5 Quality Family Activities to Enjoy During Autumn

Autumn is a season when you can spend more quality time together as a family. Shorter days mean that the kids are home earlier, and cooler weather invites everyone to spend more time indoors.

Try some of these ideas as inspiration for wholesome family activities this fall:

1. Have a fall fun day. If you have younger children, plan a day to just experience the season together.

• You might start out by raking leaves, collecting and bagging them and moving them to the curb for pick-up. Encourage the kids to collect leaves of various sizes and colors.

• Point out the sights and smells of autumn in your yard and community. This activity has all sorts of benefits: outdoor physical activity, elements of cooperation and responsibility, and plenty of communication.

2. Visit your local pumpkin patch or farm. Especially if you have younger children, they'll be delighted to experience the sights, textures, and smells of agriculture.

• Let each of the kids select a pumpkin or two for the fall holidays. Grab some decorative gourds to bring the sights of autumn into the house. Add some cinnamon or apple pie potpourri wafting in the air, and you'll help the entire family get into the spirit of fall.

3. Enjoy fall-focused dinners. Encourage family members to work together to prepare a favorite fall meal. Even little ones can participate by setting tables, stirring ingredients together and serving a favorite food.

• Corn on the cob, fall squash, potatoes and a favored entrée can help create memorable traditions around fall dining. Dessert can be pumpkin or apple pie or other seasonal family favorites.

• Provide art materials for the kids to make autumn-related placemats or place cards.

• Preparing and enjoying a special meal together gives every family member a chance to participate. It also makes great opportunities for communication to enhance your family relationships.

4. Hold a story night. With the fireplace going and everyone sipping hot chocolate and snacking on their favorite goodies, fall is a perfect time to enjoy reading together.

• Find a book that everyone in the family will enjoy. Harry Potter can be a great place to start, but there are many other options, too.

• Have everyone take turns reading a few pages or a whole chapter.

• Holding story night one evening a week is a wonderful way for your family to re-connect, relax and enjoy each other's company.

5. Spice up your movie night. Do a little initial research by finding movies that have family-friendly plots or storylines that stimulate family discussions.

• Some examples include: What About Bob, Pay It Forward, Freaky Friday, Kung Fu Panda, and Finding Nemo.

• This is another activity where you might allow the kids to take turns selecting. However, if you're seeking movies with morals or special messages, you might want to help "steer" the children's selections by providing the names of 3 or 4 movies and letting the kids choose from among those.

Take advantage of the incredible opportunities that autumn offers for making memories with your children. Whether you go for a family outing together or just gather for an old-fashioned movie night, you can spend more quality time with your family this fall!

Go and grow! 

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