Six Outdoor Autumn Activities

Autumn is my favorite time of the year.  It is such a vibrant season full of rich colours, crisp weather, and a great time to get outside as a family – it is not too cold, not too hot, and nature puts on a colorful show for everyone of all ages to enjoy.

The best part of all these activities is that they are inexpensive or even free and gentle on the environment. Enjoying what nature has to offer is can be so rewarding, and a great gift to your kids.

Here are six fun autumn activities.

Apple picking. Autumn is apple season and it is the only time of year you are able to pick apples right off the trees! This is a great way to get outside and enjoy the weather. My favorite part is picking an apple and eating it immediately- so juicy, sweet and delicious. This year, just watching little E run up and down the orchard was reason enough to go, and seeing her munch on a full size apple was just the cutest thing.

Visit a pumpkin patch. Just like apple picking, finding the perfect pumpkin is so important, and a great outdoor activity. Of course, you must pick the biggest pumpkin you can find to impress your neighbors. The kids will have fun running around and finding their perfect pumpkin for carving.

Jump in a big pile of freshly racked leaves. This was one of my all-time favorite things to do during the fall. I am not so sure my parents liked it after they racked, but for me, it brought so much joy! Sometimes we would hide in the leaves, or asked to be covered by them all.

Take an autumn nature walk. Heading out into nature is a great way to soak up this colorful season and enjoy the outdoors before cold weather sets in. A walk in the woods gives kids an opportunity to witness the changing landscape up close, and collect some odd shaped leaves. After collecting them, come home and made some crafts!

Visit a local farm or farmers market. There are so many different fruits and vegetables in season during the fall- squash, apples, pumpkins, potatoes etc. So why not go and enjoy some delicious produce. I remember last year we received 2 squash a week on our CSA basket. We ate lots of soup, and spaghetti squash. I am personally all squashed out and am afraid to bring one home. It may get thrown at my head.

Plant a tree. The best time to plant a tree is late winter, early spring or autumn. This can be a fun activity to show kids how to care for living thing and a tree is something that will grow with them throughout the years.