Fall comes with so many new activities to do. While we like to take it slow during this season and really rest from the summer months, fall is a time for exploration for us. And with the fall season on its way, I have been dreaming of all the family activities we will get to do this season. Today, I wanted to share 30 family activities for the fall season.
- Read stories together or go to the library
Movie night is a common family activity and while we love a good move night, I hope to be having reading nights too. Curl up with snacks and drinks or take it outside at a picnic. Take turns reading to each other.
We love nature and fall themed books. Lately we read Ila’s books mostly and have several that teach about the season. We also spend time reading scripture to each other. Some of the most fascinating and interesting stories are in the bible and reading this to Ila early on is so good for her.
The library is also a good option. We go every week and get new books for the week. This is a frugal way to have new books regularly and story time is a great activity for your kids.
- Plant a fall garden
Several crops can be planted in the fall for another round of garden harvesting. Check your area and zone to find what grows best during the fall months and plant accordingly.
- Create a fall meal plan
I am not a huge meal planner but I do like to write out meal ideas. I usually write out a few meal ideas for the week or month and keep that list handy. Then the day of, I like to pick from the meals if I have nothing else in mind. If you are like me, having a Fall meal ideas list is so beneficial for days when you feel stuck but still want a nice homemade meal for your family. If you like to plan more, plan each meal for the month based on what is in season. Soups, pies, casseroles and anything with pumpkin is perfect for fall.
- Go antiquing
This is one of my favorite activities during any season but it is fun in the Fall to gather new decor. Be on the lookout for vintage fabric to sew up your own fall clothes or decor. Or a new mixing bowl to make a homemade fall treat. Or an old crock for a fall planter for your porch. There are so many options!
- Support local farmers and farmers markets
Supporting local farmers is important anytime of year but check out your local farmers markets for in season produce, fall florals and pumpkins for decorating. Supporting local farmers is so important and you can make a fun day of warm drinks and strolling the local farmers markets. This is one of our favorites!
- Make a leaf collection
This is great for a homeschool lesson or just a learning activity for the kids. Or yourself if you are like me! Just go outside and find all the leaves you can. Arrange in a book, board or even string on string for natural fall decor. Spend time researching what type of leaves you gathered together. This is such a fun learning activity for kids!
- Make a bird feeder or bird house and bird watch
I did this so much when I was younger. In particular, we used gourds to make bird houses. Drill a hole in the side, clean out the inside of the gourd and paint then seal! Hang from your trees and put out some seed for our flying friends.
This is another learning activity that is great for adults and kids. Once you have your birdhouse up, identify types of birds, their calls, anything specific to that type of bird. Then go home and research those birds.
- Take photos of your property and family on your property or in your home
One of my favorite ways to decorate the home is to hang up photos of our family on our property or the property itself. In the yard, in the kitchen, sitting on the porch, out by the garden. There are so many possibilities and these can be taken seasonally and switched out to show your property each season. I love pictures reflecting the woods at different seasons and the barn. It adds a personal touch.
- Go on a train ride
I am not sure if this is a common thing in other areas but the next largest town over has a train depot and gives train rides touring the city. I have always wanted to go and I just saw that they are up and running!
- Have a game night
Game night is a well liked activity in our home. It is great for families to gather together and kids to develop critical thinking skills, a healthy understanding of competition and to learn it is ok to win or lose.
Build your game collection for fun nights cozied up by the fire with a warm drink.
- Give back
What better to teach your kids than to give back to your community? Check out a local food bank because they are likely prepping for the holiday season and the workload is heightened a bit.
Our food bank gives out turkeys and hams and I am sure others do as well. I’m sure they would appreciate extra help while working to help feed families well for the holidays.
You could also look at doing yard work for your church members or your neighbors to help them out. Leaves start to fall and landscaping needs tended to.
- Build fall capsule wardrobes
I love this for every family member but specifically myself. Limiting my decisions to only the most important saves me time and energy. Not only that but less money is spent and we get good use out of our clothing. Pull out the sweaters and flannels for fall and create a cozy, simple wardrobe for yourself and family members. This is great for kids learning to dress themselves as well!
- Make popcorn from scratch
This could be done anytime of the year but there is something so cozy about making popcorn on the stove and curling up to enjoy. Add oil to a pan. Once hot, add popcorn and cover with a venting lid. It will start to pop and is done when there are long pauses in between pops. Add melted grass fed butter and sea salt. Cook this up for a reading night, movie night or game night and it is sure to be a hit.
- Prep next years garden space, flower beds, landscaping, etc
I cringe as I write this because we are planning to move our garden this fall hopefully. If not, it will be this spring. It is a big undertaking but is a necessary step. Fall is a good time to do this if you are not growing a fall crop or if you are just growing a small fall garden. Clean garden or landscaping space out, prep the soil, and get it ready for spring planting. It will come sooner than you think!
- Cook a pumpkin for a pumpkin themed recipe
Everyone buys canned pumpkin for fall baking but take it up a notch by roasting your own pumpkin and using it in your baking. Bonus points for a homegrown or locally sourced pumpkin!
- Start a sourdough starter for fall baking
I will be joining everyone in this because my mature, happy starter has died after a certain cute little baby pulled the jar off the cabinet. It busted and went everywhere. Learn how to start a sourdough starter here and get that baby ready for some fall baking! Sourdough is great for pretty much any fall treats you can think of using flour. And it adds a healthy touch to your fall baking!
- Go hunting
I understand this may be a controversial topic but in our kitchen, we try to stick to a traditional diet. This includes locally and humanely sourced meats and hunting is one way to go about this. The kids can also be included if old enough. This is a very common activity for people in our area. Deer chili is a big deal!
- Make a meal from your summer garden harvest- spices, jams, veggies or locally gathered, seasonal ingredients
You worked hard in that garden all year, enjoy it! Cook a meal centered around things you raised, you grew and preserved or you found from another local farmer.
Soups, pot pies and a yummy fruit pie are perfect for this.
- Hiking and walks
This is one of our favorite things to do in the fall. I think a lot of people do this more in the spring and summer but around here, it is just too stinking hot. So we enjoy it more in the fall. The scenery is beautiful with the fall foliage, the temperature is perfect for an outdoor physical activity and the bugs and snakes are at a minimum. Plus, there are less people out and about at the parks and hiking trails.
Find local parks and trails and do not be afraid to explore smaller, less known areas as long as you do it safely. Take your camera and get some nice fall landscape photos!
- Bake fall treats
Of course this makes it to the list. I am a fall baked goods type of gal. I love to develop new recipes (like these muffins) and the bake sales in our area during the fall and winter season are crazy. They are everywhere and filled with any treat you can imagine. Something fun would be to create a fall baking bucket list for the season and work through your bucket list as a family. Teach the kids to bake/cook and they will have one of the most important skills in my opinion.
- Have a picnic
We just had a picnic tonight, in fact. We had a cold front come through and while it is not quite fall yet and that cool weather is not here to stay just yet, we took advantage of it and took dinner outside. Set up a blanket or a nice picnic area in your yard. Fill your basket with a homemade meal and head outside. Ila loves being outdoors and just exploring on her own. She cannot go far but she loves to read books, play with toys, feel the grass and watch the dogs.
- Go on a roadtrip
Roadtripping is high on my list this season. I want to go on a weekend trip driving from park to park and staying at local places. Check out the parks, hiking trails, lakes and rivers, local restaurants, local farmer’s markets and farms, anything that each place has to offer. And fall is a perfect time to do it. School is back in session and people will not be traveling and the nature will be stunning.
- Find local farms, festivals and events
The fall seems to bring on so many local events and activities. Farm tours, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple orchards, live music, the list goes on. Find and attend as many of these as your family is up for. You can make great friends at these events, find local food, support local businesses and enjoy your days during the fall. Nothing speaks to fall like a community embracing the season.
- Work on outdoor projects
This is another item high on our list. I’ve said it a million times and I will say it again, summer in Arkansas is just TOO HOT to do much of anything but swim. And the bugs are out for you. So major projects are just a no go. But fall is perfect.
We have a lot of projects to work on this fall but the most important is the chicken coop and barn projects! We have a lot of plans for this. I am hoping to build a coop with a run as well as a few small tractors to move them into during the day.
By doing this in the fall, we will not have the heat, bugs, or snakes to worry about. And we will have plenty of time to get these projects done before adding to the farm in the spring.
- Backyard games
This is fairly new to us and we are building up our collection but my husband LOVES games. So we have been investing in our backyard game collection. So far we have yardzee, yardkle and bocce. Many could be made also! Others we hope to add our tic-tac-toe, jenga, and bowling. We also have traditional yard games like volleyball and badminton.
This is so fun for our family and gets us outside. Games are good for kids to learn critical thinking and strategy but being outdoors is good for the soul and mental state.
- Make fall natural home items and decor
Soap, candles, wreaths, pillows, lotion, blankets. Just get creative and make fall themed home items for personal care or decor! Pumpkin soap or a buffalo check pillow. A cozy flannel blanket and a wreath made from foliage you find in your area. It adds a nice touch to your home and creates a fun memory!
- Create a fun tradition
Traditions are important in our family. Traditions bring nostalgia to every season and make activities more special. Some of our fall traditions in my family growing up were to decorate for fall, get fall themed drinks, Some fall tradition ideas:
- Weekly family dinner
- Fall baking competition
- Yearly fall road trip
- Going to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard each fall season
- Nightly fall walks
- Fall family photos
- Decorate pumpkins
- Family fun days
- Start a nature journal
This is a great activity for the kids and they can learn so much! Take photographs and print them out to add. Or have them draw what they see and write about it. Collect things they find and add to the journal. Sit down and talk about what they saw, heard and found. Identify the leaves and plants, animals, bugs and discuss the importance of them in nature.
Then create a new one each season.
- Bring cozy, picturesque moments to the everyday
Light the candles, put on the cozy sweater or dress, set up a nice tablescape for supper (even if no one is coming over). Make traditions, bake for no reason except to please those you love. Decorate your house and porch for fall even if you live down a country road or in the middle of the woods away from everyone. Your family will be grateful for the care you put into the everyday moments and they will carry that on into their homes later in life.
- Have a campfire or go camping
Go to a local park, far away park or just your own backyard! We have a fire pit that we love to have nightly campfires at. Throw in some hot dogs and s’mores and you have a fun night ahead.
Set up a tent and camp in your backyard. There are so many activities you can do while camping (several on this list) like stargazing, hiking, birdwatching, playing games, reading books, telling stories, and eating camp food.
These are just some of our favorite activities or things we want to do during the fall season. Fall is all about tradition, embracing the cooler weather and being with family.