Autumn is here now, there’s no denying it, the boots have got to come out! The nights are drawing in and the days are distinctly chillier to say the least, but that doesn’t mean we have to hibernate with our babies until next spring! We still need things to entertain us and to keep baby happy.
Autumn tips for baby
We can help you with a few ideas! Here are our top ten Autumnal ideas for mum and baby!
1. Autumn walk
It’s such a lovely time of year to walk, with crunchy colourful leaves all around. Wrap up warm, walk to your local park, take some bread to feed the ducks, meet up with a friend and go to the slides and swings, but don’t forget your baby blankets and hats and gloves to keep toastie!
2. Crafty leaf pictures
There are so many different colours and shapes of leaves around to make a fabulous collage with your baby. They will love the texture and feel of the leaves, and the sticky glue (child friendly of course) will be a favourite too – just make sure you have the baby wipes ready!
3. Halloween biscuits
Once your baby or toddler can crawl or sit up, they will love helping you to make cakes or biscuits, we found this simple recipe on the BBC food website for easy Halloween biscuits. Give it go!
4. Pumpkin lanterns
Your baby or toddler might not be old enough to help you to make these for Halloween, but any older children you have will love designing scary pumpkin faces. You can cut out the design after they have drawn it on (for safety reasons), then you can use the yummy middle bit of the pumpkin to make a pumpkin soup for your little one to enjoy!
5. Take a trip to the library
There are lots of baby books that look at the seasons available in our local libraries, with textures and colours for baby to enjoy and experience. See if your local library has a storytime slot with age appropriate stories that you can sit and listen to with your little one.
6. Make a sensory box
Gather lots of things that you associate with autumn, like leaves, sturdy small twigs, gloves, hat, wellingtons, etc and put them in special sensory box that you and baby can look through, providing a new sensory experience for baby!
7. Have a baby Halloween or autumn party!
Why do older children have all the fun? Cook up roasted veg fingers, cheese-on-toast soldiers, apple puree, and veg soups and invite your baby/toddlers friends round for tea! you could have a pass the parcel with a fluffy witch or spider toy as a prize!
8. Veg Printing
Make some funky shapes with potatoes and carrot and use lots of seasonal, autumnal veg like swede etc too. You can buy cheap, plain canvasses from shops these days, why not make it into a beautiful canvas for baby’s room? (And make sure you use children’s paint of course!)
9. Buy a Halloween outfit for your baby, so that they can get involved!
Baby will love dressing up in the bright green and orange clothes. You don’t have to take your baby out trick or treating (unless you have older children of course, in which case you may have to like we do!)
10. Don’t forget about yourself!
You deserve an autumnal treat too! Make some mulled wine or mulled cider, light a spiced candle, and chill out with a hearty beef stew! Mmmm my mouth is watering already!
For some more tips for activities with babies and toddlers, you might want to take a look at It's Pancake Day! Baby Pancake recipe and 50 Things To Do With Your Baby 6 - 12 Months
