Seasonal changes

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By Lorraine Frankish — early years tutor and NVQ assessor.

Introduce the children to the concept of past and present through events that they are familiar with, such as the changing seasons

Remembering the seasons

Very young children’s understanding of the concept of time is limited, but most three- and four-year-olds will be able to recall some part of what has happened in their past. The seasons will have a particular impact on them and activities linked to seasonal changes will encourage them to consider the past and present. Seasonal changes in nature provide constant opportunities for young children to explore their environment in different ways at different times. They may remember gathering fallen fruit from a tree or flying a kite on a windy day. Making a snowman after a snowfall will also have made an impression on them. The richness of each season can prompt observation and discussion, as green shoots appear in the ground and on trees, or the sky becomes darker and the air cooler.

Suggested resources

Access to a safe outdoor area with a garden can provide a wealth of material, however, if this is not available then, with parental permission, take the children on regular walks to a nearby park or garden; camera to take photographs at different times of the year; natural objects to help the children recall the past, for example a bucket of seashells will encourage them to remember and discuss a trip to the beach.