November brings a change in seasons, a further turning of the Earth’s axis. From blue skies to golden sunlight and stretched shadows. From lush foliage to berry studded hedgerows and forest fungi.
As the nights draw in and the air is crisp, it can feel comforting to curl up at home. But November, and Winter, still bring so many opportunities to find beauty, amazement and wonder in nature and the outdoors. At STAA, we continue inviting families to our gardens and working with volunteers throughout Winter because there is still so much to do and enjoy, so we thought we’d share our enthusiasm by sharing our Top 11 things to do in November…
Hopefully these suggestions are suitable for all ages and can be adapted easily.
Make a pine cone bird feeder
All you need is some string, some hard fat like coconut oil or lard, and a handful of bird seed. Start by attaching the string to one end of the pinecone, then push the fat in between the spines, and then roll in bird seed. Tie your bird feeder onto the branch of a tree where you can watch birds feeding from it.
Plant an acorn
As someone once said, “From small acorns grow mighty oaks”. Try finding your nearest oak tree and planting a humble acorn into a pot with soil, and see if it grows.
Walk through crunchy leaves
There is probably nothing more enjoyable than jumping into a big pile of crunchy leaves. Pay attention to the sound of the leaves rustling under each footstep.
Listen to a robin sing
Robins sing all year round, so there’s a good chance to see and hear their lyrical song now that the leaves are falling off the trees. If you listen to them enough, you could even learn to identify them just by sound.
Play conkers
A time-honoured tradition – simply drill a hole through a conker and attach it to a piece of string. Take turns bashing your conker against someone else’s and hope that you win. (Take care not to get carried away).
Watch leaves fall in the breeze
Sometimes you can just be in the right place at the right time to see a flurry of golden leaves swirl all around you and cover the ground. Stop to enjoy this seasonal spectacle because it won’t last for long.
Find a snail trail
Often at this time of year you can find the iridescent patterns of snail trails on bricks, walls, and pavements. Are they beautiful or disgusting? Can you follow the trail to find the snail?
Identify a feather
You might notice lots of feathers on the ground, as birds moult their old feathers and replace them with new ones. When you find one, how big is it and what colour is it? Can you work out what kind of bird it might’ve come from? Can you make a collection of different feathers?
Make some leaf art
Andy Goldsworthy is an artist who uses natural materials like leaves and ice to create amazing sculptures. Look him up and see if you can make your own leaf mandala or twig decoration. You can use rainwater or puddles to stick leaves together temporarily.
Make a home for wildlife
So many creatures need a cosy place to hide and hibernate over Winter, from insects to newts and hedgehogs. You can easily create a home for them in your garden or park by making a big leaf pile. If you want to go all-out, you could even construct a bug hotel from sticks and pinecones, or a hedgehog house from a few bricks and leaves.
Go for an Autumn walk
The best way to enjoy all the sights and sounds of Autumn is to go for a walk. Use all your senses, and remember to look up and the sky and trees and down at the ground. Look out for Autumn specialists – squirrels caching their nuts, and jays eating acorns. Enjoy the golden light of sunset and notice the smell of wet leaves returning to the Earth.
