25 Awesome Autumn Activities For Kids

Fall has finally arrived, and for many, the season opens the doors for all the autumn activities for kids that were put on the backburner all summer. The weather is colder, but there are plenty of great things about fall that your kids will love. So, what are some of the best autumn activities for kids? Let’s take a look!

What do you teach children about autumn?
Teaching children about the fall season can be both fun and educational. Before you jump into the fun activities, you can explain various aspects of fall they may not yet know about, including:

• When the season is, what happens during fall, and what holidays occur during autumn
• The weather that drives changes to the plants, such as why cooler weather causes the leaves to turn a vibrant hue
• What kinds of vegetables and fruits are harvested in the fall
• The history, traditions, and significance of holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving
• What animals do when the temperature dips, and how the ecosystem is affected by these changes
• Seasonal foods, why they’re important, and what types of recipes you can cook using foods that are available during fall

Each lesson can be given in a way tailored to the child’s age and personal interests. It’s a great time to explore all there is to know about autumn and how it affects the world around us.

What are some family-friendly autumn activities?
Fall is practically made for families, with a collection of different activities you can do with children of all ages. Some of the best family-friendly autumn activities include:

• Visit a pumpkin patch: Pumpkin patches are in full swing in the fall, and they’re a great place to take your children to pick up a pumpkin they can carve into a work of art.
• Go apple picking: What’s better than fresh apples for all the fall desserts you plan to teach your children how to make? The best place to get the perfect apples is right off the tree at an apple orchard.
• Corn mazes: Corn mazes are great for kids of all ages. They provide an active day of fun and even help your child learn new skills, such as a sense of direction and critical thinking.
• Kid-friendly haunted houses: While not all children will be up for a scare, some may benefit from the rush of a haunted house, and with Halloween around the corner, there is no shortage of them.
• Fall festivals: Many towns hold fall festivals showcasing fresh produce, trinkets, and other fall-based items. You can walk around, have some cider, and learn about the history of certain fall traditions in your local area.
• Hiking and nature walks: When the leaves change colors, nothing is as beautiful as a walk through the vibrant hues. Nature walks also help get your children excited about being outdoors, even with colder weather on the way.

These activities can be tailored to the child’s age, but are generally suitable for all kids.

What are the best fall activities for preschoolers?
Young children may need help participating in some of the abovementioned activities. However, plenty of autumn activities will help your preschooler become a lover of autumn in no time. They include:

• Leaf art: Go outside and collect some fallen leaves, then arrange them into a fall-themed work of art.
• Pumpkin decorating: Instead of pumpkin carving, try decorating them in a way that doesn’t require sharp knives. You can get small gourds and allow your child to channel their inner Picasso with some paint.
• Scavenger hunt: A fall scavenger hunt is a great activity to get your preschooler excited about the season. Find some fall-specific items and hide them around your home or backyard for a fun afternoon with your preschooler.
• Play in a leaf pile: If chores are on the priority list, why not make them into a fun and exciting activity? Gather all the leaves you can and jump around in the pile, making core memories for your little one.

What are the best fall activities for kindergarteners?
For children who are a bit older but still not ready to take on some fall activities, there are other ways to make the season just as fun as summer. They include:

• Harvest sensory bins: For an indoor activity your child will love, why not try a harvest sensory bin? Collect fall-themed items, such as dried corn, small gourds, leaves, and pinecones, and have them explore and guess what each item is using all senses but sight.
• Arts and crafts: There is no shortage of fall arts and crafts options, such as leaf or pumpkin decorating. For older children, why not let their imaginations run wild and have them create their perfect fall scene? It’s a great way to allow them to use their mind to create a world within their world. You could also decorate pinecones or make a pinecone bird or squirrel feeder.
• Science experiments: Kindergarteners are just learning about the wonderful world of science, so you can use that to your advantage to try some autumn-themed science experiments. Drop apples in water and teach kids why they float, or collect leaves as the season rolls on to assess and learn about the color changes and what’s happening to the leaves during the fall season.

While these activities suit kindergarten-aged children, they could also be tailored to older or younger kids.

What are some outdoor autumn ideas for kids?
If you want to experience the great outdoors of the fall season, try out some of the best outdoor fall activities not already mentioned above, such as:

• Tell scary stories around a campfire
• Outdoor games like croquet, ring toss, sack races, and football
• Bike riding through the fall foliage
• Visit a farm and feed some animals or a wildlife sanctuary to learn about different animals and how autumn affects their lives
• Set up an outdoor movie night and watch their favorite Halloween or fall-themed movies under the stars
• Go bird watching

What are some autumn ideas for kids at home?
If the weather is keeping you and your children inside, there are still plenty of indoor activities you can do together to keep the season light and fun. Aside from arts and crafts, some of the best include:

• Watch seasonal movies, such as Halloween or Thanksgiving-themed films
• Learn to cook and bake all the seasonal favorites
• DIY a Halloween costume
• Have a fall-themed dance party
• Make homemade scented candles in your favorite seasonal scents
• Host a family game night with board games

Autumn may follow what many regard as the best season of the year, but it has so much to offer that your children will soon forget about summer and be all about fall!

 

Featured image by Drew Hays on Unsplash