Fall is officially here which means cooler weather (hopefully), pumpkins, beautiful foliage, sweaters and so much more. If you have kiddos at home, now is the perfect time to start planning some unique activities to do with them this season. Sure, picking out the perfect Halloween costume is great, but there are tons of opportunities to spend some quality family time and even throw some educational activities in too!
Check out the local community calendar. This time of year, it seems everyone has fun fall festivals going on. These are especially fun for kids as there are usually activities like face painting, hayrides and more. Here are a few happening right here in our own back yard:
- Fall Festival on September 28 at Rhythm and Therapy Music Therapy Services.
Open to current and past Rhythm & Therapy clients, as well as anyone in the community that has a child with special needs. The hope is that you and your family get a chance to have fun in a supported environment! Maybe even meet some new friends - Kids Fest
Come out to Northside Hospital Cherokee Amphitheater in downtown Woodstock for Halloween Fun! Trick-or-treat activities for the younger ghouls and goblins! Don’t miss the games, inflatables, face painting, vendors and lots of candy! - Berry Patch Farms
Stop by anytime between October 5-30 and enjoy the day at the Pumpkin Patch. Take the hayride and take some beautiful pictures while you’re out there. - Visit an Apple Orchard Fall is the perfect time of year to learn about seasonal fruits and veggies. Apples are the perfect example. Stop by an apple orchard where you can pick your own apples. Not only will it be a fun experience for everyone, but once you get home you can then turn all those apples into something else! Bake an apple pie, apple crisp, apple sauce, apple cider. The possibilities are endless. Depending on the age of the kids, you can even use the apples to make apple stamps and create a fun art project out of them. It also goes without saying that Apple Orchards are beautiful and also provide another good opportunity for photos.
- Jump in a Leaf Pile
Ok, all of you reading this have done this as kids. If you’re looking for a low-key, no spend activity, this is it. Rake all those leaves that have fallen in the yard up and voila! You have an instant afternoon of smiles and giggles. It is very difficult to jump into a pile of leaves and not have a big grin on your face after all. - Go on a Nature Walk
The colors are beautiful. The leaves are falling off the trees. The weather is more manageable than the heat of summer. Get outside and go explore. Play a game of I Spy while you’re out there to see what kinds of things you can find. Collect leaves along the way, seeing how many different colored leaves you can find. - Carve Pumpkins
One of the most loved fall activities: Pumpkin carving. After you pick out the perfect pumpkin, set aside some time to sit down and carve those things out. Reach in and get all the pumpkin guts out and let your kids decide what they want to carve into their pumpkin. It’s their masterpiece. If you have young kids who aren’t able to carve or if they don’t want to, why not paint the pumpkin or decorate it with markers or stickers. No matter what, a fall porch isn’t complete without a few artistic additions of the carved (or decorated) pumpkins. Plus, when you get done, you can roast the pumpkin seeds for a post-carving snack! - Go camping
Pack up the car and find a family-friendly campground where you can all enjoy the great outdoors. If you don’t want to go far from home, camp out in the backyard! Be sure to pack extra blankets and warm clothes for the cool evenings. Fall is the perfect time for camping. It doesn’t have to be complicated either. Pack a cooler full of hotdogs (and buns, condiments, etc.) and some s’mores ingredients (Camping isn’t the same without a s’more) and you’re all set! Ok, yes, you’ll need other snacks and extra clothes and who knows what else, because, let’s face it, kids are always hungry and you just never know what’s going to happen. Point being, sleeping under the stars is a beautiful alternative to a typical evening.
- Fall Festival on September 28 at Rhythm and Therapy Music Therapy Services.
Fall isn’t just about what you can see either. While you’re on your nature walk, be sure to close your eyes and see what you can hear. Can you hear the wind blowing through the trees? Can you hear the leaves crunching under your feet? This same idea can be done with all of your senses. See if your kiddos can tell you what they feel (The cold air on their skin? The warmth of the sun?).
We could go on and on with all the fun activities you could do with your kids this fall. It’s a beautiful time of year to get outside and educate them with all the things happening in nature or stay inside and cozy up with some hot chocolate and watch a movie together. Whatever you decide to do this fall, we hope all of you have a beautiful season spending time with your family.
