Autumnal Things to do

The evenings are drawing in and the weathers getting distinctly yucky! So how to amuse the children when its cold and wet outside? Well here's a round up from around the net of my favourite things to do! 

1, Make a pinecone bird feeder. Fun to make and attractive to hang in the garden 

What you'll need:

Pine cone
Paper plate
Butter knife
Smooth peanut butter
Birdseed
Ribbon or yarn
Scissors

How to make it:

Cut a long length of yarn or ribbon to hang the bird feeder.
Tie the ribbon in a knot around the pine cone near the top (about 3 sections down).
Tie a knot in the end of the ribbon.
Use the knife to get a large clump of peanut butter on the paper plate.
Use the knife to spread peanut butter inside the pine cone and around the edges.
Sprinkle the birdseed over the pine cone.
Roll the pine cone in the birdseed that is on the plate.
Hang the bird feeder on the tree. 

Enjoy watching the birds eat their treat! 

2, Now’s the perfect time to start planting Daffodil’s so pop the kids in the back garden with a trowel and get your spring plants in place. Make sure you plant the bulbs far enough down so they don’t get bitten by any frosts.

3, Play Dough! Why not make its Autumn style and pop in a couple of drops of orange and cinnamon powder? Or nutmeg or apple!

Home Made Playdough

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tarter
2 cups of water
1 tablespoons mineral oil
food colouring

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until stiff. Allow to cool, then knead.

4, Practising making some bats 

5, Have waterproofs and a flask? Chuck on your wellies and fill a flask with hot chocolate and have a autumnal walk.

While you’re out on a walk why not take a bucket and start collecting some leaves, some winter flowers, sticks etc and start making a scrap book.

6, Why not make them autumn cookies?

Ingredients

140g icing sugar , sieved
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
250g butter , cut into small cubes
375g plain flour , sieved
200g icing sugar , sieved
edible food colouring red & orange.



Method

Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl, then stir together with a wooden spoon (or pulse in a food processor until well combined). Add the flour and mix to a firm dough. Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for 20-30 mins. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out autumn shapes, leaves etc and place on the baking sheets Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden. 

Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a thick, but still runny icing. Colour with edible food colouring, if you like. Spread it over the cooled biscuits.

7, Card games: Snap and memory are great for keeping your little ones amused and good for building up their concentration. Why not teach your older ones how to build a card house?

8, For weekends when its too wet or cold outside why not make an adventure round the house? Throw down some cushions as stepping stones and scale the mountain of the stairs only to reach the den made from duvets at the top.

9, With your duvet made from duvets or rugs and cushions have a winter picnic. Lots of little sandwiches, jellys and cakes under a rug are far more exciting then at the dining table!

10,  Visit your library! Free dvds, free cds and mountains of free books! Some also offer story times and other activities.