Our Five Favorite Fall Activities

Every season has its perks and fun activities, but fall is by far our favorite. The weather is still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors without wearing cumbersome layers, yet cool enough to exert yourself without feeling like you’re melting. Though there are myriad activities we enjoy in fall, these are our five favorites.

1. Hiking in the Fall Foliage

The fall foliage is rather incredible in New England, and one of the best ways to take in the beautiful colors is to hike in the woods. This is an easy activity for kids of all ages, and can be made more fun by having a scavenger hunt for different kinds/colors of leaves. My sister and I loved making “leaf books” when we were little. We’d collect the most beautiful leaves, press them between the pages of a book piled under many more heavy books. After a week or so, we’d pull them out and our mom would help us iron them in between two sheets of wax paper. We’d then make covers for our books out of construction paper and staple the leaf pages inside. It was a fun craft and a great way to learn how to identify different types of leaves.

2. Camping

We love camping almost any time of year, but the fall brings with it some exceptionally nice perks. The days are cool, so hiking is more comfortable. The nights are even cooler, which makes for perfect campfire conditions. There’s nothing like the crackling sound and smoky smell of a fire, a crisp breeze, and the taste of s’mores.

3. Attending/Racing in the Head of the Charles Regatta

The Head of the Charles Regatta is the largest two-day rowing event in the world. People from across the globe travel to Boston to test their mettle on this race course. Hands down, I prefer to race, but it’s been three years since I last had the opportunity to climb in a boat and compete.

Though it’s not as exciting as racing, Kendra and I both love to watch the regatta. During our coaching days, we relished watching our crews compete – nowadays we enjoy cheering on our former teams. Addie has grown up watching us coach, hanging out with us in our coaching launches, and spending days at regattas, so even she seems to find it fun to watch a bunch of narrow boats cruise down the twists of the Charles River.

Addie cheering on crews at the Head of the Charles Regatta

The pumpkin I carved last fall.

4. All Things Pumpkin

Pumpkin carving. Baking pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie. Pumpkin lattes. Pumpkin smoothies. Fall means pumpkins. In our house, we love decorating for the holidays, so when October comes, we go a bit pumpkin-wild. I carve them, Addie paints them, and Kendra puts them all over the house. Every time she comes home from the grocery store, she has another bag of tiny pumpkins and decorative gourds.

As a child, my mom would help my siblings and me roast the pumpkin seeds after we carved jack-o-lanterns. Now, we do the same with Addison. She totally digs this healthy, crunchy snack.

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]Want to roast your own seeds? It’s easy! After carving your pumpkin, use cold water to rinse the pulp from the seeds. Soak the seeds overnight in water and salt. Spritz some olive oil or non-stick spray onto a cookie sheet, spread the seeds into a single layer, sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp. Enjoy!

Pumpkin seeds make a tasty, healthy snack – packed with zinc and antioxidants.[/box]

5. Visiting a Local Farm

Warm cider donuts. Apple picking. Hay rides. Animals. Pumpkins. GMO-free fruits and veggies. What’s not to love about visiting a farm in the fall? We try to go at least once a week – it’s a great way to get outside with Addison, Evan, and Kate, and as far as activities go, it’s relatively inexpensive.

These are just five of our favorite activities. We also love canoeing, orienteering, playing in piles of leaves, and anything else that gets us outside. What are your favorite activities?

More Ideas for Fall Fun!

Looking for more great ideas? Check out the favorites of my fellow #Outdoorfamilies bloggers:

• Adventure Tykes – Fall Picnics and Camping
• Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies – Summer’s Over – Now What? 10 Ways to Enjoy the Late Autumn Season
• Wild Tales of… growing-up in a world of adventure – Built-in Adventures: Experiencing Fall on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail in Carnation, WA
• Mommy Hiker – Mommy Hiker’s Fall Activity Guide
• The Kid Project – Seize the Fall Season
• On the Beaten Path – Autumn Adventures
• Bring the Kids – Fall Photo Hike