The Harvest Festival is a celebration of the food grown on the land and the bounty of the fall harvest. The celebration dates back to pagan times and it’s one of the oldest known festivals in the UK. Today, it is often celebrated by churches and schools.

The Harvest Festival is a wonderful opportunity to teach children about the seasons, farming, and the importance of being grateful for the food we have.

Here are some ideas for celebrating the Harvest Festival in an early years setting:

Harvest Songs and Rhymes: Teach the children traditional harvest songs and rhymes, or make up your own. This could be an opportunity to introduce musical instruments like shakers, resembling the sound of falling rain or seeds.

Craft Activities: Organize a variety of autumn and harvest-themed crafts. These could include leaf rubbings, creating pictures with vegetable prints, or making scarecrows from craft materials.

Role-Play: Set up a farm shop role-play area with fruits and vegetables. Children can weigh and sell the produce using play money.

Remember, celebrations like these should be age-appropriate, fun, and engaging, using the opportunity to broaden the child’s understanding of the world and instill values of gratitude, sharing, and understanding of natural processes.