The leaves are changing. The temperature is dropping and it is time to start brainstorming fall activities to do with the kids. I especially like making seasonal bucket lists for the kids because I like to live my life according to the seasons. Whether that is the season of the year or different season within the Catholic church (i.e. advent, lent, etc.). It helps to keep the kids entertained and motivated.
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Here are 20 ideas for you to do with your kids. Some of these ideas are free, most are outdoors, and some have to do with baking which is always fun to have the kids help with.
Outdoor Fall Activities
-apple picking
We live in Central New York so apple orchards are everywhere. My kids LOVE going apple picking. We usually get some apple cider donuts and hot chocolate while we’re out and it is so much fun. The apple orchards near us usually have corn mazes, playgrounds, ice cream, and so much more.
-go to a petty zoo
We have the cutest petty zoo about 30 minutes from our house and it is perfect. It has so many different types of animals and a lot of them exotic. We can pet and feed about half of them and it is so exciting for the kids.
-go to a pumpkin patch
The pumpkin patches near us are very similar to the apple orchard, but can add some variety for the kids. Also the kids get to bring home pumpkins to carve and paint, which is an added bonus.
-go to the zoo
This one is pretty self-explanatory… The weather is nice so you might as well get out and go check out the animals. It is always a hit with the kids. Our family’s spirit animal is the Red Panda.
-go to a fall festival
If you haven’t checked your local events, you are missing out. Our local fall festivals are at the state parks and they are fantastic. These festivals usually support crafters and artisans, musicians, etc. Our local festival had food trucks, apple cider donuts, kids games activities, face painting, corn maze, scavenger hunts, and animal displays. The kids loved it and so did my husband and I.
-go to a football game
I grew up in a football family. Going to a football game, whether it is high school or an NFL game, it can be so much fun for the kids.
Free Outdoor Fall Activities
-do a fall scavenger hunt
There are so many options on Pinterest for Fall Scavenger Hunts. I made the one above on Canva and my kids loved doing it! Giving them a bunch of things to find, including bugs, was the best day of their life. I am a mom of four boys, so you know… Bugs are life. Plus, it got us outside in nature.
-investigate a new park near you
This was a huge goal of my husband and mine for this summer. We live in CNY and we never realized how many hidden gems there are. We found a park about 10 minutes away from our house. Apparently it used to be a theme park with a Carousel and zoo, but the main structure burned down in the early 1900’s and then flooded and so it was left to be taken over by nature. And nature succeeded. It was beautiful, it had nature trails and was so fun to explore with the kids. It had bridges over a creek and a play ground. I definitely recommend finding hidden treasures around you.
-rake the leaves and then go jumping in the piles (although watch for ticks)
We definitely enjoy any chores that get us out doors. Last year my kids jumped in those leaf piles for over an hour. I will say that my son did come out of the piles with a tick on him, so me careful if you are in a heavy tick area like we are. I can tell you that rushing your child to the ER with stroke symptoms caused by Lyme Disease is NOT fun! I’ve actually had two kids with Lyme and both ended up with Belle’s Palsy. Thankfully both have fully recovered.
-take a scenic drive
We love going to scenic drives. The fall foliage in CNY is amazing! It only lasts a few weeks before everything turns brown and then gray, but we try and enjoy it while we can. We also have a local train that does a very affordable Fall foliage trip which only takes a couple of hours, but my kids LOVE going on trains so it’s a win-win.
-fall family photo shoot
We got these beautiful family photos done with our first. It was such a beautiful experience and the photos are truly treasures. You will not regret it.
-go for a family walk
We got for family walk all the time. Most of the time they are Rosary walks. If you want to learn more about that check out my post here. My favorite part of Fall is getting outside. Even if it’s chilly, just bundle up and get some fresh air.
-paint pumpkins
We don’t always carve out pumpkins because out outdoor friends will massacre them and they wont last long. We have deer, squirrels, bunnies, birds, snails, cats, foxes, coyotes… you name. I don’t know what eats the pumpkins, but something does, every year. Plus painting them is a fun activity the kids can do without help and they can do it outside and that is also a win-win for this mom.
Baking/Consumable Fall Activities
-make warm apple cider
We made warm spiced apple cider last year on Halloween when my sister’s family, my in-laws, and my parents came over. It was delicious, so easy, and just a really fun thing to do.
-bake fall treats
I love making apple muffins, pumpkin muffins, and cinnamon rolls with kids. I haven’t really branched into the fancy baking, but one day soon maybe… or not. My mom is the baker and she bakes cookies, pies, cheesecakes of all different flavors, including pumpkin and apple. I mostly leave the baking to her.
-carve a pumpkin
We do the pumpkin carving at my MIL’s house. She loves this activity. She loves doing it with the kids and the kids always have a blast.
-have a movie marathon
We just did a Halloweentown Marathon and Hocus Pocus (although I won’t watch the second one… it’s just not my jam). My kids loved all of them and that made 8yo Stefanie so happy. We’ll be watching more in the coming weeks.
-make smores or smores dip
This one is self explanatory. My husband found a content creator who made smores dip in the air fryer and we are determined to try. I don’t know who the creator is, but it sounds so delicious. Who doesn’t like smores?
-make hot chocolate
This is my warm drink of choice. I have seen come delicious homemade recipes like this one. This one is great because it’s a super easy crockpot recipe which I think is brilliant. If you haven’t checked out the St Home On The Prairie blog, you need to. She has the best recipes for making things from scratch, great tips on cleaning and organizing from the perspective of a large family (she has 8 kids), and I love trying her DIY gift ideas.
These are some of the fall activities that we enjoy doing as a family and that our kids love. It really helps to make fall special and since it is my favorite season I like to emphasize it with my kids.