Embracing Autumn: A Season for Exploration

Autumn is here! The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the days are getting cooler. Our natural instinct might be to hibernate — to cozy up under a warm blanket with a hot cup of tea and a good book. But wait! This is the perfect time to head outdoors and explore.

Our younger Montessori children experience the world through their senses, discovering contrasts such as large and small, warm and cold, loud and soft, rough and smooth. Just imagine all the sensorial experiences autumn provides — the vibrant colors and unique shapes of falling leaves, the sound of squirrels scampering, the cool touch of the breeze, and the earthy scent of the season. Every moment offers a chance to explore and, just as importantly, to talk about what they discover. Autumn is a season rich in vocabulary and conversation!

Our older Montessori students, having spent years refining their senses, can take their observations to a deeper level. They might study the seasonal changes in plants and animals from their botany and zoology lessons, carefully observe a single tree throughout the fall, and record their findings in journals using their developing handwriting and grammar skills. Others might track daily temperatures, create graphs, and present their discoveries to classmates.

So instead of hibernating, let’s bundle up in our warm coats, gloves, and hats — and take in all that this beautiful season of change has to offer!