Written by contributor Kris Bales of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.
I don’t know about your part of the country, but where I live, October is the time of year when it’s finally cooling off and feeling like fall.
It is often still pretty hot in mid-afternoon, but the mornings and evenings are perfect for enjoying some outdoor activities as a family.
Not sure what to do? How about a one or two of these 20 suggestions for family activities for fall?
1. Have a campfire. It goes without saying that this should include s’mores. Oh, and you don’t have to actually go camping to do this. We have a fire pit that is used almost exclusively for outdoor s’more-making.
2. Go on a hayride.
3. Visit a corn maze.
4. Rake leaves or pick up trash for a friend or neighbor.
5. Work in your own yard.
Someone please tell me I’m not the only one whose yard could use some serious work. For little kids, you could make this a game.
For my big kids, I plan to reward their hard work with pizza delivery. You know, since I’ll be tired, too.
6. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
7. Take a family hike.
Photo by Sharon Flowers
8. Enjoy a family bike ride.
9. Go to a football game. There are plenty of local high school games to enjoy. Is there a homeschool team in your area who would love more support?
10. Visit an apple orchard.
11. Go to a pumpkin patch.
Photo by James Wheeler
12. Carve a pumpkin and roast the seeds!
13. Make apple cider and sip it outside on a cool fall evening. Hot chocolate works well, too.
14. Take a family day trip to enjoy the fall colors.
15. Paint outside. My youngest loves to paint in the driveway. The driveway invariably gets its own paint job and it doesn’t bother me a bit. I just enjoy the extra artwork until the rain washes it away.
16. Roast marshmallows.
17. Make something with apples – sauce, butter, fritters, or my personal favorite, caramel nut bars.
18. Have an outdoor movie night. I have a friend who does this regularly in the summer and fall.
19. Make pumpkin something.
It’s the time of year for pumpkin everything – cookies, pies, drinks, even play-dough.
20. Fill the bird-feeders or make homemade ones.
It’s the time of year when the birds will really appreciate it and you can enjoy watching the variety that shows up to enjoy the free meal.
How does your family like to get out and enjoy the cooler fall weather together?
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I don’t know if I’ve ever enjoyed the crispness of fall like I have this year. We too live in a place where our high noons get hot – but those mornings and evenings….they have such a fine fall feel to them now.
We have been having our read-alouds and such outside lately – to the backdrop of insect song 🙂 Love it.
Great tips. Gets me motivated.
Many thanks,
Kate 🙂
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We’ve been really enjoying the weather, too. I have one of those white noise machines in my bedroom, but I was reminded afresh just recently how much I prefer sleeping with my window open and enjoying real crickets. 🙂
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