Autumn is the season for exciting things like falling leaves, pumpkins, apples, acorns, and many more. It’s also the season for fun holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Whether indoors or outdoors, there are countless activities your kids can do during the season.
Make this year’s autumn extra special by trying these simple yet exciting fall activities for preschoolers.
Jump on a Pile of Leaves
Autumn is best known as the season of falling leaves. If the leaves in your backyard start piling up, why not use them for a fun activity with your kids?
Begin by raking a pile of leaves into a safe location. Make sure to remove long and sharp branches, sticks, and twigs. Once you’re done, let your kids jump on the pile you made. Your kids will surely enjoy running around and playing with these colorful fallen leaves. This activity allows them to connect with nature in an exciting way.
Have an Autumn-Themed Scavenger Hunt
Savor the notes of autumn with an outdoor scavenger hunt! Get your buckets and shovels ready as you look for autumn-themed items in your list. Ask your kids to search for fall-related items like acorns, leaves, rocks, birds, pine cones, and squirrels. Try to find as many items as you can, and mark them once you find them.
Hand your kids a set of photos or flashcards of items connected to fall, along with a map and a marker. Let them roam around your backyard or your neighborhood for the things on their list. This exercise helps them explore their surroundings and discover what the season has to offer.
Ride a Bike Outdoors
With a new season comes new trails. Autumn is the perfect season for strolling around using your bike. Put on a helmet and get your kid’s feet on the pedals as they discover new sights in their neighborhood. Not only does it help the environment, but it also gives your kids a full sensory experience of autumn.
The right location can make a huge difference to their biking experience. Choose a spot that’s away from cars and traffic so there’s a lesser chance of accidents. Your kids can start with flat trails to help them get used to the sensation. Have them look forward to something by selecting a destination while biking, like a picnic place, a playground, or a landmark.
Participate in a Turkey Trot
Turkey trots make a fun outdoor activity for the entire family in celebration of Thanksgiving. They have a lot of fun themes and various running distances that your kids can choose from. Your kids can dress up as turkeys and run short-distance races. Not only that, but they can also win cool prizes such as shirts, caps, pies, and even live turkeys.
Sign up your entire family if your neighborhood hosts one. You can also browse the Active website for turkey trots near you. If there’s none, then you can arrange one yourself. Call your kid’s friends and hold a small turkey run in your backyard or at a park. Make sure to give treats to the kids after the run.
Clean Up Leaves Outside
During autumn, leaves, twigs, and other things can pile up on the ground. Leaving them on the street can cause problems later on. Turn this into a learning opportunity by picking up trash and litter outside with your kids.
You can volunteer at a cleanup drive near you, or you can organize your own. Schedule a cleanup with your kid’s friends in a nearby park, at school, or around the neighborhood. This instills in them good habits like taking their trash to the bin and encouraging others not to litter. It also teaches kids how to take care of the planet in their own simple way.
Read Autumn Books With Your Kids
Seasons come and go, but reading never goes out of season! Autumn is a great time to catch up on your kids’ reading. And the best part? You can do it wherever you want. Set up a hammock, sit under a tree, or read with a warm drink on the sofa—you can choose whichever works for your kids.
There are a lot of books that you can read along with your kids. If you’re looking for fall-themed books, we have a couple of suggestions:
- Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
- Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Park
- Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
- We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger
- The Autumn Visitors by Karel Hayes
Create a Fall-Themed Sensory Bottle
Looking for new toys for your toddler? Try making them this colorful fall-themed sensory bottle. This makes a great sensory play activity, as it’s filled with interesting shapes and objects that will catch your kid’s eyes. They will also enjoy shaking and rolling the bottle around.
To make this, you simply need to fill a bottle with water and add fall-themed trinkets. You can use glitter, faux candy corn, little spider toys, and Jack o Lantern erasers for a fun-filled sensory bottle. Once you’re done, hand the bottle over to your kid and let them play to their heart’s content.
Bake a Pumpkin Pie
Are the kids hungry? Savor the flavors of autumn with a delicious serving of pumpkin pie for dessert. You can find simple recipes online and ask your kids to help in the kitchen. Let your kid stir the ingredients in a bowl and pour the filling over the crust. Make sure to look after them while doing this so they don’t make a mess.
This activity will surely be a rewarding experience for your kids as they learn how to make food from scratch. It teaches them necessary cooking skills and helps them better appreciate the food they eat.
Do Autumn Crafts With Your Kids
Fill your house with shades of red, yellow, and orange with fall-themed arts and crafts projects. You can create a masterpiece using materials that uniquely represent the season such as colored leaves, acorns, apples, and colorful papers.
Unleash your kid’s inner artist as they make leaf prints, squishy play doughs, and stunning suncatchers. Once they’re done, they can hang their works on a wall or fridge.
Don’t know where to start? We got you covered! Here are seven cool autumn craft ideas that you can try with your kids.
Make Caramel Apples
Looking for more sweet treats this autumn? Try making caramel apples with your kids! This dessert has a sweet and refreshing flavor that your kids will surely love. Plus, it’s super easy to make this dessert. You simply need to cut whole apples into thick slices, coat them in caramel, and put them on a stick.
What’s more, your kids can top these candies with the treats they like. Prepare a muffin tin and fill them with an assortment of toppings. Let them choose whichever they like such as chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, candy corn bits, crushed graham crackers, and cinnamon chips.
Savor the Season With Fall-Themed Activities For Kids
Fall provides a lot of exciting opportunities for activities both inside and outside your house. Make the most out of the season with these ten fun-filled fall activities for your little ones.
For more kid-friendly activities and child development tips, check out the Rayito de Sol blog.
