Kid-Friendly Fall Activities + Family Traditions to Try
- Erin Szoch
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
There's something enchanting about fall, the refreshing coolness in the air, the vibrant transformation of leaves, the comfort of cozy sweaters, and, naturally, the enjoyable activities the season brings. As mothers, we constantly seek simple yet memorable ways to fully embrace this unique time with our children and create lasting family memories.
Here are some fun ideas to plan for you and your kiddos, plus family outings everyone will love:

🍂 Fun Fall Activities With the Kids
1. Picnic
Whether you are headed to the park with your basket or hitting up your favorite donut shop, you and your littles will love this quality time.
2. Bike + Scooter Time
Fall is one of the best times for outdoor rides, cool but not too cold. Fresh autumn air is good for everyone.
3. Decorate Pumpkins
Paint, sticker, or glitter your pumpkins for easy, kid-friendly fun. For more fun, gut your pumpkins and carve them for the older kiddos.
4. Leaf Pile Jumping
Gather all the leaves into a large pile and let the kids dive in. It's a free, enjoyable activity filled with laughter. Since you need to collect the leaves anyway, why not let the kids have some fun while you work?
5. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of fall finds: acorns, red leaves, pinecones, a spider web, or even a squirrel sighting, and head outside on an adventure walk.
6. Fall Craft Time
Use leaves for leaf rubbings, make Halloween masks or handprint turkeys, string together pinecones for garlands, spooky mason jars with a candle, or a paper plate jack-o'-lantern.
7. Bake a Fall Treat Together
Apple muffins, pumpkin bread, or monster cookies, kids love helping in the kitchen and taste-testing, too!
8. Fall/Halloween-Themed Story Time
Pick up some Fall and Halloween books or borrow some from the library, then cozy up under a blanket and read together.
9. Dress-Up Play
Pull out costumes early and let the kids play “Halloween dress-up” before the big night.
10. DIY Trick-or-Treat Practice
Hide candy around the house or yard and let your little ones do a “mini trick-or-treat” run for practice.
🎃 Family Fun Fall Traditions

1. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Let each family member pick their own pumpkin; it makes carving or decorating even more fun later.
2. Go on a Hay Ride
Bundle up in flannels, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy the hay ride.
3. Apple Picking
Run through the orchard rows, then head home with a basket full of apples.
4. Corn Maze Adventure
Get lost (on purpose!) in a corn maze. Some farms even offer kid-friendly mini mazes.
5. Backyard Bonfire + S’mores
Cool evenings are perfect for a fire pit, roasting marshmallows, and telling stories under the stars.
6. Family Movie Night (Fall Edition)
Snuggle up with snacks and fall movies, my kids love The Nightmare Before Christmas.

7. Local Fall Festival or Fair
Look at your town's calendar for a fall festival, a food truck night, or a fall fair featuring rides and games.
8. Hiking to See Fall Colors
Pack water and snacks and explore a nearby trail. Kids will love collecting leaves, and the views are worth it.
9. Halloween Decorating Night
Turn on some spooky music, put out pumpkins, spider webs, and string lights, and decorate the house together.
10. Trunk-or-Treat or Community Event
Many towns and churches host safe trick-or-treat events that are fun for the whole family.
🍁 Making the Memories Stick
Fall doesn’t have to be busy to be memorable. Sometimes the simplest things, like crunching leaves on a walk, baking together, or sipping hot chocolate after outdoor play, become the moments our kids remember most. So grab your sweaters, light that pumpkin candle, and get ready to soak in all the fall fun this season brings!
Comments