Autumn Inspiration

I have been completely inspired by the autumnal bounty and the creative opportunities that nature brings at this time of year. It feels like a reminder—and an affirmation—to lean even more deeply into using sustainable, natural resources. There is such joy in playing and learning with real materials gathered from the garden or discovered on local walks, especially when they have practical applications.

This October half term, we will be exploring trees in a hands-on way. Each day, we will focus on a few key species, learning to identify their leaves and their produce—nuts, fruits, berries—while also discovering the unique properties of their wood and how people have traditionally used them. For example:

Hazel – produces nuts, flexible wood, easy to coppice, great for uprights,

Willow – bendy, perfect for basket-making and den-building,

Oak – strong, durable, supports more wildlife than any other UK tree, produces acorns, traditionally used for making acorn coffee.

As I have been planning, my senses have been awakened during autumn walks. I have been struck by the sheer variety of trees growing together in a single hedgerow, and how much they each contribute to the wider ecosystem.

Pictured: our felt acorn resources in homemade baskets, hazelnut cracking and sorting activity, our role play autumnal nature shop and seasonal café, pinecone towers, tree tray and felt leaves.