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Fall is my favorite time to be outside. The weather is cool, but not yet cold. And there are so many fun outdoor fall activities, many of which don’t cost any money. It’s such a great time to be outside and explore nature.
I try to get my kids outside everyday. But during the fall we spend a lot more time outside than during any other time of the year. The weather is perfect and being out in nature brings all the good feelings to my soul. This year we also added in daily walks to and from school since my oldest started kindergarten and we are in the walking zone.
Here are my top 5 outdoor activities to do in the fall.
#5 – Participate in a family fun run.
As a family we try to stay physically active. Shortly after Batman was born we decided that we wanted to participate in a few family fun runs each year. Well, we haven’t been super successful, but we do manage to squeeze in at least one a year. That one always seem to be in the fall. The weather is so much nicer for running and if the weather is on the cold side, a blanket can always be thrown into the jogging stroller for those too young to stay warm by running.
This year since all of the races are virtual AGAIN, I’m hoping to participate in the DC Wonder Woman Run as a family. We love superheroes in our home and as an added bonus the run supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and childhood cancer research, which is a cause near and dear to our hearts.
#4 – Have a backyard fire and roast s’mores.
I haven’t meet very many people that don’t like the chocolaty, marshmallowy goodness of a s’more. And there is something about sitting with the family around a fire on a crisp, cool autumn evening that makes me forget about life’s problems for a little while. There may be a few intense moments when fire safety is being taught, or the kids are instructed on the proper way to hold a marshmallow roaster so that no one loses an eye. But overall, good times are always had around the fire.
#3 – Go on a fall scavenger hunt.
Walks are such a great family activity. I love going for family walks in the evening after dinner. The kids get some energy out before bed, and I get in a little more exercise. Scavenger hunts are great ways to add a little more excitement to walks every now and then. My kids love them. They will run ahead looking for something else that is on the list, and then wait for everyone to catch up once they find something. It even becomes a competition among them of who can find something on the list first. In the past we have done sound scavenger hunts, smell scavenger hunts, animal scavenger hunts, and many others. I created a Fall Scavenger Hunt this year for my kids that can be done on a nature hike or just around your neighborhood. You can download it for free at the bottom of this post.
#2 – Have a fall picnic.
Last year we built this awesome convertible picnic table and bench. This year we enlarged our back patio and now there is the perfect place for this picnic table to sit and for us to enjoy our fall dinners outside. And the kids are loving it. They especially love that I am much more lenient about leaving the table to go play when we are outside. I actually allow them to go play for a little while and then come back and finish eating.
I still enjoy sitting on a picnic blanket on the grass at the park, but the table setup is much nicer with the baby, since he can still be confined to his highchair. And as an added bonus, nightly picnics make after dinner cleanup much simpler. I can always bring out the hose and spray everything down if needed. I definitely can’t do that in the house.
#1 – Visit a pumpkin patch.
Oh, the pumpkin patch. I’ve always loved them, and now my kids do too. There are so many different pumpkins to behold. They come in so many different colors, shapes, sizes, and variation. I love the pumpkin patches where you can go and actually pick the pumpkin off the vine, and kids love running between the rows. But my kids also love digging through a bin of already picked pumpkins at the farm to find the perfect one for them. Which usually tends to be either the smallest or the ugliest pumpkin around, but they love them, and who am I to judge?
So that’s it for my list.
I hope that you get outside and enjoy this fall season. I would love to hear what your favorite outdoor activities to do in the fall are.
Click here to download your free Fall Scavenger Hunt.
For more fun activities to do this season, check out my Autumn Bucket List.
