Teach Early Years - Issue 14.2

festivals of light, building respect and cultural awareness in a joyful and age- appropriate way. EMBRACING AUTUMN The start of a new school year brings signs of seasonal change: golden leaves, crisp air and an abundance of autumn harvests. The variety of vibrant fruits and vegetables available provides the perfect opportunity to engage children in meaningful, hands-on nutrition education, while natural themes of change, growth, and abundance can be used to introduce healthy eating habits in fun and sensory-rich ways. Through activities like tasting seasonal produce, exploring the colours and textures of autumn foods, and learning where food comes from, early years settings can plant the seeds of lifelong, healthy choices. A HEALTHY HALLOWEEN While not all early years settings choose to celebrate Halloween, for those that do, it can be an engaging way to explore healthy foods. Here are some simple ideas that combine spooky fun with hands-on food learning. Banana ghosts Ingredients: Bananas, raisins or dark chocolate chips, yoghurt (optional for coating) Activity: Children peel and cut bananas in half. They press raisins or chips into the banana to make eyes and a mouth. Optional: dip in yoghurt and freeze for “icy ghosts”. Learning link: Counting, recognising body parts, fine motor skills (pinching and pressing) Spooky spider crackers Ingredients: Wholegrain crackers, soft cheese or hummus, pretzel sticks, raisins Activity: Children spread cheese or hummus on the crackers. They insert pretzel “legs” and use raisins for eyes. Learning link: Shapes, symmetry and following step-by-step instructions Witches’ brew smoothie Ingredients: Spinach, banana, frozen berries, yoghurt/milk CHOOSE YOUR THEME Six food-focused celebrations to consider… Harvest Festival Celebrate seasonal vegetables by using them to make soup or homemade bread recipes (it’s even better if they’re homegrown!). World Food Day Explore globally available foods (grains, fruits, and protein) by creating a “tasting passport”. Diwali Introduce children to whole foods and the uses of spices by making a fruit salad with cinnamon and cardamom. Ramadan/Eid Try dates and explore hydration and balance by making smoothies or fruity yoghurt bowls. Christmas Make use of citrus fruits, warming spices, and other more indulgent/specialised ingredients by preparing orange and cranberry oat bites. Halloween Explore healthier options and creative prep as you make pumpkin or butternut squash soup and banana ghosts and taste pumpkin seeds. Food provides a natural and inclusive way to explore diverse backgrounds Activity: Children help measure and add ingredients to a blender. Talk about colours changing (“magic brew”) and taste test. Learning link: Science (liquid/solid), turn- taking, sensory vocabulary Edible wands Ingredients: Breadsticks, cream cheese or nut-free spread, seeds or veggie sprinkles Activity: Children dip one end of the breadstick in the spread, then roll it in seeds or chopped veg. Optionally decorate with a star (cheese or fruit cut-out). soup or roasted seeds – where children measure, stir, sequence and taste. REMEMBER… Always do a safety/allergen check and use age-appropriate tools (e.g. table knives and safety scissors). Use food handling as a chance to model hygiene and independence (e.g. handwashing and using tongs). Offer visual instructions or step-by- step picture cards for children to follow. Beth has experience across the food industry, as well as in public health and community nutrition and wellbeing, and is a consultant nutritionist to Purely Nutrition and the PhunkyFoods programme. Visit purelynutrition.com Learning link: Coordination, patternmaking, self-expression OTHER IDEAS Spooktacular science Combine cooking with early STEM – e.g. melting, freezing, texture changes, and more. Try experiments like making ice cubes to explore freezing or melting chocolate to explore reversible physical changes (solid to liquid to solid again). Pumpkin patch to plate Explore pumpkins as a learning theme – e.g. sensory play, cooking, counting seeds. Invite children to use spoons, cups, or bare hands to scoop out the inside of a pumpkin. Let them explore textures (slimy pulp, slippery seeds) and ask questions like, “How does it feel? Smell? Sound?” Use the dried seeds in sensory bins, sorting trays, or seed‑counting games to practise matching the number of seeds to the number on a flashcard. Stack mini pumpkins to introduce size ordering and counting. Let children paint pumpkin halves or create seed‑decorated collages, supporting fine motor skills and creative expression. Extend learning with a cooking activity – like pumpkin Teachearlyyears.com 37