A perfect fall afternoon is made up of walks, games and activities in nature and a delicious snack on the way back with the aroma of apples and cinnamon.
Always get out: in nature, in all weather and all seasons. Spending some time outdoors every day strengthens the immune system, is beneficial for mental and physical development, counteracts overweight, and is a mood booster. Of young and old alike. If, moreover, we go out to venture into the woods, the joy is even greater. When the leaves are tinged with the warm, golden hues of autumn, the ground is full of little treasures to collect. Here some activities to do in the woods this season, for outdoor fun in any weather. And on the way back, a delicious apple and cinnamon-scented snack awaits us.
Wonderful!
Autumn mandalas
Yellow, red, golden: autumn leaves are the stars of a wonderful mandala to be created in the woods. The activity begins with a hunt for small treasures: in addition to fallen leaves, we look for pinecones, little woods, pebbles. Once the loot is put together, we look for a flat space with no grass to make the mandala. We try to make a recurring pattern, but without constraining children’s imagination and creativity too much.
Mud kitchen
The most relaxing of bushcraft activities is a simple kitchen, basic in structure but infinitely fun. The mud kitchen is a symbolic, role-playing game that engages all the senses. In its simplest version, perfect for an autumn afternoon, simply set up an outdoor space where children can play, experiment and cook with the natural elements around them, such as earth, water, mud, sand, leaves and stones. With these they can create and serve appetizing menus of pies and meatballs, pasta and ice cream.
Memory with leaves
The perfect memory challenge for fall starts with a walk in the woods looking for many different (fallen) leaves. The goal of this treasure hunt is to find as many pairs as possible of leaves that differ in colour, shape and size for more variety and fun in the game. Once back home, we dry the leaves between the pages of a book. Then we cut out squares about 8×8 cm from white cardstock and glue pairs of leaves on them. We let them dry and if desired we brush some clear protective varnish over the resulting cards to make them last longer.
Discovering animals and plants
Searching for and recognizing the tracks of animals living in the forest is a very fun activity, but one must always maintain an attitude of respect and the right distances towards them. Animals leave signs of their passage and being able to recognize them is an art to be honed: we look for footprints, feathers or try to listen to them in silence and then recognize them from these tracks. The same knowledge game can be played with plants or birdsong. Binoculars, a magnifying glass and a flashlight for the evening hours give an extra touch of fun to these exploration activities. And for everyone to learn more, it can be helpful to bring a book or download an App (such as iNaturalist) that will help us correctly identify plants and animals.
Apple and cinnamon muffins
The perfect fall snack to enjoy when returning from a fun afternoon in the woods? These fluffy muffins bring together the goodness of apple, the aroma of cinnamon, and a crunchy crumble.
What more could you want?
Ingredients:
Crumble:
- 60 g brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 50 g melted butter
- 80 g flour
Frosting (optional):
- 100 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon water (or milk)
Muffin:
- 220 g flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 110 g soft butter
- 100 g brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 150 g jar of yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or a sachet of vanillin)
- 60 ml milk
- 180 g diced apples (about two small apples or one large apple)
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a muffin pan with paper cups.
For the crumble: mix brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the melted butter and flour and mix using a fork. Do not over mix; the crumble should have a consistency like large crumbs.
For the muffins: in a bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, using an electric whisk or food processor, beat the butter for about two minutes to soften it and make it creamy. Add the two types of sugar and continue beating until smooth and creamy.
Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Proceed on medium speed for one minute, then increase to high speed until the mixture is well blended and almost creamy.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure everything is well blended.
Incorporate the dry ingredients using a whisk, then pour in the milk and mix well. Finally, add the diced apples and mix with a spoon so that they are evenly distributed within the mixture.
Spread the mixture into the ramekins, filling them to the rim (but no more!). Top each muffin with some of the crumble, pressing gently to make it stick.
Bake in a hot oven for 5 minutes at 220°C, then lower the temperature to 175°C and bake for another 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the mold, then transfer them to a wire rack to complete cooling.
For the frosting: in a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and water (or milk) until creamy and brush over the muffins.
They will keep covered at room temperature for several days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Outdoors in all weather
Playing in the woods, yes, but with the right clothing. Which is made up of layers to put on or take off depending on the temperature and intensity of the game. Well-padded jackets, soft and warm pants, not forgetting scarf, hat and gloves. And on the feet shoes or boots with soft and warm uppers, with sturdy and flexible soles, even better if with GORE-TEX membrane, which works as a barrier against moisture.
Everything can be found in the Primigi shop:
*Article written in collaboration with Giovani Genitori
