We love autumn! Here are some of our most popular autumn activities for kids. Click each one for more details – and pin this page for a great resource.
Firework craft: fill the sky with glitter
The essential ingredient for any firework craft is glitter, right? For the simplest Bonfire Night craft idea take some black paper, add glue and glitter and invite your children to create their own firework display.
We used chalk to draw in our people, adding an extra medium for the kids to try out.
You could give each child their own piece of paper, or go big and have each child contribute a few fireworks to one huge picture.
For more firework craft ideas [Read more…]
How to make edible sparklers: bonfire night food ideas
Click here for all your autumn lesson plans, crafts and activities.
How to make edible sparklers: bonfire night food ideas
A post just for UK readers today with some Bonfire Night food and craft ideas ready for the celebrations on Saturday. (Those of you outside the UK wondering what the heck Bonfire Night is can find out more here if you want all the historical and political background) or just know it involves warming round an enormous bonfire, eating sweet and spicy foods and watching a big firework display.
In the past L hasn’t enjoyed Bonfire Night – too many bangs from all the fireworks. So we’re sweetening the night this year with some chocolate treats: edible sparklers.
They’re a super easy peasy Bonfire Night food: dip a chocolate finger biscuit in some hot water (to just melt a little) then dunk them in a pot of sprinkles. Perfect!
Click here for our autumn lesson plans, crafts and activities.
Head back to school feeling confident and excited, knowing you are all organised with my rich, educational curriculum.
Your autumn lessons will be stress-free because you have this whole-brain, hands-on, engaging programme of lessons that your children will love.
Catherine wheel firework craft
Perfect for Bonfire Night or any time you need some fireworks, here’s an easy way to make a Catherine Wheel.
Take a circle of paper or thin card. Fold it in half to make a semi-circle shape and make a cut, but not all the way to the centre. Unfold the circle and fold it again to make a semi-circle the other way. Make another cut, but again, not all the way to the centre.
Unfold your circle and fold one corner of each quarter section into the centre. Fasten in place with a paper fastener.
Decorate your Catherine wheel with sparkly stickers and sequins. Add ribbons or streamers to the edges for extra twirling effect.
Roll up a piece of paper into a long tube shape to make your handle. Use the paper fastener to attach the Catherine wheel to your handle.
Then blow! Here’s Take One – not quite as easy as she thought!
And here’s Take Two – when she’d mastered the art of Catherine wheel twirling.
Did you notice she blew so hard the feather flew right off? I do love L.
happily shared with Kids Get Crafty and No Time for Flash Cards
Firework craft
With both Bonfire Night and Diwali being celebrated this week, we thought we’d get the glitter out to make a firework painting.
1. Use some black paper to be your sky.
2. Put a small blob of paint on your sky and blow it out into a firework shape using a drinking straw. Make sure you use runny paint, make sure your blow rather than suck, and make sure you keep your hair out of the way! You can make great explosion shapes.
3. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle on some glitter to give your fireworks some extra pizzazz!
4. Leave your pictures to dry, shake off any excess glitter and display your fireworks on the wall.
Download your ready-made Diwali Unit
Download the Play Academy’s ready-made Diwali thematic unit and you’ll be ready to lead a week of fun and educational activities for your children to learn about and celebrate the Hindu Festival of Lights.