Fun Fall Activities for Families to Share
With schools now in session, most likely your life is settling back into a routine. Just because things have settled down doesn’t mean your family has to plop in front of the TV. Try some of these fun fall activities for everyone in your family to share.
Visit an orchard as a family and pick fruit from the trees or vines. Going to an orchard is one of my favorite childhood memories. We use to pick all kinds of fruit but I remember picking pears as being a messy, delicious fun day eating pears as I picked. Check what is available in your area. Apples or grapes should be available. You can make apple pie, apple sauce or just enjoy them as they are off the tree. If you pick grapes you could make your own grape juice. We use to pick concord grapes and put them in a steamer, stems and all. The juicer/steamer for stove top has 3 chambers. One for the water to steam, one to collect the juice and one for the grapes ( or any other fruit you want to juice and make jelly with ).
Have you ever picked your own pumpkins? There’s something to be said for going out to a big field of pumpkins and looking for just the right one. For some, the best will be the biggest, but even the smaller pumpkins can have great charm. Take your selections home and turn them into pies, carve them for Halloween or paint them with silly faces. Many farms have hay rides to go along with the great pumpkin search.
Visit a local corn maze. Farmers all over the country have learned that people will pay to go through a corn maze. If you look in the newspaper or online during the fall months, you may find more than one corn maze in your area. Just remember to follow the rules that the farmer has posted and have an adult go through the maze with younger children. Most of all have fun being outdoors in the crisp fall weather.
Go for a walk in the stunning fall weather. Whether you take a walk around your neighborhood, find a park nearby or a local hiking trail, you can enjoy the beauty of nature and the time you spend together. My favorite is to pack a picnic lunch or snack to share. Kids are always hungry when they go for walks. Be sure to take a camera to snap pictures of not only nature but your family, as well.
Speaking of fall foliage, why not take a bag with you while you take your walk? Search for the most colorful or large leaves that you can use for fall crafts. My boys always loved to find special rocks and bring them home. Sometimes we’d go for hikes and look for dinosaur bones. Did you know that if you do have a dinosaur bone or bone of some sort, that if you lick it, it will be sticky? Rocks don’t do that. Makes hunting for treasures more fun. What does your child collect?
Outside Play. An old-time favorite is to rake up the leaves in your lawn into a large pile and then take turns jumping into the leaf pile. Of course, you’ll want to be sure there are no sticks in the pile and that the rake is away from the leaves so no one is hurt on it. I even enjoyed doing this in my teens!
Make a Fall Yard Decoration. Buy a bale of hay and create a scarecrow to decorate your yard. Let the children find old clothes for the scarecrow to wear like blue jeans, t-shirt, flannel shirt and a hat. Have fun stuffing the clothes with straw. Use a pumpkin for the head and paint a face on it. Make a big day of it by having family or friends help. Then when you are done making your scarecrow enjoy some cookies and hot apple cider.
There are so many fun fall activities your family can share. This list provides just a few to consider. With just a little thought you can find a variety of special activities you can do as a family that will become a cherished autumn tradition.
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