Summer is gone. I am sad about moving on from all the hot-weather fun things with my kids.
The good news is we can still go out during the Fall. Even though I miss the hot weather, Fall is one of my favorite seasons in our family. I love the beautiful colors, visiting farms, decorating pumpkins… Family traditions just waiting to be made.
Whether your kids are toddlers or school-aged, the crisp air and changing leaves offer the perfect excuse to head outside—or stay in and get creative.
These fun fall activities are some of my personal favorites, and I hope they’ll bring joy to your family’s autumn bucket list too.
Our Favorite Fall Activities
1. Fall Leaves
One of my kids’ favorite fall traditions is raking up a giant pile of leaves just to destroy it! We jump, roll, toss, and bury ourselves in crunchy fun. It’s free, full of laughter, and a great way to enjoy the outdoors together.
I sometimes give them plastic rakes or buckets to make up silly leaf-scooping games—and of course, I always try to snap a few photos for the memory books.
Fall leaves are so beautiful. You can do so much with them. You can do it in your backyard if you have some trees. You can go to a park to have fun, just pick some beautiful leaves.
Our family enjoys other fall activities that involve fall leaves. You will find them in below activities.
2. Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt
We love grabbing a basket and heading out to our local trail or even just the backyard for a fall scavenger hunt. I’ll make a list of simple treasures to find red leaves, acorns, pinecones, and even something smooth or bumpy.
My kids like to use a little bucket to discover in the yard. It’s such a fun way to slow down and notice the beauty of the season with my little ones.
3. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Instead of getting pumpkin from grocery stores, we go to farms! How can you not go to farms in the fall when you have kids? We will make a trip to our favorite pumpkin patch or the farm where we can pick the pumpkins directly from their vines. So the kids can learn where does pumpkin come from.
The other benefit of visiting a farm for pumpkins is that there are likely other fun activities at the farm. We always make it a day full of excitement, snacks, and sweet family moments.
4. Decorate Pumpkins (No Carving Required)
We skip the carving mess and go straight to decorating with paint, googly eyes, and stickers. It’s so much easier with little ones and still feels just as festive. I love seeing what creative ideas they come up with while I sip on my pumpkin spice coffee.
If you have older kids, ignore this idea and venture into carving. And involve your kids in cleaning up.
5. Make Fall Crafts
My dining table becomes a craft zone in the fall. We’ve made everything from leaf garlands and pinecone critters to handprint pumpkins. I lay out twigs, acorns, and dried corn for them to explore and create with. The kids are so proud when we hang up their fall art.
This will also keep them busy for quite a while. It can be messy sometimes. When the weather’s nice, I would move the crafting to the patio table. Much easier to clean.
6. Roast Pumpkin Seeds or Cook Together
After pumpkin decorating, we save the seeds for roasting. The kids help wash them and pick the seasoning (cinnamon sugar is a favorite). They love washing the pumpkin seeds! Anything playing with water!
Sometimes we’ll bake pumpkin muffins or apple crisp together, too. The smells alone are worth it!
7. Read Fall Books & Cuddle Up
Cooler nights are our excuse to cuddle up with cozy blankets and read. I love finding fall-themed picture books and letting the kids choose a few. Sometimes we make a big batch of hot cocoa for the kids (but coffee for me, of course) and turn the couch into a reading fort.
8. Build a Mud Kitchen Outside
We leave our mud kitchen out all season. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend setting up one using old pots, pans, and wooden spoons. Fall is the best season for mud kitchens outside.
The kids gather leaves, sticks, acorns—even dirt—and “cook” up all kinds of dishes. It’s messy, but totally worth it for the creativity and outdoor time.
9. Picnic in the Park (with Blankets & Soup)
Instead of indoor lunches, we love packing up a picnic for the park or backyard. I’ll bring a thermos of soup, sandwiches, apple slices, cheese sticks, their favorite snacks…
We lay out a big blanket under the trees, and it feels like such a simple way to enjoy the season together.
The kids love picnics. Maybe because they can move around freely. They like any type of meal, but the regular indoor dining table meals.
10. Create a Backyard Obstacle Course
One of our favorite weekend challenges is making a fall-themed obstacle course in the backyard. I use hay bales, mini pumpkins, and sticks to set it up. The kids love racing through it, and it keeps them moving and giggling.
11. Explore a Nature Center
Our local nature center is one of our favorite fall destinations. Sometimes they have guided hikes or animal talks, but even just walking through and learning about leaves and animals is such a fun learning opportunity for my kids.
12. Visit a Farm for Fruit & Veggie Picking
We visit farms every fall—not just for apples, but for corns, squash, and even greens. My daughter loves pulling green beans straight from the plants. She’s pretty good at it.
We will cook them after we go home. Surprisingly, she knows they are from the farm, and she picked them, and she eats them! She doesn’t eat all the green beans. To be fair, the farm-picked green beans taste way better than grocery store green beans.
13. Petting Zoos at Farms
Many farms we visit also have petting zoos. My kids light up when they get to feed goats or pet a bunny. My son loves chasing chickens…
We’ve seen pigs race at some farm’s fall fest. That’s one of the funniest activities!
These up-close animal experiences are some of their favorite memories—and mine too.
14. Host an Outdoor Movie Night
One of our newest traditions is a backyard movie night in the fall. We string up lights, throw down pillows and blankets, and watch a family movie under the stars. It’s simple, magical, and the perfect way to wind down a busy day.
Wrap Up
Fall is bursting with opportunities for memory-making. You don’t need elaborate plans—just a little time, some cozy layers, and a whole lot of wonder.
These fall activities invite your kids to explore, create, and slow down with you. Because when we engage with the season together, even the simplest moments become the most meaningful.