Autumn Treasure Hunt: Help Our Year 2 Artists Explore and Create!
Dear Parents and Carers,
As the leaves begin to turn and autumn approaches, Year 2 classrooms will be exploring an exciting, hands-on art unit! This half term, we are diving into the world of natural art inspired by two incredible artists: Andy Goldsworthy and Alice Fox.
Our big guiding question for the children this term is:
How can we become open, curious explorers of the world, and use what we find to inspire us to make art?
To answer this, we need to bring the great outdoors directly into our learning space.
🍁 How You Can Help at Home
Next time you are out on a weekend walk, visiting the local park, or even spending time in the garden, please encourage your child to keep their eyes open for nature’s treasures. We would love for the children to collect and bring in any natural resources.
What we are hunting for:
Autumn fallen goods: Pine cones, conkers, acorns, and seed pods.
Leaves: A variety of shapes, sizes, and autumn colors (reds, yellows, browns, oranges).
Sticks & Twigs: Small, interesting twigs or bark pieces
Pebbles & Stones: Small smooth stones, pebbles or shells
Both Andy Goldsworthy and Alice Fox build their artistic practice around curiosity and a deep connection to nature:
Andy Goldsworthy uses natural, found objects to create temporary sculptures—arranging leaves by color, weaving twigs, or stacking stones.
Alice Fox works with nature to create prints, textiles, and mark-making, exploring textures, botanical dyes, and natural patterns.
By hunting for these materials themselves, our Year 2s won't just be collecting supplies, they will be practicing mindfulness, noticing tiny details in the world around them, and learning to view the everyday environment through the eyes of an artist.
Please send any collected treasures into school with your child starting next week when we return to school.
Thank you so much for your support. We can't wait to see what natural wonders they discover!
Warmly,
The Year 2 Team
