Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Active autumn in Cornwall
Active Autumn Activities in Cornwall
The autumn months are a perfect opportunity to get out-and-about as a family, take in some fresh air and explore the county while watching the colours of nature change around you. We have put together some tips and resources that we think we help you make the most of this season.
Where to go
The recent lockdown period has provided families with a great opportunity to explore their local green areas. If you would like to do even more park exploring, there is a tool on the gov.uk website that will direct you to local council information on your nearest parks and facilities.
The FootpathMap website is a fantastic comprehensive map resource to help you find local footpaths, bridleways and byways in your chosen area that also details points of interest and suggested routes.
Many National Trust parklands and car parks in Cornwall have now reopened with social distancing measures in place. Check the National Trust app or their website for current arrangements as many locations still require visitors to pre-book. There will often be walking/cycling map route leaflets available upon arrival that vary in length and difficulty. Don’t forget that your kids can also take part in their long-standing 50 Things To Do Before You Are 11 ¾ challenge, keeping social distancing requirements in mind.
Forestry England have great, well maintained forests for families to explore by foot or bike. Check out their website for more info and to find out about any events that may be running as well as some fun activities like Gruffalo Orienteering and a downloadable autumn activity pack to bring forest learning to life. www.forestryengland.uk and www.forestryengland.uk/resource/autumn-activity-pack
Nature spotting
This is a great time of year to be interactive with the nature around us by setting yourself family challenges and seeking out your local wildlife respectfully. The Wildlife Trust website has great downloadable tools for helping you to identify various signs of nature including caterpillars, droppings, birds and tracks amongst other things.
Used by members of our team and their families – the iNaturalist App, available on the App Store and Google Play, helps you to record and identify any plants or creatures that you find and you also have the option to upload your findings to their community. www.inaturalist.org
There are also great books that you can buy from the usual outlets that help you to take more notice of your local area when out and about and take part in corresponding activities. Our recommendations are i-SPY Nature, i-SPY In the Countryside and The Gruffalo Autumn Nature Trail
Photography
The stunning colours of autumn provide a perfect opportunity to encourage an interest in or develop a child’s skill in photography. Expensive equipment is not needed, just a basic camera or smartphone (now might be the time to invest in protection for your phone and screen if you haven’t already).
Older family members with an Instagram or Twitter account can take place in the #autumnleafwatch photography challenge for the chance to win great prizes from Forestry England. Find out more at: www.forestryengland.uk/autumn/photo-competition
We have written an easy starters guide on how to encourage photography skills in your children.