Fall Fun for the Family

With the kids back in school, you are realizing the summer is officially coming to a close. The leaves are turning bright gold, ruby red, and burnt orange. The steamy days are slowly turning cooler, and the brisk breeze is ushering in the fall. Out of the four seasons, fall is by far my favorite. I love tailgating with my family and friends, the crispness of the air, the vibrant colors of the trees, and knowing the holidays are right around the corner. Most of all, I love fall for all of the activities my family has come to enjoy as our autumn traditions. If you are looking for family friendly activities for this wonderful time of year, there are a vast number of choices you have to choose from. Here are a few of my family's favorites:

1.

Check your local newspapers and neighborhood associations for fall festivals, arts and craft fairs, and farmers markets. There seem to be an abundance of these venues this time of year, because the weather is perfect to be outdoors. Also, most vendors are local artists, farmers, and craftsman. It is an excellent way to introduce your children to the local economy while supporting it.

2.

Pumpkin patches are super fun. Whether it is a true pumpkin patch, or a vendor who has set up in the community for the Halloween season, kids love them! They normally have games or arts and crafts available for you and your child to participate in together. At the end of the trip, pick out your family pumpkin for Halloween or home and garden decoration.

3.

Along with our trip to the pumpkin patch, our family enjoys our annual Halloween pumpkin carving contest. We each get a pumpkin or two from the patch, and make an evening of it. Spread newspaper out on the floor (outside, of course works better for containing the mess), buy a couple of pumpkin carving kits at any local market, drugstore or grocery store, and begin on an original jack-o-lantern masterpiece of your own. You can also choose to paint your jack-o-lanterns if your child is not old enough to use the carving tools. It inspires creativity, sparks a great competition, and you end up with festive decorations for your home!

4.

Lastly, one of my son's favorite traditions is our leaf parties. This is merely a tedious fall chore we have turned into a day of family enjoyment. Raking leaves is no fun at all. But, rake them up to have Leaf Olympics, and you've got hours of entertainment. You get everyone involved to make the task easier, and no one minds helping out (even if it means re-raking the leaves after the piles get destroyed). I mean, who can resist giving their best leaf cannonball, or a good leaf obstacle course? Need some extra help? Let your child invite some friends over, or coordinate with your neighbors and make it a neighborhood affair with everyone pitching in to help and play.