20 Fun Fall Activities To Do With Your Kids This Season (That Are Just As Fun For Adults!)

Todd Neikirk | October 18, 2024 7:00 pm

Some people can get depressed when autumn rolls around. While losing the warm weather of the spring and summer can be difficult, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of fun to be had in the fall.

Lots of great things happen in the fall. The green and brown leaves turn into beautiful colors. Football season starts all over the country. And the kids get really excited for Halloween. The weather is perfect for plenty of activities. Let's take a look at some of the most popular below.

Jump Into A Pile Of Leaves

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Unsplash / Scott Webb
Unsplash / Scott Webb

I don't know exactly when the practice started, but human beings have been jumping in piles of leaves for a very long time. Leaves tend to fall all over the backyard when the weather turns cold and it can be a real pain raking them all up.

The nice thing, though, is that there is a nice reward at the end of all of the hard work. This is a great way for you to teach your kids responsibility with a good bit of fun at the end.

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Make A Halloween Costume

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Of course, Halloween occurs in the fall and there are all kinds of fun holiday-related activities. Sometimes kids might want to be something unique for Halloween and costumes can't always be purchased at a store.

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Parents and kids can have a lot of fun dreaming up and then creating a Halloween costume. When you decide to get creative and make the costume, the options for what your child may dress up as are endless.

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Make Some Hot Chocolate

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The foods we eat have a lot to with what season it is. Summer may be all about hot dogs and ice cream, but autumn also has food and drink specific to the season.

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Hot chocolate is the absolute perfect treat for fall. The drink not only tastes delicious but it can quickly warm your body up as the weather begins to turn cold. There are a bunch of different ways to make the drink, but all of them have a fantastic result.

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Play Some Inside Games

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During the summer, the kids are always outside. Maybe you go to the beach or the park or the zoo, but not too much time is spent inside the house. That tends to change when fall comes around and there are some lousy weather days.

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These rough weather days create the perfect opportunity for children to get reacclimated with their toys and games. It's fun to spend a nice relaxing Saturday inside the house imagining with your kids.

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Do Some Coloring

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If there is one universal thing that kids love no matter what, it's coloring. It's a fun quiet activity that can keep your kids engaged and quiet for a couple of hours. And what many adults don't realize, is that it's plenty of fun for grownups too.

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I'm serious, if you're an adult and you haven't taken the time to color with your kids, you should start now. Not only is it fun and calming, but you'll also be impressed with how well you can color within the lines these days.

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Get Outside And See The Colors Change

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Depending on what region of the country you live in, the fall can mean that the view of nature can become spectacular. If you are looking for something enjoyable to do with your kids, a fall foliage tour can be a great idea.

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The leaves begin to change around September and October from green and brown to all different kinds of seasonal hues. The walks through the forests are a great way to do something active with your kids and appreciate the beauty of nature.

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Apples, Apples And More Apples

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Apples are not only good for you, but they are also delicious. And if you like apples, you'll probably notice that there are all kind of activities based around the popular fruit.

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Of course, you can always find a farm that offers apple picking. There will also be more than enough apple cider to go around. And if you like to cook, picking fresh apples then making an apple pie with you kids can be a great fall activity.

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Plant Some Fall Flowers

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While flowers are often associated with the spring and the summer, they can also grow successfully during the fall as well. Planting some flowers that flourish in the fall can be a cool thing to do with your kids.

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You can head over to your local landscaping center and speak with a florist about which flower might be the right one for you. Plants that are well known for their fall success include mums, pansies, flowering kale, and asters.

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Take Nature Pictures

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Nature looks amazing at all times, but it probably looks the best during autumn. The leaves begin to change color and fall off trees. As the leaves come off the view becomes more clear and ideal for pictures.

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This is the perfect time to teach your kids about photography and how it can help them to develop a special love for their surroundings. There are a million different ways to take photos now, but autumn is a perfect opportunity to get the kids their first camera and capture the great outdoors.

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Play Some Sports

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Dads tend to get a little extra excited when fall rolls around because it means the beginning of the football season. And not only is it fun to watch football with your kids in the fall, it's also fun to play football with them in the fall.

