NATURE PLAY SA’S 25 THINGS TO DO IN AUTUMN
1 Collect coloured autumn leaves and thread them on a string to make a necklace, garland or decoration 2 Visit a pine forest and look for weird and wonderful fungi as it grows on old stumps, trees and from the ground 3 Go for a neighbourhood walk in the soft autumn rain. Take in the smells, and examine what lichen and moss have come to life on tree trunks 4 Wander through a Botanic Garden and take time to learn about the plants or ask questions about their size, age, or where they may have come from 5 Learn who your local Aboriginal group is and what plants, traditions or places are special in autumn 6 Head to a National Park or caravan park and spend a few days camping – toast marshmallows, make damper and share stories around a campfire (check local fire ban 21 guidelines) 7 Autumn is the perfect time to start a nature journal – sketch or paint fallen leaves, fungi or other autumn finds 8 Find a place to sit in the warm autumn sunshine and read poetry, a storybook or write something of your own 9 Visit your local orchard and pick seasonal fruit such as apples and figs 10 Choose a new hike in a National Park that you’ve never visited 11 Head to the coast and watch the waves crash or, if it’s calm, search the shoreline for washed up treasure 12 Go on a backyard creature hunt – peek under rocks and logs for slaters, earwigs and millipedes. Examine leaves and other plants for native bees, caterpillars and ants 13 Make a ‘campsite’ in your backyard with a cubby (try and make it waterproof) and pretend campfire 14 Start a nature collection of rocks, feathers, leaves and other unique things (store them in a box, tray, container or on a nature table) 15 Prepare a veggie patch ready to plant seeds/seedlings such as spinach, lettuce, beetroot, and carrots 16 Spend a sunny autumn afternoon painting or drawing outside – think of what makes autumn different from the other seasons 17 Experiment with textures – crush autumn leaves and herbs, mix mud, break up bark and pick backyard flowers – create something beautiful 18 Create a living tepee using sticks or bamboo fastened together and plant a native or edible climber such as peas or beans 19 With gloves, spend a morning picking up rubbish along your local beach or park (avoid anything sharp) 20 Find a place with trees that you can wander through, climb and search for signs of life such as tree hollows and scratches from koalas or possums 21 Venture to trails that meander along coastal cliffs, take in the views, breathe the wild air and fill your lungs with the salty smell of the ocean 22 With friends explore a creek for signs of tadpoles, yabbies or float leaves or sticks downstream 23 Cook together with seasonal produce such as pumpkins, figs, apples and leafy greens 24 After the rain has fallen head to a local waterfall and notice the changes that are happening 25 Go on a walk in your backyard, neighbourhood or National Park and photograph anything that interests you. Use the photos to make a collage or print to put into a nature journal Head to natureplaysa.org.au for free resources that will help you learn and engage with nature.
