November is a funny old month, isn't it?
After all the excitement of October, it arrives rather quietly. The clocks have gone back, the evenings are suddenly darker and, by now, everyone is beginning to feel a little tired.
Which is exactly why I love it. November is the month for slowing down, for steamy kitchens and board games on the rug, for making something together at the kitchen table and leaving a few weekends with nothing much in the diary at all.
There's still plenty to celebrate, from Bonfire Night and Diwali to a quiet moment on Remembrance Sunday, and some lovely crafts to try along the way.
So here is our November list: ten cosy, crafty and slightly magical things to do with children this month. You certainly don't need to do them all. Pick a few, put the kettle on and let the children choose what comes next.
1. Watch the Fireworks (or a Drone Show!)
Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5 November this year, with most of the big family displays over the weekend of 6 to 8 November. Wrap up in hats and mittens, take a flask and a torch, and let them stay up just a little bit later than usual.
If your little ones aren't keen on the bangs, a drone show is a wonderful, quieter alternative. Hundreds of lights drawing pictures across the sky, and not an ear defender in sight.
Fireworks and drone shows for families, November 2026:
- London: the Alexandra Palace Fireworks & Drone Festival is on Saturday 7 November (8pm display) and Sunday 8 November, the Family Fun Day with an earlier 6pm display. Battersea Park Fireworks is on the same weekend, and Visit London has the full round-up.
- Kent: the Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular lights up the moat on 7 and 8 November.
- Bristol: the Bristol Fireworks Fiesta is at Canford Park on Saturday 7 November.
- Birmingham: the dragon drone show Sky Kingdom runs on selected dates until 7 November, and Visit Birmingham lists the West Midlands displays.
- Greater Manchester: Bowdon Bonfire in Altrincham, with a drone show, is on Friday 6 November.
- Cardiff: Sophiaworks is at Sophia Gardens on Thursday 5 November.
- East Sussex: Lewes Bonfire on 5 November is legendary, but very busy, so best for older children.
For something closer to home, JustPark’s regional round-up is a handy starting point.
A LITTLE MAKE: pasta firework art. Paint dried pasta (spirals and spaghetti work brilliantly) in bright colours, then arrange and glue it in bursts on black card. Add a sprinkle of glitter and you have all the sparkle of Bonfire Night from the kitchen table.
BINKY PICK: Give them a camera so they can capture the sky themselves, and stock up on paints and pens for the morning after.
2. Make a Diwali Lantern and Celebrate the Festival of Lights
Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November this year. It's a joyful celebration of light, family and togetherness, and a lovely chance to share the stories behind it, from Rama and Sita to Lakshmi, goddess of good fortune.
A LITTLE MAKE: a paper Diwali lantern. Fold a sheet of bright A4 card in half lengthways and cut slits from the fold, stopping 2cm from the edge. Open it out, decorate it with patterns, sequins and gold pens, then roll it into a tube and staple the ends. Add a paper strip handle and pop a battery tea light inside (never a real flame). Make a few and line them along the windowsill. Older children might like to try rangoli patterns with coloured rice or chalk on the doorstep, too.
If you're near London, Discover Children's Story Centre in Stratford is holding a Diwali workshop on Saturday 7 November, bringing the Festival of Lights to life through dance, music and stories (ages 3+, included with admission).
BINKY PICK: The CONNETIX Light Star Pack builds glowing creations that come alive when the lights go down, a lovely companion to a Festival of Lights evening.
DISCOVER THE CONNETIX LIGHT STAR PACK →
3. Make a Remembrance Poppy Wreath
Remembrance Sunday is on 8 November this year, with the two-minute silence at 11am, and it's held again on Armistice Day, Wednesday 11 November.
It can be a gentle way to talk with children about why we wear poppies, perhaps visiting your local war memorial together or keeping the silence at home.
A LITTLE MAKE: a cupcake-case poppy wreath. Flatten three red paper cupcake cases and layer them slightly offset. Glue a black button or a circle of black card in the middle. Cut the centre out of a paper plate to make a ring, paint it green and glue your poppies all the way round. Add a few paper leaves and hang it in the window.
The Royal British Legion has more poppy crafts, including knitted and crocheted ones for older children.
4. Make Bird Feeders for the Garden
As the weather turns colder, our garden birds need a little extra help. Making feeders is one of my favourite November activities: it's messy, it's simple, and the excitement when the first robin arrives is wonderful.
The RSPB has two easy makes that take less than an hour:
- Bird cake: mix softened lard (room temperature, not melted) with seeds, raisins and mealworms. Press it into yoghurt pots threaded with string, chill for an hour and hang from a branch.
- Loo roll feeder: coat a cardboard tube in lard or suet, roll it in seed and thread two sticks through it for perches.
Hang them where you can see them from the kitchen window, then keep a tally of who visits. The RSPB's guide to what to feed garden birds is well worth a read.
BINKY PICK: The Build Your Own Binoculars Kit is a make and a birdwatching tool in one.
DISCOVER BINOCULARS & EXPLORER TOYS →
READ: MAKE SPACE FOR SOMEONE SMALL, HELPING WILDLIFE THIS AUTUMN →
5. Make a Warming Soup Together
There is nothing more November than a big pot of soup bubbling on the hob. Children love to cook, and soup is very forgiving, so it's perfect for little chefs.
