Standing at my classroom window this morning, watching the last of the autumn leaves spiral down onto the playground, I was reminded of Jamie, a four-year-old in my class who struggles with any form of transition. Just six weeks ago, he’d stood frozen in the doorway, overwhelmed by the prospect of his favourite summer tree looking “all wrong” with its changing colors. Today, that same child was the first to spot a squirrel gathering acorns, excitedly explaining to his friend how animals “get ready when things change.” This transformation didn’t happen by accident. It came through weeks of intentionally using the seasons as our classroom’s master teacher about change.

Why Seasons Matter So Deeply in Early Years

After fifteen years of teaching young children, including many with additional needs, I’ve come to see seasonal change as one of our most powerful teaching tools. Unlike abstract concepts we might try to explain through stories or discussions, seasons offer change we can touch, smell, hear, and see. They provide a predictable rhythm that helps children understand that change doesn’t mean chaos, it means transformation with purpose.

For our youngest learners, especially those who find change challenging, seasons offer what I call “safe practice” for life’s bigger transitions. When we help a child understand and even anticipate how autumn becomes winter, we’re building neural pathways that will serve them when facing a house move, a new sibling, or the transition to or from primary school. The beauty lies in how seasons return cyclically, offering repeated opportunities to build confidence with change while maintaining the comfort of predictability.

The EYFS framework recognises this deeply through its emphasis on Understanding the World, but seasonal learning touches every area of development. It’s Personal, Social and Emotional Development when children navigate feelings about change. It’s Communication and Language when they describe what they observe. It’s Mathematics when they measure rainfall or count days until spring. This interconnected learning mirrors how children naturally experience the world, as a whole, not in subject-shaped boxes.

Five Practical Teaching Ideas for Seasonal Change Learning

1. The Seasonal Journey Stick Collection

EYFS Links: Understanding the World (The Natural World), Physical Development (Fine Motor Skills), Expressive Arts and Design (Creating with Materials)

This activity transforms a simple walk into a powerful documentation tool that grows throughout the year. Each child creates their own “journey stick” that becomes a personal record of seasonal change.

What You’ll Need:

• Strong sticks (about 30cm long, one per child)
• Coloured wool or string
• Collection bags
• Camera or tablet for documentation
• Labels and storage boxes

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Week 1: Introduce the concept by reading “The Stick Man” by Julia Donaldson. Explain that we’ll be making special sticks that tell the story of our year. Take children on a stick-hunting walk, allowing each child to choose their own special stick. Back in class, help children wind wool around one end to create a handle and mark ownership.

Weekly Routine: Every Wednesday (or your chosen day), take a collection walk. Children select one small item that shows the current season—a flower petal, small leaf, seed pod, or (safely collected) feather. Back inside, they attach their finding to their stick using wool, creating a timeline of seasonal change.

Documentation Process: After attaching items, children draw or photograph their addition. Support them in describing what they’ve added and why it represents the current season. For non-verbal children, provide symbol cards they can use to label their additions.

Adaptation for SEND: For children with fine motor difficulties, pre-wrap sections of wool they can slide items under. For those with visual impairments, focus on textured items and create a parallel “touch book” with items secured to cardboard pages. Children with autism might benefit from a visual schedule showing the journey stick routine.

Parent Involvement: Send home “Journey Stick Update” slips where families can add observations from weekend walks. Some families might create home journey sticks, building parallel documentation.

Assessment Opportunities: Document how children’s explanations become more sophisticated over time. Initially, they might say “pretty leaf.” By spring, they’re explaining “This shows autumn because it’s brown and crunchy and fell off when the tree got ready for winter.”

2. The Weather Station Scientists Programme

EYFS Links: Understanding the World (The Natural World), Mathematics (Numerical Patterns), Communication and Language (Speaking)

This comprehensive programme turns daily weather observation into genuine scientific inquiry, with children taking ownership of data collection and pattern recognition.

What You’ll Need:

• Simple rain gauge (or make one from plastic bottles)
• Thermometer (digital with large display)
• Wind streamers (ribbons on sticks)
• Weather recording charts (pictorial and symbolic)
• Digital camera designated for weather documentation
• Weather clothing for dolls/teddies
• Large floor calendar

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Setting Up: Create a dedicated weather station visible from your window. Mount tools at child height. Inside, establish a weather recording wall with charts, calendar, and display space for photographs.

Morning Routine: Assign two daily “Weather Scientists” (use lanyards or badges to mark this special role). These children check all weather instruments at the same time each morning, supported by an adult initially, then increasingly independently. This list of classroom jobs will give you some additonal ideas.

