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It’s finally Fall! But don’t be bummed that Summer is over, because Autumn makes for some great seasonal activities that your whole family can enjoy! Here are 10 Fall activities that can be fun for your whole family, from the teens to the little ones (and the parents too).
1. Create Colorful Apple Stamp Art
All you’ll need for this arts and crafts activity is some apples cut into halves, slices, or other fun shapes (think cookie cutters), different colors of washable paint, and paper! Give your kiddos the apples to use as stamps and watch them go crazy for color! Make sure the paint is washable to ensure easier clean-up for you.
2. Carve or Paint Pumpkins
You can get a classic orange pumpkin from the grocery store for as little as $2.99 or mini pumpkins for 99¢! Carving pumpkins is a timeless fall activity, but you can also paint them, or draw on them with permanent markers so you won’t have to worry about your little ones hurting themselves.
3. Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t let any part of your pumpkin go to waste this fall season! Once they’re clean of all that goop, pumpkin seeds make a super healthy and delicious snack! You can make them salty or sweet, eat them all by themselves or sprinkle them on a salad, and the best part is—they’re so easy to make. A simple Google search will yield endless pumpkin seed roasting recipes.
4. Bake Some Yummy Fall Treats
You know fall has arrived when pumpkin spice everything takes over your grocery store shelves. Take advantage of these delicious fall flavors and bake something together! One quick look at Pinterest during the autumn months and you’ll find thousands of decadent recipes just waiting to be made! Kiddos who are a bit too young to enjoy the delicate art of baking will love munching on the sweet treats after they’re done!
5. “BOO” Your Neighbors
Start a fun family tradition and get to know your neighbors in the process! Create a cute basket full of Halloween/Fall themed treats and goodies and put it on a neighbor’s front porch. Then ring the doorbell and run away! Find a good hiding spot and watch how excited they get when they see someone has left them an unexpected gift. Make sure you clarify that the gift is from one of their neighbors (but keep it anonymous) and that you’d like them to pay it forward and leave a gift for another neighbor. In the basket, provide a sign to hang in the window or on the door saying “WE’VE BEEN BOO’D”. That way nobody gets ‘boo’d’ twice and every family gets a basket. Try to keep in mind how many kids live in the house and their ages!
6. Get a Little Spooky
If you have older kids, introduce them to some of your favorite classic horror films! Netflix has a great selection, and many cable channels start running older horror flicks when Halloween is right around the corner. This is not for the faint of heart so if you have younger kids try some other classic Halloween films! Movies like Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloweentown, Beetlejuice, and The Addams Family are all fun Halloween movies that won’t send your whole family to bed with nightmares.
7. Take Some Fall Themed Family Photos
Use this as an opportunity to update your Facebook cover photo, or print the photos out and give them as Christmas gifts! Family members who are hard to shop for or appreciate more sentimental gifts (grandparents) will love an updated picture of your gorgeous family or kiddos to display around their house.
8. Enjoy a Family Bonfire
As the weather gets chillier, playing outside becomes less appealing, leaving many kids stuck inside complaining of boredom. Once the sun goes down you can bundle up, grab some comfy chairs and marshmallows, and head outside. Outdoor fire pits are sold at Target, Walmart, or Lowes, and they can last for years. A bonfire is an easy way to encourage time spent together as a family, making s’mores and maybe even telling ghost stories.
9. Write Down What You’re Thankful For
Sit down as a family and make lists or even draw pictures of the things you’re thankful for. This is a fun way to remind everyone how much you love and appreciate one another and can be pretty funny if you have younger kiddos who are thankful for silly things you wouldn’t have ever thought of. Discussing what you wrote or drew can also foster meaningful conversations among your family.
10. Plant Flowers
Many spring bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and irises need to be planted in the fall in order to be thriving by the spring. Bulbs thrive in chilled soil, and the cooler the soil the better the bloom and longer the stem of the flower. Bulbs are easier to garden than many think. Their size and durability make them easy for younger kids to handle, and they don’t need to be planted right side up in order to grow. Gardening as a family is fun, and a good learning opportunity. You can also let the kids water the bulbs as needed, to instill a sense of responsibility.
Don’t let the end of Summer and beginning of school ruin your fun! Take some time to focus on bringing your family together and having a blast at the beginning of this holiday season! Whether you’re baking, taking photos, carving pumpkins, or BOO-ing the neighbors, spending time together as a family will make your Fall absolutely fabulous.