Five Fun Fall Activities for the Whole Family

School is in session, and between homework and extracurricular activities, family time can be hard to find in the fall. But autumn is ripe with opportunities to spend fun time together and sneak in a little fitness, too. Read on for some of our favorite fall activities that are perfect for the whole family.

Fun Fall Activities for the Whole Family

• Seasonal Favorites
  Pumpkin patches and corn mazes are just the start of your autumn activity options. Look for events in your community or seek out hayrides, apple orchards, and festivals. Look for ones that fit your family’s interests, such as love of music or being outdoors. You can spend the day enjoying each other’s company doing something unique to the season. Besides, when something only happens once a year, even reluctant teens and tweens are apt to partake, especially if you mention the apple cider.
• Plan a Park Day
  The park is an excellent choice for family fun and fitness any time of the year, but fall offers a particularly strong lineup of activities. An open lawn is perfect for a game of touch football, soccer, or catch for the athletes in your family, and the windy fall weather is ideal for flying – and running with – a kite. Make a full day of it when you bring bikes and a picnic of energy-boosting snacks and healthy lunches. Find some of our favorite hikes for little hikers or check out these Lake County Frest Preserves with playgrounds.
• Make a Family Meal
  Autumn may be the start of comfort food season, but there’s plenty of fun to be found in fall recipes paired with outings. Start by bringing the whole family to the farmers market to pick out fresh fall produce. Head to the orchard and pick your own apples and make them into tasty treats.

• Hunt for Crafts
  Fall weather can be a tad chilly but generally still nice, so crafting can be the perfect middle-ground endeavor: an indoor activity with lots of outdoor involvement. Plus, with so much nature to use, it’s economical too. Visit your favorite park, take a walk in the woods or explore your own backyard to scavenge for colorful leaves, pine cones, and other interesting bits of nature. Let your children loose – the outside adventure will help them expend some energy before sitting down to craft. Bring your haul home and set to work with rubbings and prints for a range of crafts, from cards and placemats to garlands.
• Leverage the Lawn
  Yard work is a sneakily fun and fit autumnal activity. There is, of course, the work of changing the decorations – including those recently made fall crafts. You can also recruit your family to rake leaves, allowing plenty of time for leaf jumping. Then, use the leaves and twigs — and maybe even wood chopped by mom or dad — as bonfire fodder. S’mores are the perfect treat after a day’s work.

Sneaking in some family time amongst the busy schedules will be worth the fun memories it creates!

What’s your favorite fall activity? Tell us in the comments and find more Fall Fun in Lake County.