Recording Process:

• Children first observe and discuss what they notice
• They check thermometer and mark temperature on a pictorial chart (using colour coding: blue for cold, yellow for mild, red for warm)
• They measure any rainfall collected
• They observe wind streamers and record wind strength using agreed symbols
• They take a photograph from the designated “weather window”
• During circle time, they report findings to the class

Weekly Analysis: Every Friday, review the week’s weather data. Look for patterns. Count sunny versus rainy days. Compare this week’s temperatures to last week’s. Children begin recognising seasonal patterns through their own collected data.

Adaptation for SEND: Create tactile weather symbols using different textures (cotton wool for clouds, foil for sun). Use Makaton signs alongside verbal weather vocabulary. For children with processing difficulties, break the routine into visual step cards they can follow independently.

Extension Activities: Create weather prediction charts where children guess tomorrow’s weather based on patterns they’ve noticed. Compare your data with official weather reports. Connect weather patterns to seasonal changes in explicit ways.

Parent Partnership: Share monthly weather summaries created by children. Invite families to contribute extreme weather photographs. Some families might track weather at home, comparing different locations.

3. The Changing Tree Biography Project

EYFS Links: Understanding the World (The Natural World), Literacy (Writing), Expressive Arts and Design (Creating with Materials), Communication and Language (Speaking)

This year-long project follows one specific tree through all seasons, creating deep observational skills and emotional connection to natural change.

What You’ll Need:

• Access to a deciduous tree (on grounds or very nearby)
• Sketch pads and various drawing materials
• Digital camera/tablet
• Measuring tapes
• Collection boxes for specimens
• Large floor book for collaborative documentation
• Bark rubbing materials

Step-by-Step Implementation:

September – Choosing Your Tree: Take children to explore available trees. Let them vote on which tree to adopt. Create an adoption certificate. Give the tree a name chosen by the children. Take initial photographs from multiple angles (mark spots for consistent documentation).

Weekly Visits: Every week, visit your tree with a different focus:

• Week 1: Overall appearance (drawings and photos)
• Week 2: Leaf detail (collection and pressing)
• Week 3: Bark patterns (rubbings and texture exploration)
• Week 4: Wildlife spotted (birds, insects, squirrels)

Documentation Strategies:

• Create individual “Tree Books” where children add drawings, photos, and observations
• Maintain a class floor book with collaborative entries
• Develop a “Tree Timeline” display showing changes
• Record children’s evolving descriptions of the tree

Seasonal Celebrations: Mark significant changes with special observations:

• First leaf colour change
• First fallen leaf
• Last leaf falling
• First bud appearing
• First new leaves

Mathematical Connections: Measure your tree’s shadow at the same time monthly. Count leaves on one branch (photograph to track changes). Estimate and count fallen leaves in a marked square metre.

Adaptation for SEND: For children with mobility challenges, bring tree parts to them for detailed study. Create sensory bags with seasonal tree materials. Use communication boards with tree-related vocabulary and symbols. For children with attention difficulties, provide specific “search challenges” during tree visits.

Creative Extensions: Write letters to the tree. Create tree-inspired artwork. Compose songs about seasonal changes. Build small world tree environments. Act out the tree’s year through movement.

4. Seasonal Sensory Investigation Boxes

EYFS Links: Physical Development (Fine Motor), Communication and Language (Understanding), Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Managing Self)

These carefully curated boxes help children explore seasonal change through all their senses, particularly supporting children who need concrete, hands-on learning experiences.

What You’ll Need:

• Four large transparent storage boxes
• Natural materials for each season
• Magnifying glasses
• Sorting trays
• Recording sheets with symbols
• Protective gloves for handling
• Labels with words and pictures

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Autumn Box Creation:

• Collect: conkers, acorns, leaves at various decomposition stages, seed pods, pine cones
• Add: cinnamon sticks, apple slices (dried), wool felt
• Include: autumn-scented items (carefully selected for safety)
• Also have a look at our Autumn Story Box

Winter Box Creation:

• Collect: evergreen branches, holly leaves (supervised use), smooth ice-cold stones
• Add: silver and white fabrics, cotton wool, metallic items
• Include: peppermint extract on cotton (sealed in small containers with holes)

Spring Box Creation:

• Collect: flowers, new leaves, pussy willow, feathers
• Add: pastel fabrics, grass seed to grow, bulbs
• Include: floral scents (lavender bags)

Summer Box Creation:

• Collect: dried grasses, flower petals, smooth sun-warmed stones
• Add: shells, sand, light fabrics
• Include: cut lemons in sealed containers

Investigation Routine:

• Introduce new seasonal box gradually
• Start with visual exploration, predicting contents
• Move to supervised tactile exploration
• Introduce scents last (some children find these overwhelming)
• Document children’s descriptions and reactions

Language Development: Create investigation prompt cards:

• “Find something smooth/rough”
• “What’s the smallest/largest item?”
• “Find two things the same colour”
• “What makes a sound when you shake it?”

