Can you believe it is already time to start thinking about fall activities! I just can’t believe school is already starting and that summer is basically over! Is it just me or does it seem like time goes by so much faster as an adult? I remember as a little kid, it seemed like I would never graduate high school let alone be 30! Ha now I’m soon to be 34 yrs old with 3 kids and the days aren’t long enough. It’s amazing to me how fast it all goes by now. I am going to enjoy the nicer weather though. I LOVE fall! It is one of my favorite seasons. Here is my list of my favorite budget friendly fall activity ideas for families. Be sure to let me know what your favorite fall family activity is!
Fall is the best season to me because it is getting cooler, the leaves change, and there is so much fun stuff to do. I am not a big fan of all the pumpkin flavored everything but I do love the smell of spice and pumpkin pie! Then there is the whirlwind of holidays and family time together. It is so much better than spring.
Not to mention that I grew up in Kansas where there are basically 2 seasons, summer and winter. It’s either snowing or blazing hot! I remember in 2nd grade it snowed on Halloween! Yes Halloween! And yes we still trick or treated in the SNOW! Where I live now (NC), they would literally cancel Halloween and do it another day if it snowed.
I live about an hour from the Smoky Mountains so we love driving up and seeing the leaves change. My favorite trees are maples and they are spectacular in the fall. Maybe some day I can drive up to Vermont to see the leaves change there.
Fall Activity Ideas:
- Carve a pumpkin- this is one of my favorite traditions! We have done a mix of carving and/or letting the kids paint or color on them. They really enjoy painting them.
- Apple picking- if you are lucky enough to live close to the mountains or an apple farm, take a day and go to an apple farm. It is a fun and memorable experience.
- Blind Apple Taste Test- I just saw this fun family activity idea and now I want to try it! Check it out here-> Apple Blind Taste Test
- Go on a hike- especially if you live close to the mountains. Take a day and just relax and enjoy nature as a family. Watch the leaves change and enjoy the fresh air.
- Mountain Day- you don’t have to take a hike but go enjoy nature and watch all the beautiful leaves changing.
- Corn maze- just don’t get lost lol! My oldest kid is so scared of everything that I haven’t been able to get her to do this yet. My youngest is fearless so we will probably do this with her this year.
- Fall Festival- a lot of the things on this list can be done at a festival and a fall festival is so much fun. If you can find one with a bunch of activities then you can mark a lot off your fall bucket list!
- Hay ride- my kids love going on hay rides. I did this as a kid too and loved it. I am curious how this became a thing though. Like who thought, “let’s put bales of hay on a wagon and pull it around the yard with people on it” lol am I the only one that thinks of these things?
- Scavenger hunt- my kids love scavenger hunts. We do them all year but depending on the season they can look for different things. In the fall, we look for pine cones, acorns, and different kinds of leaves. This is a good learning experience for them as they can examine different leaves and compare and contrast them. Here is a free scavenger hunt printable.
- Fall crafts- my kids love crafts and each season brings on new ideas and things to do. Here is a list of 20 Fall Kid Craft Ideas. We have done several of these and the kids loved it!
- Make fall decor- I love making crafts for around the house. Some of my fondest memories growing up were of cooking and making crafts with my Grandma Wilma. She instilled a love for cooking and crafts into me from a very young age. I remember going out in her yard to look for pine cones to make wreaths every fall. Now I typically have a craft night at my house with other adults every year. But you can do this as a family as well. I have even started collecting ideas for things I want to do. Like these mason jars I found at Hobby Lobby. I decided I would try to make it instead of buying them!
- Bake pies- Who doesn’t love the smell of pies baking and well eating them? It just makes it feel like fall doesn’t it? Instead of buying expensive candles, make some pies then you can eat them too!
- Unplug for a weekend- Pick a weekend and completely unplug and spend time as a family. Shut your phones, iPads, computers, and tablets off and put them where you won’t even see them. Spend time together as family doing some of these activities and unwind. I think you will be amazed at how addicted we all are to our electronics.
- Be thankful- Take a moment each day, maybe at dinner or bedtime, and have everyone say something they are thankful for and why.
- Volunteer- While the fall and holidays are a time for many families to spend time together and express gratitude, not everyone is as fortunate. Volunteer as a family for a local shelter, food bank, or a fundraising event. Show your kids why they should be thankful for the life they have.
- Make pinecone bird feeders- my kids love doing this and it is a cheap easy activity. Simply find a pinecone, tie a string to the top, cover it with peanut butter and then bird seed. Hang it from a tree and watch the birds enjoy it!
- Jump in a pile of leaves- this is a fun tradition for all kids! Let them help rake up the leaves and make it game. Then when they “win” they get to jump in the leaves.
- Family bike ride- while the weather is nice, go outside and enjoy it with your family! Go on a bike ride around the neighborhood or the local park.
- Bonfire- This is by far my favorite thing to do in the fall. It is so nice and relaxing to sit around the fire and just relax.
- S’mores- bonfires and s’mores are perfect for the fall. We have attempted s’mores using the grill or oven but it’s just too hot. It’s not the same as doing it in the fall around a bonfire.
These are simple, cheap, and budget friendly family activity ideas for families. These ideas will have your family spending time together instead of being sucked into their electronics. Let’s make it a point this fall to spend time together as a family. Take some time to unplug and spend time with those that are important to you.
We’ve been fortunate to be around some nice parks (that are free) to bring the kids. We’ve been to Disney also recently and the Parks sometimes have more memories attached to them. Great post!
SMORES!!!!!! Those GIANT marshmallows with a big chocolate bar make the B E S T! Then its really like dinner so its saving $ too! lol