Family Fall Fun!

The kids are back in school.  The sandals and swimsuits have been packed away.  And the warm days filled with summertime fun are now a memory.  If you’re like me, you’re feeling a bit sad about that.  The change of seasons means that bare trees and icy roads will soon be upon us.  But let’s not overlook autumn when there’s a chill in the air, the leaves are starting to fall, and pumpkins and apples are everywhere.  It’s a beautiful time of year to enjoy outdoor activities, fresh foods, and gathering as a family.  Here are some fall activities you can do to keep your family occupied until the holidays roll around.

1. Visit a local farm market, apple orchard, or pumpkin patch

There’s always plenty to do: pick apples, drink cider and eat donuts, go on a hayride, find your way out of a corn maze.

2. Have your kids help you carve/decorate a pumpkin

Give younger children markers to make marks and designs on the pumpkin.  Older kids can use safety cutters to carve a face.  Don’t worry if it’s not perfect!  The goal is to spend time together and have fun.

3. Bake cookies together

Let you kids help you measure and pour the ingredients, mix the batter, and put the dough on the cookie sheet.  Then enjoy a warm cookie with a glass of milk.  Or teach your child about giving and sharing by taking a plate of cookies to a neighbor.

4. Take a walk or bike ride together

Collect pine cones and colorful leaves, watch for squirrels and other wildlife, jump on a pile of crunchy leaves, describe the things you see ( for example: yellow leaves, red apples, big pumpkins).

5. Curl up under a warm blanket and read a favorite book with your child
6. Make  pumpkin pie play dough

Mix together one 15 ounce can of pumpkin and 3 T. of pumpkin pie spice.  Slowly add 2-3 cups of corn starch, ½ a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.  You may need to add more or less cornstarch depending on the brand of pumpkin you use.  Once the dough reaches the desired consistency, knead it with your hands.  Now you’re ready to have fun rolling, cutting, making shapes with cookie cutters, etc.  Let your kids’ imaginations go wild.

7. Take time for yourself

After everyone is in bed, enjoy a pumpkin spice latte or hot apple cider, take a warm bath, read a magazine or book, or do something else that you enjoy.

8. Come up with a list of things you are grateful for (and have your kids contribute, too)

Sometimes we’re so busy we forget to stop and take stock of the good things in our lives.  It’s not always easy to do, but taking the time to count your blessing, big and small, can increase your happiness and well-being

So enjoy time with your family this fall and be grateful for

all the fun it brings!

Holly Nichols is a School Psychologist and Early Interventionist with the Ionia ISD