It’s time to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall again. Fall is a wonderful time of year because the temperatures are mild, the foliage is beautiful, and there are plenty of opportunities for play! Here are 30 ideas to kick off fall the playful way.
1. Go apple picking, and then make this delicious apple cinnamon fruit leather by Baked by Rachel.
2. Enjoy those milder temperatures with a game of outdoor basketball or flag football.
3. Go on an evening walk together and find a good spot to watch the sun set.
4. These chalkboard pumpkins make a great front porch decoration for the season, and they double as a fun draw-a-face activity for the kids! Grab the supplies and do this fun project together this weekend.
5. Labor Day is September 5th. Use the day off to make one of these Labor Day crafts from SheKnows.
6. Build a fire and roast marshmallows or make S’mores. It’s the perfect occasion to cozy up and tell stories!
7. This leaf matching game from Smiling Like Sunshine is a fun activity for little tots.
8. How about a game of Twister? A giant version on the lawn? What a great party game, or a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon. Instructions at Instructables.
9. How long has it been since you played with paper dolls? Find lots of options at Printable Paper Dolls and have fun!
10. Play hide and seek!
More play ideas on page 2...
11. Make a holiday countdown paper chain all the way to Christmas. Include a big orange loop with a pumpkin face for Halloween, a brown loop with turkey feathers for Thanksgiving, and a red loop decorated for Christmas.
21. Check out this video on how to make no-bake playdough and then have a blast with it.
11. Make a holiday countdown paper chain all the way to Christmas. Include a big orange loop with a pumpkin face for Halloween, a brown loop with turkey feathers for Thanksgiving, and a red loop decorated for Christmas.
12. Pretend play train station.
13. Make a fall sensory tub for your little one to explore. Little Bins for Little Hands has plenty of ideas.
14. Make this quick and easy homemade moon sand from Nifty Mom. This is great to use as a dig site for all those construction toys.
15. Visit your local zoo or aquarium.
16. Give the kids some hands-on cooking experience and play time all wrapped in one. Pretend your home is a fancy restaurant and the children are the cooks and servers. Check out our kids' kitchen page for our favorite recipes!
17. Play hopscotch or one of these other classic sidewalk games.
18. Pretend play detectives and make clues for the kids to follow.
19. Act out a favorite book, like We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
20. Gather in a circle and tell your kids epic adventure stories. There should definitely be popcorn involved.
More play ideas on page 3...
21. Check out this video on how to make no-bake playdough and then have a blast with it.
22. Make these easy pasta stamps from Hands On As We Grow.
23. Visit your local children’s museum and see what’s new.
24. Write a comic strip together.
25. Need a laugh? Read a joke book, or try Ducksters for silly jokes online.
26. Make papier mache bowls, like these from Happy Hooligans.
27. Pretend play toy store.
28. Make a race track for toy cars with painter’s tape and have a race!
29. Use empty water bottles and a ball and go bowling in the hallway.
30. Make coffee filter leaves. Activities for Kids shows you how.