Adaptation for SEND: For hypersensitive children, begin with items in clear bags for visual exploration only. Gradually introduce single textures. For seekers, provide deep pressure activities before exploration. Create individual exploration boxes for children who struggle with sharing or turn-taking.

Progressive Challenges: As children become familiar with seasonal boxes, introduce comparison activities. How are autumn and spring leaves different? Sort items by texture across seasons. Create patterns using materials from different seasonal boxes.

5. The Change Journey Maps and Feelings

EYFS Links: Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Self-Regulation, Managing Self), Understanding the World (Past and Present), Expressive Arts and Design (Creating with Materials)

This activity explicitly connects seasonal change with emotional literacy, helping children understand and express feelings about transition and change.

What You’ll Need:

• Large floor map/path template
• Seasonal photographs from throughout the year
• Emotion cards with faces and symbols
• Art materials for creating personal maps
• Mirrors for emotion exploration
• Feeling stones or emotion puppets

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Creating the Base Map:

• Draw a large winding path on paper or fabric
• Mark four “stations” for seasons
• Add photograph pockets at each station
• Create “feeling zones” between seasons

Introducing the Concept: Week 1: Explore the empty map. Discuss journeys and paths. Walk along the path, noticing the seasonal stations.

Week 2: Add summer photographs (if starting in autumn). Discuss memories. How did summer feel? Children place emotion cards showing their summer feelings.

Week 3: Add autumn photographs as you experience the season. Compare feelings. “I felt excited in summer, now I feel cozy.”

Week 4: Discuss the journey between seasons. What helps us when things change? Add “helper cards” (things that comfort us during change).

Building Throughout the Year:

• Add photographs and feelings for each season as you experience it
• Revisit previous seasons, noticing how feelings might change in retrospect
• Document strategies children develop for managing change
• Celebrate successful navigation of seasonal transitions

Individual Journey Maps: Each child creates a personal journey map in their special book:

• Draw or stick their path shape
• Add their own seasonal photographs or drawings
• Mark feelings with colours or symbols
• Add personal “change helpers” (my teddy, my mum, deep breaths)

Circle Time Discussions: Use the map for regular emotional check-ins:

• “Where are we on our journey now?”
• “How do you feel about winter coming?”
• “What helped you when autumn felt strange?”
• “What are you excited about for spring?”

Adaptation for SEND: For non-verbal children, use AAC devices with emotion vocabulary. Create textile paths for children who benefit from movement while processing. For children with attachment difficulties, include photographs of their key person at each season. Add social stories about seasonal change for children with autism.

Family Connection: Send home family journey maps where parents can document seasonal traditions and feelings. Share strategies that help children with transitions. Create a “Change Champions” display celebrating children who’ve navigated difficult changes.

Assessment and Documentation

Throughout these activities, maintain rich documentation that captures learning across all EYFS areas:

Observation Notes: Focus on process, not just outcomes. Note how a child approaches seasonal investigation, their questions, their strategies for understanding change.

Learning Stories: Create narratives that connect seasonal learning to EYFS goals. “When Maya noticed the autumn leaves were different colours on the same tree, she was demonstrating critical thinking about patterns in nature…”

Progress Tracking: Document progression in:

• Vocabulary development (from “cold” to “freezing” to “frost”)
• Observational detail (from “tree” to noticing bark texture, leaf shape, branching patterns)
• Emotional regulation around change
• Scientific thinking (from noticing to predicting to explaining)

Child Voice: Record children’s evolving explanations of seasonal change. These quotes provide powerful evidence of developing understanding.

Creating Your Inclusive Seasonal Classroom

Remember that inclusive practice means anticipating and planning for diversity from the start, not adding adaptations as afterthoughts. Every activity should have multiple entry points, allowing children to engage at their own level while being challenged to grow.

Some children will race ahead, creating complex theories about seasonal change. Others will need patient repetition, experiencing autumn many times before the concept solidifies. Both journeys are valid. Our role is to provide rich, repeated opportunities for exploration while respecting each child’s unique timeline.

As winter approaches and our journey sticks grow heavy with treasures, our weather scientists become increasingly sophisticated in their predictions, and our adopted tree stands bare but still beloved, I see children who are changed themselves. They’ve learned to observe closely, to document carefully, to express feelings about change, and to find constancy within cycles. These skills—scientific, emotional, social—will serve them far beyond their time in my classroom, helping them navigate not just the changing seasons, but the beautiful, complex, ever-changing journey of growing up.

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