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And football is not the only sport that can be played in the fall. Maybe your child is more of a soccer player. Or perhaps basketball is more their speed. It doesn't matter what you play, just get out there and have fun.

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Decorate Pumpkins

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If you are a parent, you will surely be doing lots of Halloween themed activities during the fall. Some of these activities are sure to involve pumpkins. One great way to bond with your kids is to decorate a jack-o-lantern together.

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The nice thing about creating a spooky-looking pumpkin is that there is no wrong way to do it. Some families love to break out the safety knives and carve a cool looking face. Others like to do their work with a paint set. Regardless of how you do it, it is an exciting holiday tradition.

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Jump In Muddy Puddles

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Are your kids fans of Peppa Pig? If so, they probably become really, really excited when they see a big muddy puddle. Thankfully, the show has taught them, if you jump in muddy puddles, you must wear your boots.

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Muddy puddles abound when the calendar turns to fall and the weather gets a bit colder. Luckier still, your kids will probably be dressed quite a bit warmer and they may even be wearing their rain boots. Parents can have a bunch of fun hopping around in the puddles as well.

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Go On A Camping Trip

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Camping can be a really cool fall activity for families with kids. In the summer, it's way too hot to take the kids out in the woods. In the winter, it's far too cold. But the fall, that's when the weather is most perfect to get out there and experience nature.

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There are so many fun things that kids and parents can do outdoors from fishing to camping to roasting marshmallows by the campfire.

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Find Some Music To Bond To

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When your children first begin to appreciate music, they most likely won't have the same taste that you do. They may love "Baby Shark" or "Let It Go" or even "How Far I'll Go" from the Disney movie Moana.

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But the fall may be the perfect time to introduce your kids to some music that you're interested in. There is always universally popular stuff like the Beatles or Beyonce. Or maybe you can get a little more adventurous with punk rock or jazz. Just play them what you like and see what happens.

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Go To A Football Game

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Former players can tell it's football season when you step outside in autumn and the fall air hits you in just the perfect way. Whether you played football at one point of just love it as a fan, there's plenty of fun to be had by going to a game.

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Don't have a professional team in the area? That doesn't matter at all. You can always find a close college that fields a team. And there will also be a full Friday or Saturday compliment of high school games to attend depending on your region.

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Participate In A Chili Cookoff

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Not only is the fall the season for football, pumpkin spice, and changing leaves, it is also the perfect season for chili. And plenty of towns, likely one close to you, will be holding their own chili cook-off.

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And while it's fun to visit a chili cook-off and sample the wares, it can be even more rewarding to enter the contest as a competitor. Why not teach your children how to make up a perfect batch and see how it measures up?

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Go Stargazing

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The night sky is beautiful in the summer, but the climate just isn't all that favorable. There are also great sky views in the wintertime, but it's just a bit too chilly to be outside. The best time to take a look at the night sky is during autumn.

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Doing a bit of stargazing during the fall represents the best of both worlds. Some of the most beautiful summer stars are still visible. While the dark will come earlier, the weather will offer the perfect opportunity to bundle up and sit outside.

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Visit a Farm Sanctuary

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Kids love to go see all the different animals that they read about and see on TV. Visiting a farm sanctuary is a way to let children get up close to farm animals while also teaching lessons in empathy.

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While at the farm, children will learn that unfortunately some animals have been abused in the past and need a new special home. But it will also uplift your kids by letting them know that there are kind people who help these animals too.

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Dress Up Like Superheroes

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When people think about the fall, they think about all the things they may be for Halloween. And just because your kids wear a costume on October 31st, that doesn't mean that's the only day they dress up.

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There's nothing more popular than superheroes right now. You kid may be into Marvel Comics or maybe the Incredibles. They may like something else from Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. Whatever they're into, there's never a wrong day to dress up as your favorite character.

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Play With Some Play-Doh

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The fall can typically be a time where you and your kids do a lot of arts and crafts. The weather has turned cold and there are fewer nice days. It's the perfect time to get into some of your children's favorite activities.

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One of the most enjoyable building toys out there is Play-Doh. And the kits have gotten more advanced than they were when we were younger. New kits can include molds for food, trains or cartoon characters.