Fall is here and with it comes cooler temps and the changing colors of the leaves. It’s a great time of year to introduce your children to seasonal fun they can look forward to every Fall season. Here are a few family friendly fall activities you can make a tradition with your family.
~Visit your state park or reservation and hike the walking trails. Pack a picnic lunch and have a fun and educational adventure. As you explore the trails you can teach your child about nature and why the leaves change. They can learn and burn off some energy while getting exercise with the family. Teaching your children to enjoy exercise and learning at a young age can set the stage for healthy and productive habits they form in the future.
~Visit a local apple orchard if there is one in your area and pick your own apples. Many local farms offer special events for children that include hayrides, horse rides, and more. Once you leave the farm, you can continue the fun by finding recipes to make with your apples. Making some homemade applesauce or a fresh apple pie keeps the fun going and provides an extra special treat for your family.
~Head to your local pumpkin patch and pick out a few pumpkins. Many farms have special events for kids with corn mazes, pony rides, petting zoos and other fall festivities. You can teach your kids how pumpkins grow and then take them home to decorate for fall.
~Scavenger Hunts can be great outdoor fun for kids. Make a list of things to find like pine cones or yellow leaves and head to the park or back-yard. Share in the excitement as they find each item and discuss what you could do with these things (like make a craft project).
~Planning a Fall themed craft project at home can be a lot of fun. Have the kids help rake the leaves in search for the “perfect” ones for their projects. They’ll get exercise, learn how to be a helper and then get to make a fun craft with their find. A five minute internet search will provide you with ideas and afterwards you can have fun decorating the house with the new decorations together.
~October is National Cookie Month and the only thing children like more than eating cookies is making them! This can become a wonderful family tradition and you can choose a different cookie recipe to make each year or a special one that you only make this time of year.
~Camping out whether it’s in your backyard or in the living room, can be a fun event for the whole family. Shut off the TV’s or ipads, grab some flashlights and take turns telling spooky stories. Kids have wonderful imaginations so it’s great to see what they come up with and encourage them to be creative.
~Have a bonfire or light up the fire pit. You can make s’mores or roast some hotdogs on sticks while enjoying some family time outside.
Parents are tasked with the tough job of helping to encourage and shape people into who they will become as adults. Spending family time with your kids will help them have self-confidence as well as strengthen the family bond. Whether you are on a budget or not, it doesn’t matter what you make together, what matters is the time spent together and the memories made.
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