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Simple Play Ideas – Autumn Imaginative Play

Posted on May 16, 2014 9 Comments

This simple autumn imaginative play scene is easy to set up and will keep your kids playing happily for a long time.

Simple Play Ideas - Autumn Imaginative Play in a Box!

Sometimes you need to let your children take the lead in setting up the perfect activity.

This simple autumn/fall small world play scene began when I added some extra autumn leaves into a box and before I could put it away my preschooler had been inspired to set up his own imaginative play world.

Autumn Imaginative Play

We’d collected way more leaves than we needed to do this leaf printing activity, so I dumped them in the old fruit box that was sitting on the table, thinking I’d deal with them later.

I walked past the box of leaves again a few minutes later and saw that my preschooler had begun adding items- some stones, some tree slices, pine cones, some wooden blocks and random animals. I smiled and asked if he’d like anything else to add to his box.

“The wizard, a wolf, and some fairies.” He knew exactly what he wanted, and who was I to argue?

Simple Play Ideas - Autumn Imaginative Play in a Box!

As I wandered in and out, doing the laundry, sweeping the floor, helping with homework, I watched as he created a little imaginative play world among the leaves in the fruit box.

Simple Play Ideas - Autumn Imaginative Play in a Box!

He played with his autumn fairy world off and on for more than a week, adding items, crunching up the leaves, and making up stories.

Sometimes we do awesome, fancy, projects and activities, but just as often it is the simple play ideas, the chuck a few leaves in a box activities, that are the best.

Simple Play Ideas - Autumn Imaginative Play in a Box!

How to Set Up Some Autumn Imaginative Play

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Here are some ideas you could use to set up your own simple autumn/fall imaginative play.

First you’ll need a container or area to set up your imaginative play. A cardboard box is perfect, or you could use a large plastic tray, an under bed storing container (these are the perfect height for a sensory bin or imaginative play set up and the lid means you can easily pack them away ready to play again), or even a rug on the floor.

Next, add some autumn leaves. If you are not able to collect some real ones from your backyard or a park, you could use some artificial leaves, or simply cut up some tissue paper or even scrap paper into basic leaf shapes.

Now you could add some extra accessories and figurines, or you could ask your kids what they’d like to add. Here are some suggestions for items you could add to your autumn imaginative play set up:

  • Animal figurines
  • Insect figurines
  • Fairies and elves
  • Lego minifigs
  • Wooden mushrooms
  • Pinecones
  • Sticks
  • Grass
  • Tree Slices
  • Small wooden blocks
  • Glass gems
  • Pebbles/stones
  • Feathers
  • Acorns

What have you got lying around that you could chuck into a box for some simple imaginative play?

More Autumn/Fall Play Ideas

If you are enjoying the autumn season and would like some more autumn themed activities, take a look at these ideas:

Easy Leaf Printing - quick, easy, low mess, art activity for kids
Easy Leaf Printing
autumn leaf threading
Autumn Threading
Leaf Faces - collect some natural materials and get creative making faces!
Leaf Faces
child holding paper autumn leaf puppets
Autumn Leaf Song and Puppets
two autumn leaf mosaic collages, one on orange background one on white
Autumn Leaf Mosaic Collage
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Filed Under: Activities for kids Tagged With: activities for preschoolers, imaginative play, simple play ideas

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. Emma @ P is for Preschooler says

    Those fairies do look just right surrounded by all the nature materials! This is a great way to spark some imaginative stories and play – I always love listening to what they come up with!

    Reply
  2. Nichole says

    What haven’t we used! My favourite would have been forks used as trees one day. We now have quite the collection of materials for the kids to use as they please. My youngest would be particularly happy to sit and play with this setup. Might be time to pack away the kinetic sand and grab some colourful leaves before they disappear :)

    Reply
    • katepickle says

      We’ve had the kinetic sand out every day since we got it a few months ago! LOL

      Reply
      • Nichole {youclevermonkey} says

        Our kinetic sand is still out too. Had to use a box for the leaves instead ;)

        Reply
        • katepickle says

          I get the feeling your house must look a lot like mine! LOL

          Reply
  3. jodi says

    I love the wooden toadstools, just gorgeous! They are so lovely with all the natural materials and colours. x

    Reply
    • katepickle says

      My Dad made the toadstools and they have seen so much play since we got them! I’m working on getting him to make some extras for sale… so we’ll see how that goes!

      Reply
  4. Barbara says

    What a fun activity! I would have never thought about doing something like this.

    Reply
  5. Nichole {youclevermonkey} says

    I think my veggie patch has more weeds than yours though right now ;)

    Reply

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