St. Swithin’s Day | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is not affiliated with any official organisers of St. Swithin’s Day. It is a traditional English observance related to weather folklore. For general historical or cultural information, please refer to reputable sources.

Understanding St. Swithin’s Day in EYFS & KS1

St. Swithin’s Day, observed annually on July 15th, is a fun and traditional day in the UK, especially suited for exploring weather with young children. According to folklore, if it rains on St. Swithin's Day, it will rain for the next 40 days; if it's sunny, the sun will shine for the next 40 days! While it's just a superstition, it provides a fantastic springboard for early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms to engage with observations, predictions, and discussions about the weather.

This day offers a light-hearted way to introduce seasonal changes, talk about how weather affects our daily lives, and spark curiosity about natural phenomena. It’s about making observations, making simple predictions, and connecting with a piece of British folklore in an engaging way. It offers great planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that really resonate with young minds.

Why Is Teaching About Weather Important for Young Children?

Integrating lessons about weather into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) is incredibly important for developing their understanding of the world around them, scientific inquiry, and practical life skills. During their early years, children are constantly observing and interacting with their environment.

• Understanding the World: Weather is a universal experience. Learning about different types of weather helps children make sense of what they see, feel, and experience every day.

• Scientific Observation & Prediction: Encouraging children to observe the sky, talk about temperature, and make simple predictions ("Will it rain today?") fosters early scientific skills and critical thinking.

• Practical Life Skills: Understanding weather helps children know how to dress appropriately, stay safe in different conditions (e.g., sun safety), and plan for outdoor activities. Our 'Weather - What Clothes Will You Take? - Cut and Stick' directly support this.

• Language and Vocabulary Development: Discussing weather introduces a rich vocabulary (e.g., sunny, cloudy, windy, stormy, frosty) that enhances their descriptive language skills. Our 'Weather - Word Mat', 'Weather - Word Cards', and 'Weather - Word Match Puzzles' are excellent for this.

• Connecting to Nature: Weather is a fundamental part of the natural world. Exploring it helps children appreciate the environment and its ever-changing patterns.

• Writing opportunities: Observing and recording daily weather, like in our 'Weather - My Weather Diary (Booklet)'.
  

Engaging Weather Activities for St. Swithin’s Day (0-7 Year Olds)

Making St. Swithin’s Day a fun and educational experience is easy with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on observation, prediction, and creative expression around the theme of weather! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by the printable resources we have available.

Here's some inspiration for bringing the magic and science of weather into your setting for St. Swithin's Day: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

• Weather Watchers Observation: Start the day by observing the actual weather on July 15th. Is it sunny or raining? Use our 'Weather - 'Today the weather is...' Display' to visually record the day's weather.

• 40 Days of Weather Prediction & Tracking: Introduce the St. Swithin's Day legend. Have children make a prediction – will it be 40 days of sun or rain? Then, use our '40 Days of Sunshine/Rain Drawing/Writing' sheets to ponder what you would do if that happened!

• Weather-Themed Role Play & Movement: Set up a 'weather station' where children can pretend to be weather presenters. Use props like umbrellas, sunglasses, and hats. Engage in active play with our 'Weather Movement/Activity Challenge Cards'.

• Creating Weather Art: Encourage children to draw, paint, or collage different types of weather. Provide materials to create suns, clouds, raindrops, and rainbows. You can also use our 'Weather - Border Sheets - Horizontal' and 'Weather - Border Sheets - Vertical' for creative weather drawings.

• Weather Word Games: Use our 'Weather - Word Mat' and 'Weather - Word Cards' to introduce and reinforce weather vocabulary. Play matching games with the cards, or use them to inspire weather stories. Our 'Weather - Word Match Puzzles' are perfect for this.

• Weather Puzzles: Our 'Weather - 4-Piece Puzzles' offer a fun way for early years children to work on problem-solving and fine motor skills while learning about weather symbols.

• Sun Safety Focus: Since St. Swithin's Day is in July, it's a perfect time to reinforce sun safety. Discuss wearing hats, sun cream, and sunglasses. Utilize our extensive free samples.

• Weather Books & Stories: Read non-fiction books about weather or storybooks that feature different weather conditions. For babies, introduce concepts with 'My Weather Book' For Babies. Discuss what happens to people and animals in various types of weather.

• Themed Weather Calendars: Integrate daily weather observation using our wide range of 'Today' Weather Calendars which come in various themes (e.g., 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Large 'Today' Weather Calendar - The Three Little Pigs', 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Goldilocks and the Three Bears Theme', 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Toys Theme', 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Minibeasts Theme', 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Dinosaurs Theme', 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Farm Theme', 'A4 'Today' Weather Calendar - Magic Theme'). These make daily weather checks exciting and themed to your current topics.

These activities offer great inspiration for making St. Swithin’s Day a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering a love for observing the natural world.

To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.

Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘St. Swithin’s Day’

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes

More Early Years Event Pages for July

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

SEARCH ‘LITTLE OWLS Resources’ USING THE FOLLOWING MENU BUTTONS…

Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to St. Swithin’s Day. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any official organisers of this specific traditional observance. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this day. For general information, please refer to reputable historical or cultural sources.