12 Ways to Enjoy Fall with Your Kids

There’s just something about fall that gives a person warm, fuzzy feelings inside. Maybe it’s the beautiful orange, yellow, reds, and browns or the crisp breeze in the air that marks the end of a long, hot summer. Maybe it’s the smell of bonfires and roasting marshmallows. Or, all the fun family activities to do that makes it easy to enjoy fall with your kids. Whatever it is, I love it.

12 Ways to Enjoy Fall with Your Kids

• Go On a Trail Ride

If your a horse person go on a trail ride. If you don’t have your own horse there are some awesome dude ranches and trail riding ranches across the country that help you out with that. We have a great local guest ranch here in our community. It’s in the mountains and the fall colors are spectacular.

• Go on a Nature Walk

With the cooler weather, getting out and going on a walk is easier than trying to do it in the hot summer. We love to go explore new places, gather leaves, stop at the creek and throw in rocks.

Read:I Can’t Do It All and I’m Okay With It

• Do a Leaf Rubbing

This can be a great learning opportunity for your kids. You could point out all the veins in the leaf and explain that these are what transports water and nutrients through the leaf just like our blood veins transport blood through our body.

They can also be very pretty and artistic.

Read: Awesome Christmas Gifts for Homeschool Kids the Whole Family Will Love

• Do a Leaf Craft

Here are a few of my favorite go to resources to make some cute fall leaf crafts for kids.

Helping Hand Homeschool has a post with 12 fun DIY fall leaf projects all in one place.

Kitchen Table Classroom  has some great out of the box ideas. I especially like the leaf mandala prints.

Hands on as We Grow has a list of fall leaf crafts.

• Go to a Local Fall Festival

Our local fall festival at Beavers Bend State Park is amazing. It’s packed full of fun activities and crafts for the kids to do. They also learn the history of our local communities that has made out park what it is today.

Find your local fall festival and go enjoy it.

• Go Pumpkin Picking

Kids love picking out their own pumpkin, taking it home, and carving it. It’s super messy so throw down some newspapers or an old sheet to keep the mess at bay. Don’t stress out about the mess. Clean the seeds, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on them, and roast them. This will make great memories in years to come.

Think carving the pumpkins is too hard? Get an electric pumpkin carving kit to make it easier.

• Find a Local Corn Maze

We went to our first corn maze last year. It was so much fun we’re looking forward to going back this year.

I didn’t realize this maze was so big, so I took my little ones out to ride the tractor and left my big kids in it to find their way out. My son found his way out, but my poor daughter got lost. My son helped her find her way out. When I got back she was in tears. #momfail

Corn mazes are a fun fall activity for families to do. Just don’t leave your kids in there to find their own way out.

• Go on a Hayride

Another great outside activity to do. Many times corn mazes will have hayrides also. Sometimes local churches do hayrides.

• Have a Bonfire

A bonfire is an iconic fall activity in my book. There’s nothing like sitting around the fire in your hoodie roasting marshmallows. Just mentioning it brings back a flood of memories. Sigh.

• Tent Camp

Want some family bonding time? Leave your phone at home and go tent camping.  Kids love it. 

Go out in the backyard if nothing else.

When you first check out the prices of tents they may seem expensive. But you’ve got to remember that you can use this tent for at least 10 years if you take care of it. Probably longer.

We’ve had our Coleman for 5 years now and it’s in the same shape as when we bought it.

• Go Apple Picking 

Apple picking is a classic fall activity. Later, cook and apple pie or better yet cook two and take one to a neighbor or widow in your neighborhood.

You could also make caramel apples with them too. Just sayin’.

• Go on a Scenic Drive and Observe the Colors

If you have young kids this may not be so much fun. But, you could go ahead and take them and make some stops along the way to enjoy the fall air.

• Rake Leaves

Rake your leaves into a pile and let the kids jump into them. Better yet, you jump into them. Your kids will love to see that.

Another activity to do with a pile of leaves is to build a maze with them and let your kids run through them.

• Collect Pine Cones

Make centerpieces with them. Pine cones are a beautiful centerpiece all on their own.

Place them in a pretty glass bowl and set it on a piece of burlap. Voila- a beautiful, easy centerpiece.

Make simple Christmas ornaments with them. Here is how to do it.

1. Roll your pine cones in Elmers Glue,
2. When they are covered in glue roll them inglitter
3.  Wrap a piece of jute string around the stem and tie in a loop knot.
4. Voila- a pretty, simple Christmas ornament your kids can do on their own.

All of these fall activities are fun ways to enjoy fall with your kids. Remember to let go and embrace the messiness of motherhood. These are the moments we will treasure forever. Our kids won’t remember how clean our house was when they grow up. They will remember the moments that made it home.

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