Autumn Learning & Seasonal Exploration 2026

A Glimpse into Hands-on Montessori & EYFS Activities for Ages 2–4

Our autumn curriculum brings the beauty of nature straight into the setting. Through low-cost, real-world loose parts—like fallen leaves, conkers, pinecones, and seasonal fruits—children develop fine motor strength, independence, and foundational math and language skills.

Featured Autumn Activity Trays

1. Practical Life: Real Apple Preparation

The Experience: Children scrub fresh apples in small water basins, dry them, and use toddler-safe wavy cutters to prepare their own snack.

Why We Do It: Promotes independence, hand-eye coordination, and healthy eating habits.

EYFS Link: PSED (Managing Self) & Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills)

2. Sensory Exploration: Cinnamon Spiced Playdough

The Experience: Homemade warm-toned playdough infused with natural pantry spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove), paired with real twigs and leaf cutters.

Why We Do It: Encourages open-ended creative expression while stimulating the senses.

EYFS Link: Expressive Arts & Design & Communication & Language

3. Early Mathematics: Acorns & Pinecone Counting

The Experience: Children match physical pinecones and acorns gathered on outdoor walks to wooden numeric digit cards (1–10).

Why We Do It: Builds 1-to-1 correspondence and concrete number recognition through tactile play.

EYFS Link: Mathematics (Number & Counting)

4. Fine Motor & Science: Pinecone Scrubbing & Sorting

The Experience: Using small toothbrushes and wooden tongs, children clean muddy pinecones and sort them into sectioned natural wooden trays by size and texture.

Why We Do It: Builds pincer grip strength essential for early writing while exploring natural materials.

EYFS Link: Understanding the World (Natural World) & Physical Development

Our Learning Approach

"The human hand, so delicate and so complicated, not only allows the mind to reveal itself, it enables the whole being to enter into special relationships with its environment."

— Dr. Maria Montessori

By pairing natural, sustainable materials with structured EYFS learning outcomes, we ensure every day is filled with purposeful play, curiosity, and joyful discovery.

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​Welcome to the Summer Term at Colours at St Paul’s Pre-school!

We are so excited to kick off the Summer Term!

It is a wonderful time of year to enjoy learning and creating, both inside the classroom and out in the fresh air.

In the Garden: Our outdoor space is bursting with activities designed to support every child’s unique "next steps" in their development.

Inside the Setting: We’ve been busy refreshing our indoor environment, tailoring our activities to reflect the specific needs and interests we’ve observed in our children.

Our Team: To ensure we provide the best possible care, our staff recently completed updated First Aid training. We are committed to ongoing professional development to keep your little ones safe and thriving.

We truly value the partnership we have with our parents—we are a team! We look forward to working closely with you all this term.

Stay tuned to this space for weekly updates and news!

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