Try a simple butternut squash soup: one squash, an onion, a carrot, a potato and a litre of vegetable stock. Little ones can wash the vegetables, tip things into the pan and stir (with a grown-up on chopping and blending). Simmer for 25 minutes, blend, and serve with crusty bread for dunking.
Let them name it, decorate the bowls with a swirl of cream or a few seeds, and make it their recipe. Make extra and pop it in a flask for a walk (see number 10).
BINKY PICK: For littler chefs who want to cook alongside you, our play kitchens and food sets are just the thing.
DISCOVER KITCHENS, FOOD & MARKET PLAY →
6. Host a Hot Chocolate Family Games Night
Dark by teatime? Perfect. Draw the curtains, light a candle (out of reach) and make the hot chocolate properly: warm milk, a few squares of real chocolate and a mountain of marshmallows. Then get the games out.
Let a different person choose the game each week, make a scoreboard for the fridge and keep a family champion trophy (a decorated jam jar works beautifully). Younger children love games of skill and luck, while older ones will happily take on the grown-ups at trivia.
BINKY PICK: From the wobbly giggles of Burger Balance to the team guessing game What's the Best Thing? and the tricky trivia of Don't Fall For It, there's something for every age.
7. Put on a Play
Nativities, pantomimes and school concerts: rehearsals are starting and lines are being learnt. For some children it's the highlight of the year, and for others standing in front of an audience feels rather daunting. A little show at home is the loveliest practice.
Bring out the dressing-up box, make a few simple props and let them write (or borrow) a story to perform. The crafty bit is half the fun: paint a backdrop on an old sheet or cardboard box, make paper-bag puppets, and design homemade tickets and a programme. Line the teddies up in the front row and let the grown-ups be the paying audience.
And remind them that every part matters, whether they're delivering the opening lines or playing the all-important third sheep.
BINKY PICK: The Le Toy Van Retro Toy Puppet Theatre is a real showstopper.
8. Go Stargazing
The dark evenings have one big upside: you don't have to stay up late to see the stars. Wrap up warm, take a blanket and a flask, and head somewhere away from street lights. Give your eyes 15 minutes to adjust, and see who can spot the Plough first.
The highlight this month is the Leonid meteor shower, which peaks on the evening of 17 November into the early hours of 18 November. The Moon sets just before midnight, so the sky should be nice and dark. You don't need a telescope, just your eyes, a comfy chair and patience. The Royal Observatory Greenwich has a brilliant guide, and you can find a dark sky site near you.
BINKY PICK: A pair of KIDYTALK walkie-talkies makes any night-time adventure feel like a proper mission.
DISCOVER WALKIE-TALKIES & EXPLORER TOYS →
9. Find a Little Storytelling Magic at Discover
Discover Children's Story Centre in Stratford is a little treasure. Their new exhibition, Luna Loves London, made with the creators of the Luna Loves… books, invites children aged 0 to 8 to explore Luna's London, from a bus ride and a library to a community garden and a street carnival (£5.50, sessions every day).
It pairs beautifully with the Diwali workshop on 7 November. And a last-minute one: author Jane Riordan is celebrating 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh with a storytelling and drawing session on Sunday 1 November (ages 4+, £3), so check availability before you set off.
Not near London? Your local library will almost certainly have a free story time this month, and it's a wonderfully cosy way to spend a wet Saturday morning.
10. Take a Walk Somewhere Beautiful
November light is soft and low, and the last of the autumn colour can be glorious. Wrap up warm and head somewhere with a big view: a hill, a beach, a woodland or a park you've never explored. Take a flask of that homemade soup or hot chocolate, collect a few fallen leaves for crafting, and find somewhere lovely for cake afterwards.
If they get tired legs, turn it into a game: a scavenger hunt for something red, something spiky and something that crunches, or let them take the photos and be in charge of the map.
BINKY PICK: Our Wild Child collection is full of outdoor adventure kit for little explorers.
And One for the End of the Month…
I know, I know. It's only November. But this one is a lovely little make for the last weekend of the month.
Make a family Christmas countdown. Fill 24 small envelopes with simple activities for December, from making hot chocolate to choosing a Christmas film or writing a card to someone special. Let the children decorate and number the envelopes and peg them along a piece of string. All the anticipation, without adding more to the shopping list.
It's a good moment for a little clear-out before Christmas, too: rediscovering forgotten favourites and making a little room for what's to come.
READ: A LITTLE CLEAR-OUT BEFORE CHRISTMAS →
The Binky November Bucket List
Pin it to the fridge and tick them off as you go: watch the fireworks or a drone show, make pasta firework art, make a Diwali lantern, make a poppy wreath, make a bird feeder, cook a big pot of soup, host a hot chocolate games night, put on a play, spot a shooting star, go to a story time, take a walk with a big view and make a Christmas countdown.
Enjoy November
Watch the sky light up. Make something together. Eat something warm. Keep a few weekends free.
November might not have the excitement of October or the magic of December, but perhaps that's exactly why it's such a good month for the quieter moments. You certainly don't need to do all ten. Pick a few, and let the children choose what comes next.
Our Christmas Gift Guides will be appearing very soon, with ideas for curious explorers, budding artists, imaginative storytellers and little builders.
EXPLORE THE BINKY CHRISTMAS SHOP →
READ: MEET THE MAKER, MAILEG →
Have a lovely November.
Alexis x
