
These are just about the cutest little hedgehogs you’ll ever see! If you don’t already have some conkers at home, wrap up warm and go on a conker hunt together, there should still be some around.
Conker hedgehogs are really simple to make. Just take a sharpie and draw a face and four little feet on the base of the conker. Use a chalk pen to add the spikes.
Give it a minute to dry and then your hedgehog is ready to play with!
2. Leaf Painting
This is a lovely free half-term activity for your kids. First go for a walk together to find some fallen leaves. Tilly likes to do this activity with really BIG leaves but small ones work too. The leaves need to be dry but not too crispy or they might rip when being painted.
Finally, once you get your leaves home, you can paint them either with a brush or sponge. When dry, they can be part of a seasonal display, used to make a picture or tied to string to make autumnal bunting.
Half-term fun!
3. Scavenger Hunt
This is a great activity for kids this autumn half-term and can be adapted for all ages and locations. I’ve played different variations of this with Tilly from about 2 years old.
With little ones you can use pictures as clues. With older children it can be a brilliant way to encourage reading skills by writing simple clues.
You can even theme the clues around letter sounds, topics kids are learning about at school or use it as a way to learn about nature.
If it’s a rainy day, you can choose items from around the house. If it’s dry, you can choose things you’re likely to see on your walk.
I usually make our clue sheet out of an old cereal box; cutting out a large side. It’s just the right size and sturdy enough for the kids to be able to write on.
Just draw or write the clues and put a tick box to check off each item you find.
You can even reverse the roles and get your child to be in charge of making a scavenger hunt for you to complete!
4. Den Making
Den making is a great free activity for kids to do outside in the autumn half-term; there are so many lovely leaves and sticks on the ground. Head to your local park and let your child take their favourite toy along for the adventure!
Gather some leaves and twigs and build a simple den for the toy. If you have twine, you can take some to secure your den but it’s just as fun going for the 'pile them up' approach.
And if it’s raining outside you can always swap the twigs and leaves for pillows and blankets and make your den at home!
5. I Spy…With a Twist
Making a cardboard eye doesn’t change the game but does add to the fun! It’s really simple to do – just draw an eye on a piece of cardboard and cut out the centre.
The child then looks through their cardboard eye to find what they spy! It can be used in or out of the house. Why not keep one in the car too just to help on those long journeys?
I hope you’ve found some of these ideas helpful, or if not, maybe they’ve sparked a little seed of an idea of your own.
To get the most out of your half-term no matter what the weather has in store, make sure you shop My Little Green Wardrobe's amazing collection of sustainable kids outerwear. Our toddler and kids' puddlesuits and jackets are all made from recycled materials, which protects your little ones from the elements as well as protecting the planet...
Happy half term!
With love,
Lucy
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Author: Lucy Todd
Lucy Todd is the founder of My Little Green Wardrobe. She started her own ethical clothing journey after spending countless hours trying to find suitable clothes for her own children. Her expertise are in the manufacturing and distribution of clothing, with a particular focus on sustainability, ethical working practices, harmful chemicals, and the environmental impact of the apparel industry.
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