Childcare specialist supports Aldermaston school's winter activities

A childcare specialist is supporting a village school with an autumn activity guide.

With temperatures lowering and the cost of living rising, home-based crafting is the perfect way to entertain children, says Philippa Gibbons from Cedars Day Nursery and Pre-School in Aldermaston.

With Christmas approaching, the following activities aim to support children:

1. Dressing up and imaginative play encourages creative thinking and communication skills, but does not need to mean buying costumes. Homemade ones, including using old sheets for ghost costumes, can be just as rewarding.

2. Weather permitting, scavenger hunts can be done anywhere, from supermarket trips to visiting the park. Encourage children to make independent observations by searching for different colours, shapes, letters, or objects in nature.

3. Another easy and inexpensive activity is using masking tape to create tracks for vehicles. Stick masking tape to carpet, hard floors or soft furnishings, and easily remove once finished. This activity encourages fine motor skills by using two parallel lengths of tape to create a track and challenges children to keep cars within the lines. Children can use Lego or Duplo to build around their track.

4. Fill a shallow container or tray with uncooked rice and add objects or favourite toys. To colour uncooked rice, add this to a plastic food storage bag, add a few drops of vinegar and food colouring and shake the bag to mix. Manipulating and exploring materials in this way helps develop the fine motor skills required for writing and improves hand-eye coordination.

5. Chalk painting is a fun outside activity and can be made from corn starch and water, with food colouring to add colours. Chalk paints washes away easily so can be used outside or on stones and rocks. For a starting point, show children activity cards with options for different things to draw - letters, numbers, or shapes. As confidence grows, encourage your child to create whatever they like, and let their imaginations and creative thinking flow.

Please visit www.completechildcare.co.uk/news-archive for more top tips on how to keep children engaged through play this autumn.

Philippa Gibbons added: "It will come as no surprise to any parent that small children are generally far more interested in the cardboard box a toy comes in than the actual toy itself.

"That is why all these activities focus on keeping costs low and little ones engaged and excited. We do fun things like this with the children at Cedars all the time – it's often their favourite time of the day.

"I'm so pleased to share these tips with local parents. Hopefully it will relieve some of the pressure as they attempt to keep their children occupied during the long nights and wet weekends ahead."