Get ready to bring laughter, kindness, and creativity to your early years setting with these fun-packed Red Nose Day activities for EYFS!
Celebrating Red Nose Day is a fantastic way to teach young children about helping others, working together, and spreading joy while supporting key Early Learning Goals across all EYFS Areas of Learning and Development.
Blossom’s Recommended Red Nose Day Activities for EYFS
Activity 1: Make Your Own Red Noses
Provide children with red cards, paper plates, pompoms, and elastic bands to create their own unique red noses.
Let them decorate their noses with googly eyes, stickers, or drawings to make them as silly as possible!
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Creating with Materials:
- Children use craft resources to design and personalise their red noses.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- They enjoy creative freedom to make their noses unique and funny.
- Creating with Materials:
- Physical Development
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Cutting, gluing, and attaching elastic bands enhance dexterity and hand control.
- Fine Motor Skills:
Activity 2: Red Nose Obstacle Course
Set up a fun obstacle course with tunnels, stepping stones, and balance beams. Add “silly challenges,” like balancing a red beanbag on their heads or hopping on one foot, to bring the giggles!
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Physical Development
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Crawling, balancing, and jumping improve strength and coordination.
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Holding and balancing objects helps develop control and hand strength.
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Managing Self:
- Completing the obstacle course encourages confidence and perseverance.
- Managing Self:
Activity 3: Silly Faces Photo Booth
Create a Red Nose Day photo booth with props like oversized glasses, silly hats, and, of course, red noses!
Let children take turns dressing up and posing for photos, or they can draw self-portraits of themselves in their silly outfits.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Expressive Arts and Design
- Creating with Materials:
- Using props and costumes encourages creative expression.
- Being Imaginative and Expressive:
- Children explore their silly sides through pretend play.
- Creating with Materials:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Building Relationships:
- Dressing up and sharing props promotes teamwork and social interaction.
- Building Relationships:
Activity 4: Red Nose Hunt
Hide red objects or Red Nose cut-outs around the room or outdoor space and challenge children to find them. To make it educational, ask them to sort their finds by size or count how many they’ve collected.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Mathematics
- Number:
- Counting objects helps develop number recognition.
- Numerical Patterns:
- Sorting items by size or shape introduces early patterning skills.
- Number:
- Physical Development
- Gross Motor Skills:
- Moving around to find hidden objects improves agility and coordination.
- Gross Motor Skills:
Activity 5: Kindness Tree
Create a large paper tree on a wall or board and give children red paper hearts to write or dictate acts of kindness. Stick their hearts on the tree to grow a “Kindness Tree” and discuss how being kind makes others happy.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Building Relationships:
- Talking about kindness helps children develop empathy.
- Managing Self:
- Encouraging acts of kindness supports emotional awareness.
- Building Relationships:
- Literacy
- Writing:
- Writing or drawing acts of kindness develops mark-making and early writing skills.
- Writing:
Activity 6: Red Nose Day Baking
Involve children in making simple red-themed treats, like red cupcakes or biscuits. Use red food colouring or decorations to tie in the Red Nose Day theme.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Physical Development
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Mixing, rolling, and decorating builds coordination and hand and wrist strength.
- Fine Motor Skills:
- Mathematics
- Number:
- Counting ingredients and measuring quantities introduces maths concepts.
- Number:
- Understanding the World
- The Natural World:
- Exploring textures and changes in ingredients supports early science skills.
- The Natural World:
Activity 7: Story Time with Laughter
Read funny stories like The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak or Oi Frog! by Kes Gray.
Encourage children to laugh, talk about what made them laugh, and share their favourite jokes.
EYFS Areas of Learning and Development and Early Learning Goals:
- Communication and Language
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Engaging with the stories enhances listening skills.
- Speaking:
- Sharing jokes and discussing the story develops language and confidence.
- Listening, Attention and Understanding:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Building Relationships:
- Laughing together promotes social bonding and a positive atmosphere.
- Building Relationships:
These Red Nose Day activities for EYFS combine creativity, kindness, and laughter to engage young learners in meaningful ways. From crafting silly red noses and baking treats to treasure hunts and kindness projects, these activities support development across the areas of learning and development while teaching children the importance of helping others and having fun.
For UK nurseries and early years providers, these activities are a perfect way to celebrate Red Nose Day, promote teamwork, and encourage generosity in little learners. Let the fun and kindness begin!
