As Spring is finally in the air, blossom is on the trees and the sun is in the sky, why not set up a table outside and create your own spring bloom pictures?

Take a walk around the streets, parks, forests and gardens of Waltham Forest and you will see an explosion of pastel blooms that have taken over our trees, all recently bloomed and ready to be enjoyed by the patient bees and pollinators.

Explore the colours, shapes and patterns of the blossom together. Can you get close enough to smell or gently feel them? What happens when the wind shakes the trees? Can you catch the falling blossom in your hands? What does it remind you of?

My favourite thing to do in Spring is fill the house with fresh air and colour. This craft brightens up every space and only uses poster paint and recycled cardboard tubes. It’s so simple and effective, you’ll do it every spring.

Start by collecting toilet roll tubes and empty kitchen towel tubes. Use scissors to snip the ends of the tubes in different ways like this:

Simply dip the tubes into your chosen paint, using pastel pinks, blues and yellows really make your picture feel like Spring but you can use any colour you see on your travels. Muscari and crocus purple, primula red and pansy yellows look lovely too.

Keep adding flower heads to your page until you are happy. Then add green stalks with paint or a felt tip pen.

Now start collecting those tubes, head outside and get crafting!

Caroline Ede is an Early-Years Consultant with an abundance of experience working with young people. She is the owner of The Castle Stay & Play, and Cook Me A Story.

by George Cooper

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came—
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple
In scarlet looked their best;
All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.

Then, in the rustic hollow,
At hide-and-seek they played,
The party closed at sundown,
And everybody stayed.
Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly "hands around."

What better way to celebrate the changing season than with a family craft time?

Take a walk around the streets, parks, forests and gardens of Waltham Forest and you will see a carpet of leaves, in all colours of yellow, orange, red and brown, all recently fallen and ready to be collected and made into fantastic things.

Explore the colours, shapes and patterns of the leaves together. Cut them up to make confetti, add them to glass jars filled with water to make natural snow globes or thread string through them to make autumn bunting.

My favourite thing to do with fallen leaves is turn them into animals using pens to draw faces. I sometimes start by reading ‘Leaf Man’ with my little ones to inspire us to create our own people out of leaves. ‘October’s Party’ is also a wonderful starting point to inspire creative images with leaves and twigs.

Here are some animals to try yourself.

Remember, only use the fallen leaves. The ones still on the tree should stay where they are until they are ready to drop.

Now head outside, collect your leaves and get crafting!

Caroline Ede is an Early-Years Consultant with an abundance of experience working with young people. She is the owner of The Castle Stay & Play, and Cook Me A Story.