29 Engaging Fall Activities for Kids

Every year as the seasons change, new activities and opportunities arise that are specific to this time of year.  Fall in many parts of the country comes with cooler temperatures, rain, changing colors and falling leaves, cleaning out the garden, and sweaters. Fall activities for kids are abundant when you start thinking about what you like to do in the fall.

After a hot summer, finding outdoor activities for fall can be fun.  After swimming suits and flip-flops, pulling out those cozy hoodies and sweaters and going outside in the fresh air can be refreshing.  Outdoor fall activities for kids don’t have to be expensive or complicated to be memorable and fun.

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Even if the seasons don’t change drastically where you live, there are seasonal things you can do to capture the joy of fall. Fall and back to school are often close together so if your kids are in school, they will likely also be adjusting to a new schedule and family routine. Adding in some fun fall activities for kids helps to make that transition easier and builds those family memories in the process.

Outdoor Fall Activities for Kids

1. Build a fire and gather your camp chairs for a marshmallow roast (if you don’t have a place for a fire, find a park with a day-use area and build a fire there)
2. Plan an outdoor picnic – bundle everyone up and make some warm chili or soup and head outside for a fall picnic.
3. Go on a camping trip – this time of year is perfect for camping because the campgrounds are much less busy and you will often still have good weather for a few more weeks.
4. Go for a drive in the country and look at the pretty fall colors. Give the kids your phone or a camera to take pictures of the beauty around them.
5. Walk in the leaves.
6. Collect leaves and press/dry them for crafts later on.
7. Visit a pumpkin patch, corn maze, or apple orchard and enjoy the bounty of the summer.
8. Find an outdoor service project your family can help with. If you need ideas, here are 35 Family Service Projects Ideas.
9. Do a family photo shoot. Taking pictures doesn’t have to be painful. Find a fun place for a backdrop and take lots of pictures. Then go home and look through them and choose which ones to print or share.
10. Go to the zoo. As the weather cools down, animals at the zoo are often more active and therefore more visible.
11. Look at the stars. Fall is a great time to do some star-gazing as there are several meteor showers that happen during the fall each year. Bundle up and find a dark place to look at the stars and see how many constellations you can identify together. Talk to your kids about how big God is and how He made the universe!
12. Make homemade apple sauce, apple pie, or some other apple recipes with fresh apples.
13. Do some potato printing to make some creative printed crafts.
14. Gather some fall flowers from your garden and try your hand at flower printing.
15. Plan a candlelight supper. Prepare a cozy meal and then turn off the lights and use only candles.
16. Have a family game night. Sit around the table with mess-less food and play a board game together as a family. If your children are too young to manage to eat and play at the same time, clear the supper dishes away and simply play a game together.
17. Go for a hike. Pack your water bottles, snacks, and binoculars, and go look for wildlife. Even if your hiking options are in the city, there are often birds, ducks, squirrels, and of course people. This fall activity for kids can be done every single day and your experience will vary depending on the weather, where you hike, what you see, etc.
18. Create a diorama using natural items such as sticks, leaves, rocks, etc. Pick a Bible story, or create a story to create your backdrop. Collect the items you need from your backyard, your hike, or where you go on a picnic, and come home and create your story.
19. Host an art show and create some nature art to share with grandparents or neighbors.
20. Fall is the perfect time to collect seeds and create some unique seed art pictures.
21. Pinecone crafts are easy to do in the fall as pinecones become available as they fall to the ground or at your local craft supply store.
22. Make play dough.
23. Get a head start on your homemade gifts by making some nature gifts that kids can make.
24. Make some pumpkin muffins.
25. Drink hot cocoa.
26. Sit by the fire and read a book together.
27. Create a scarecrow for the front porch. Stuff some clothes with crumpled-up newspaper and pose your new friend on the front porch.
28. Go on a “listening” walk and see how many different sounds you can hear.
29. Paint some rocks.
30. BONUS: Make homemade bread. There’s nothing that smells as good as fresh bread (in our house at least!)

Making Memories with Fall Activities for Kids

No matter what fall activities for kids you do, be intentional about building family memories every day. No matter your weather, no matter your budget, family time is crucial. Whether you do outdoor activities for fall, indoor activities for kids, or just spend time together having fun, those moments are treasures that will last a lifetime and help to build a strong relationship with your child.

Try one or all 30 of these fall activities for kids today!