Children become interested in seasons when they observe changes in their natural environment. Children will experience the transition between summer, autumn, spring and winter differently, depending on where they live in Australia.
Seasons can be culturally significant to some children and are a cause for celebration.
EYLF learning outcomes
The Early Years Learning Framework asks children to connect with their world and show respect for the environment (2.4), which includes the seasons and their changes.
Learning experiences
Explore fashion
Explore how clothing and fashion change with the seasons. Discuss the best clothes for rain, sun and snow. How do you use clothes to stay warm or cool down? What do you wear on a windy day?
Observe the environment
Changes in the natural environment present endless opportunities for scientific observation. Observe the changes and document them using a notebook, chart or simple bar graph.
- What is happening to the leaves? Are they growing, falling or changing colours?
- Are the vegetables in our garden growing, ready for harvest, or turning to seed?
- How does the temperature feel? Is it changing? Let's use a thermometer and monitor the weather reports.
Track shadows
Place a stick firmly in the ground so it casts a shadow. Over time, your children can see the length and direction of the shadow change. Explain how the angle of the sun changes throughout the seasons.
Discussions
Encourage children to think about why seasonal changes are happening in their environment:
- Can you make a guess?
- Could there be any other reasons?
- How can you find out which assumption is correct?
Resources
Picture books
All Through The Year by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker