When the seasons change from summer to fall, it’s the perfect time for some family bonding. In autumn, there’s no shortage of indoor and outdoor activities for families to enjoy together. Make your weekends together extra-memorable with these ideas.
Things to Do in the Backyard
Colorful fall foliage and crisp autumn air make the perfect ingredients for a fun fall family weekend. Even better, your gang doesn’t have to travel far to enjoy it. You can find plenty of entertainment right in your own backyard.
Before you rake and bag your fallen autumn leaves, take a tip from Alissa Marquess, creator of Bounceback Parenting, a website designed to help families build stronger connections. She recommends using leaves to construct a backyard labyrinth. For extra fun, arm everyone with a flashlight, and walk through your labyrinth at night.
According to Marquess, nothing says family fun in the fall like dinner on a stick. If you don’t already have one, purchase a portable fire pit, several long-handled forks, and yummy foods to roast like hotdogs, corn on the cob, and marshmallows for dessert. Stay warm and toasty while you’re cooking with cozy flannel throws.
If you’re a family of animal lovers, then attract feathered friends with DIY bird feeders made from pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed. Take photos to identify all the different types of birds you see, and record the information in a special journal.
Fall Fun in Your Neighborhood
If you want to venture away from the backyard, get out into your neighborhood. Do you have a great park nearby? It might be the perfect place to fly kites or go for a nature scavenger hunt. Search for things like acorns, feathers, pinecones, heart-shaped rocks, wild berries, and mushrooms. When you’re finished, warm up with oatmeal-raisin cookies and thermoses of hot cider.
For extended family fun in the fall, spend time with your neighbors. Whip up a big pot of hearty homemade soup or chili, and invite your neighbors to dinner. Afterward, play classic outdoor games like freeze tag, hide-and-seek, red rover, blind man’s bluff, capture the flag, and kickball.
On a weekend afternoon, you could also organize a neighborhood carnival, complete with games like bean bag toss, treasure dig, catch a fish, and more. Add a family photo booth, face painting, pony rides, and goodies like popcorn and caramel apples for a fall festival that’s sure to become an annual event.
Autumn Activities in Your Community
When fall arrives, there’s never a shortage of things to do in towns and cities across the country. For family fun in your community, check out local events like apple, cranberry or harvest festivals, Oktoberfest, and pumpkin chuckin’ contests.
For even more enjoyment, go for a hike, take a family bike ride, attend a high school or college football game, or take a fall foliage drive. A visit to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard is an enjoyable autumn activity, and many offer hayrides for extra fun.
Indoor Family Fun
In case of rain or very chilly weather, gather the family indoors for enjoyable fall activities, like baking. Work as a team to whip up scrumptious, autumn-inspired treats like pumpkin bread, peach cobbler, pecan pie, or apple crisp. Get creative with fun fall crafts like leaf garlands, apple-print pictures, and paper-plate pumpkins or sunflowers. In the evening, make popcorn the old-fashioned way on the stovetop, and watch a few family movies or play board games like Monopoly, Clue, Yahtzee, and Trouble.
Indoors or out, there’s always something fun for families to do in the fall. Get your home ready for chilly weather with cozy couches and chairs from CORT Furniture Rental. Keep your living spaces neat and tidy throughout the school year with organizational pieces like dressers and cabinets, and entertain like a pro with stylish dining tables and sideboards.