Autumn is a time when we shift our eyes from the summer sun to watch the leaves change color. There are so many fun outdoor activities that kids can do safely. For example, children love jumping on a bed of leaves and hearing them crunch beneath their feet. One fun activity that you can do with your family is take a nature walk and create an autumn nature bracelet.

You will need duct tape, scissors, possibly a ruler, and found objects from your nature walk. Please follow the CDC guidelines for walking in the park. Also, Liz Lee Heinecke advises in her book, Kitchen Science Lab for Kids, “familiarize children with poison ivy/poison oak before taking your nature walk. In addition, please remind your children that unidentified berries should never be eaten.”

Materials & Procedure:

• Measure and cut a piece of duct tape that fits comfortably around your child’s wrist, using a ruler if necessary. Secure the tape around your child’s wrist, sticky side facing out.
• Take a walk outside. Here’s some helpful information and tips on local hikes from the Mommy Poppins website.
• Collect leaves, flowers, tiny pebbles, feathers, acorns and other natural resources to decorate your bracelet!

Further Enrichment STEAM Ideas from Scholastic:

• Bring a paper bag to collect leaves that might be too big for your nature bracelet
• Use a nature journal to record what you see and hear
• Try to identify what you have seen and heard on your walk

OverDrive Resources:
The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just by Melanie Mangal
Ernest always observed the vast world around him by looking at the big picture. Ernest also worked really hard to study nature and unlocked the mysteries of cellular structure. In this beautiful picture book, we learn about the struggles of Ernest Everett, his curious mind, and triumphs as a professor and marine biologist.

Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists by Andrea Beaty
Fans of Ada Twist will enjoy this STEM project book that’s full of fun experiments. Readers will learn about Ada’s desire to become a scientist and about different fields of science, including biology and physical science. The book also includes word search, fun facts, how to record your findings and the scientific method. A wonderful book that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity!

Junior Maker by DK
Explore the solar system and create marshmallow constellations and aliens. Learn about the seasons and create a tree for each season! Junior Maker by DK also teaches the history of cool objects such as Roman shields. Travel to ancient Egypt as you make your own mummy, or a papyrus out of recycled paper.

Science Comics: Trees, Kings of the Forest by Andy Hirsch
Follow an acorn as it learns what it means to become a tree. Learn about how trees germinate and the stages as the tree grows. Along the way you will meet different types of trees and how important they are for not only humans but all living beings.

Woodland and Forest by DK
Learn about the outdoors as you explore different types of trees and forests as well as their locations. Read about the habitats of animals and how to track their prints in the snow. Did you know the coniferous plant is a berry bearer? This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves to hike and explore their unique surroundings.

Finally, check out this great Pinterest board for more awesome STEAM activities for fall!