Farm stays, bonfires & nature hikes! Fall is the perfect time to make some memories.
1. Visit an orchard & go apple picking.
Enjoy fresh air, exercise & memory making by spending the day at an apple orchard. An added benefit—kids will love to eat from the bushels of healthy, sweet, fresh-picked apples that you bring home.
2. Have a Halloween Contest
Give each member of the household a pumpkin to carve or paint. Or go big by assigning each person a room to decorate with spooky pictures, black streamers, fake cobwebs & other halloween decor.
3. Rake leaves for a neighbor in need.
Teach your children the importance of kind acts & how good it feels to be of service. Gather your rakes, brooms & yard bags and get to work. Reward yourselves with a big cup of hot chocolate.
4. Decorate your front porch.
Transform your front stoop, walkway or porch with a welcoming array of seasonal decor—pumpkins, lanterns, pretty fall plants & flowers.
5. Play some football.
Grab a football, gather your teams, & play a game or two of family football. Celebrate with game day snacks, grilled hot dogs or bowls of homemade chili.
5. Take a farm tour.
Besides adorable, kid-friendly animals, children get to see where their food comes from, & experience what it's like to live & work on a farm. Check out Farm Stay USA for an overnight or weekend adventure. Don't forget to buy some fresh produce & vegetables to take home.
7. Get lost in a corn maze.
Take a day trip to lose yourselves in fields of winding corn stalks or bales of hay. Most maze sites have pumpkin patches, orchards, hayrides & best of all, cider apple donuts.
8. Make fall crafts.
Leaf rubbings, apple prints, acorn wreaths, handprint turkeys... Teach your children how to make these classic fall crafts.
9. Build a scarecrow.
Create a scarecrow using garden stakes, old clothes, & a little imagination.
10. Don your flannels, sit by the fire & roast some s'mores.
Nothing says autumn like sitting around a bonfire & roasting marshmallows. Gather the family, grab some blankets & settle in for night beside the fire.
11. Try your hand at candle-making.
Candles bring calming comfort to any room. For an easier-than-you-think craft project, check out this tutorial & learn how to make your own.
12. Have a pajama day & hold a movie marathon.
Make some popcorn, snuggle up on the couch & binge-watch your family-movie favorites.
13. Go for a picnic.
The weather is perfect to enjoy lunch outside. Pack a picnic basket & spend a lazy afternoon at a local park, beach or forest preserve.
14. Roast pumpkin seeds
Spread seeds on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with garlic salt & roast in the oven for a delicious fall snack.
15. Sip some hot chocolate or warm apple cider.
Relax with a cup of warm goodness.
16. Go for a nature hike.
Find a nature trail where kids can collect leaves, acorns & pinecones along the way. Use the collected foliage for crafting or decorating.
17. Go fly a kite.
Fall weather provides perfect conditions for children to run in open meadows while watching kites climb in the breeze. If you have the time, try your hand at making your own kite. Check out this paper kite project from The Frick Art Museum.
16. Get baking.
Get your kitchen crew together to mix, sift & measure. Pass on treasured recipes & fill the house with the aromas of fresh-baked breads, pies & cobblers.
19. Plant bulbs for Spring.
Gardening is a healthy, fun activity for kids, & fall is the ideal time to plant spring-flowering bulbs. Let kids get their hands dirty & connect with nature.
20. Go camping.
Although older kids may be ready to tackle the wild, youngsters may feel more comfortable sticking closer to home (& a bathroom!). Simply pitch a tent in the backyard or inside your living room.
21. Go for a family bike ride.
Grab your helmets & hit the bike trails. Autumn weather is great for outdoor exercise. Bring plenty of water & healthy snacks, & get moving.
22. Whip up some homemade soup.
Nothing is better than homemade soup. Take advantage of classic fall flavors like butternut squash & pumpkin to keep your family warm all season long.
23. Hold a Halloween costume contest.
Encourage participants to make their own costumes with materials they already have on hand. Award categories should include Funniest Costume, Scariest & Most Creative.
24. Celebrate Oktoberfest.
Celebrate this family-friendly festival with pretzels, sauerkraut, sausage & schnitzels.
25. Take your family holiday photo.
There is so much to do during the holiday season. Check your family photo shoot off the list early. Take advantage of the cool autumn weather & gorgeous fall backdrop for an outdoor photography session.
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