Fun Fall Activities For Your Family
Happy Fall Y’all!
We love this time of year! Pumpkins are everywhere, temps dip for cozy clothing and autumn smells are in the air.
No matter the age of your kids or grandkids, there are many fun fall activities to do as a family to connect during this season.
So what’s on your fall bucket list?
We’ve made a list of our Top 10 favorite fall activities to share!
Fun Fall Activities to Connect as a Family
1. Visit a pumpkin patch
Our kids would say this is their favorite fall tradition. We take a hayrack ride and each child gets to pick out one pumpkin. Our oldest son picks out a green pumpkin every year. He started this when he was a toddler and loves to keep up the tradition.
We are fortunate to have several pumpkin patches nearby. And one of them is the pumpkin patch of all pumpkin patches. It’s called Vala’s Pumpkin Patch and is AMAZING! People come from all over to visit it. If you are in the area between September and October it is a definite must-see!
2. Jump in a pile of leaves
One of the easiest and most inexpensive activities to do (leaves are free!), our kids have loved jumping in a pile of raked leaves since they were little. Flying through the air to land on a soft pile of leaves just never gets old. Hey, the child inside of me (and maybe you) still loves it!
3. Go apple picking
Do you have an apple orchard nearby? You may need to drive a bit, but it’s worth it. Not only is this a fun activity, eating apples is healthy snack. And my kids seem to eat more of what they’ve either helped buy, picked or cooked.
Naturally, where you live will depend upon the different apple varieties grown and which apples are ripe at different times of the season. Go earlier in the day and on a dry day, if possible.
What to do with all those apples? Eat them, bake apple pies or strudels, make candy apples (another favorite fall treat), apple butter, jam or dry them out for decoration.
4. Roast s’mores
Fire up the grill or firepit and make some yummy, gooey oh-so-good s’mores. All you need are marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers.
If it’s really cold outside you can also make them in the microwave. Just be careful to watch the marshmallow as it will expand quickly!
5. Read books about fall
Libraries usually have a section with books about different holidays or seasons. Look for this section and grab a few books about autumn. Then curl up with your kiddo(s) and read about what makes the season so special.
A few favorite books of ours are The Legend of Spookley, the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano and The Falling Leaves by Steve Metzger. Both books have a moral to the story which is an added bonus. We’ve been reading these books since the kids were toddlers and they STILL love reading them.
6. Play a game of two-hand touch football
Yes, we may live in Nebraska where football is all we talk about (Go Huskers!), but fall means football to many.
With three boys, they love playing a pick-up game of football. Get the whole family in on the action (that includes you, mama), but play a game of two-hand touch. It is safer for all and as our kids have gotten bigger they can really hurt a person if they tackle!
7. Make pumpkin pancakes
My sister-in-law gave me the most delicious recipe for pumpkin pancakes. We make them every fall and the kids gobble them up.
Pumpkin Pancakes – Serves 6
Prep Time: 20 min, Cook Time: 20 min
2 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp salt
3 Tbs brown sugar 1 ½ cups milk
2 tsp baking powder 1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp baking soda 1 egg
1 tsp ground allspice 2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 Tbs vinegar
½ tsp ground ginger
In a separate bowl, mix together milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine all other dry ingredients and stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. Pour approx. ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Enjoy!
8. Drink hot apple cider
Our local grocery store has a plentiful supply of homemade apple cider. I bet yours does too! We heat it up on the stove with some mulled spices and it is a family favorite.
You can also usually find hot apple cider at fall festivals, pumpkin patches and apple orchards.
9. Carve pumpkins
Up until this point, my husband has been the carver due to not wanting our kids to use knives. We are loosening the reigns a bit and letting our older kids begin to carve.
Sometimes our kids draw up their own art on a piece of paper for Phil to carve. Love their ideas.
Other times we’ve cheated and bought a Pumpkin Carving Kit that includes a pattern book. You simply tear out the pattern, tape it to the pumpkin and carve where around the pattern. Easy peasy!
We’ve typically waited until a few days before Halloween to carve the pumpkins. Otherwise they get soft and mushy. We then set them out on Halloween night with a candle inside and they light up the doorstep….and look creepy!
10. Chili and cinnamon rolls
Need I say more? Not sure what it is about this combination of sweet and spicy, but we love eating these two dishes together. Some have said it’s a Nebraska/Midwest thing.
Well, wherever you hail from I dare you to try it. I promise you’ll be hooked! And don’t forget the Fritos, cheese and sour cream toppings for the chili. Delish!
What’s On Your Fall Bucket List?
There’s something about being outside during fall that awakens the senses. For me, it’s the rich colors of the trees and the crisp autumn air. Breathing it in makes me feel alive.
So unplug from your devices and relish in this time with your family.
Kids love to spend time with you whether you’re a parent, grandparent or caregiver. Cherish this time together and the fun fall activities to do as a family. We hope you found a few ideas to try!
