Fall is packed with opportunities for family fun. Between cozy nights in and outdoor adventures to seek out the best fall foliage, there are countless activities that help parents and children spend time together and make the most of the season. Below, we’ll go over 25 of our favorite fall activities for kids and families.
Discover fall activities for families that create space for meaningful connections and lifelong memories!
Get Outside and Explore the Season
For children, fall isn’t just something you see from a window. It’s the unmistakable smell of rain, the sound of dead leaves crunching underfoot, the sight of bright colors from a forest trail, the feeling of a bumpy gourd in their hands, and the taste of a freshly picked apple. It’s a season that truly comes alive when you head outdoors.
Here are some of our favorite ways to experience the fall season outside with family.
1. Visit a Farmers Market
Local farmers markets are filled with seasonal produce, baked goods, and handmade items during the fall months. It’s a great chance to support local businesses, teach children where food comes from, and pick out ingredients for a family meal or baking project (more on this below!).
2. Go Leaf Peeping
The changing colors of autumn are one of the season’s biggest attractions. If you live in or near an area where the leaves change, plan a scenic drive, day trip, family hike, or a simple walk through a local park to take in the sights. Encourage children to identify trees by their leaves or point out their favorite colors along the way.
3. Go Apple Picking
A trip to the local apple orchard is a classic fall tradition for many families. In addition to picking your own apples, many orchards offer hayrides, play areas, farm animals, and seasonal festivals that make the outing perfect for children of all ages!
4. Go Pumpkin Picking
Scouring fields for the perfect pumpkin at your local farm is another fun fall family tradition. It can be interesting to see what children prefer: will they choose the shiny, spherical one; the warty gray pumpkin; the cute, fist-sized mini pumpkin; or the biggest one they can find?
Once everyone has chosen their favorite, it makes for an excellent photo opportunity, so your family can look back on that day at the pumpkin patch for years to come!
5. Get Lost in a Corn Maze
Corn mazes combine outdoor fun with a little problem-solving. Younger children may enjoy smaller family-friendly mazes, while older kids and teens often love the challenge of navigating larger ones.
6. Go on Evening Walks
Mild fall temperatures make it easy to spend time outdoors before winter arrives. Even a short walk around the neighborhood after dinner can create space for conversation and connection during busy weeks when families struggle to find larger blocks of time.
7. Go Camping
For families who can’t get enough of the outdoors, fall camping offers cooler weather and fewer crowds than summer. Whether you spend a weekend in a tent, rent a cabin, or simply camp in the backyard, camping is a fun way to unplug and spend quality time together.
Celebrate Fall Flavors
There’s so much more to fall flavors than just pumpkin spice. Baked apples, cinnamon, cider, and roasted vegetables all bring their own taste of autumn to the table. No matter what your family’s palate looks like, you can find something delicious to make together.
8. Make Caramel Apples
Homemade caramel apples are the perfect fall activity, especially if you’ve just picked your own apples at the orchard. Set up a toppings station with nuts, chocolate chips, sprinkles, or crushed cookies to let everyone customize their own treat!
9. Bake Seasonal Treats
Still have some leftover apples? Great! Put them to good use by baking pies, crisps, muffins, or other seasonal recipes.
10. Host a Fall Foods Night
In addition to sweet treats, there are plenty of fall foods that make for hearty dinner dishes. Set aside an evening to cook homemade soups or try roasting your favorite vegetables with fragrant thyme and rosemary, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Then for dessert, you can indulge in one of your favorite fall sweets!
These food-focused fall activities give children a chance to help in the kitchen while learning family recipes and cooking skills.
11. Brew Spiced Apple Cider
Nothing says fall quite like a hot cup of spiced apple cider. Pour cider into a pot with nutmeg, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, cloves, and allspice for a delicious treat that’s perfect for cozy evenings indoors.
Create Cozy Family Moments
With bellies full of delicious fall foods, nothing beats cozying up with a good book or movie as a family on a rainy fall day. Whether you’re escaping inclement weather or just want to wind down after a busy week, here are some ideas on how to best spend cozy fall days both indoors and out.
12. Have a Fall Movie Night
As temperatures cool and the sun sets earlier, movie nights become even more inviting. Pull out extra blankets, make popcorn, and choose a family favorite or a seasonal classic to enjoy together.
13. Enjoy a Rainy-Day Reading Session
Rainy fall afternoons are perfect for slowing down and reading a good book. Read aloud as a family, visit the library, or create a dedicated reading corner at home.
14. Start an Indoor Hobby
Fall is an ideal time to begin activities that can continue through winter. Knitting, crocheting, painting, drawing, crafting, and other creative hobbies help children build skills while spending time together.
15. Gather Around a Bonfire
Whether you’re in your backyard or at a community event, a bonfire creates a cozy setting for conversation, storytelling, and roasting marshmallows.
Prepare for Halloween Fun
As October approaches, preparing for Halloween is a fun way for families to embrace the holiday together. Whether your family enjoys spooky thrills or prefers pumpkins, crafts, and festive decorations, Halloween traditions can be tailored to children of any age. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
16. Carve or Paint Pumpkins
Pumpkin decorating is a fall tradition that allows every family member to express their creativity. Younger children may prefer painting, while older kids can help carve designs and display their jack-o’-lanterns outside or around the house.
Plus, you can use the insides to roast pumpkin seeds—just clean them off, sprinkle them with a bit of oil and salt, and stick them in the oven for a delicious fall treat!
17. Decorate for Halloween
Adding seasonal decorations is a fun way to get ready for Halloween. Your family can try making household Halloween crafts or spend a day trying to build your own homemade yard displays (for example, try stuffing some old clothing with newspaper, add a pointy hat and an old broomstick, and you’ve got yourself your very own backyard witch!).
18. Visit a Haunted House
For families with teens who love a good scare, haunted houses offer a fun, memorable spooky-season adventure. A family-friendly ghost tour is another option, depending on what’s near your home. Just be sure to choose an age-appropriate experience that matches your family’s comfort level!
Want to introduce young children to the less-scary side of Halloween? Read our blog post on the topic: How to Make Halloween Less Scary for Young Children.
Connect with Your Local Community
Fall is also a season of community. Local fairs, harvest celebrations, volunteer opportunities, and historical events bring neighbors together and offer families a chance to connect with the people and places around them. These experiences can help children develop a stronger sense of belonging while creating memories outside the home.
19. Attend a Local Harvest Festival or Fair
Many communities host seasonal festivals featuring rides, games, food, crafts, and entertainment. These activities offer an easy way to spend time together while celebrating local traditions.
20. Volunteer Together
For many people and cultures around the world, the fall season is associated with abundance and family connection. It’s also an opportunity to extend that spirit to others in your community. Volunteer at a community kitchen, participate in a food drive, rake leaves for an elderly neighbor, or support a local charitable organization.
Giving back as a family helps children build empathy, gratitude, and a broader understanding of how small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference.
21. Explore Local History
Visiting a historic center or participating in a local history tour can be an educational and meaningful fall activity. Many communities offer guided tours that help families learn more about the people and stories that shape their area.
Discover Fall Traditions from Around the World
One of the most rewarding parts of hosting an au pair is learning how families in other countries celebrate the changing seasons. Depending on where your au pair is from, it may be a different season back home, or their home country may not experience four distinct seasons at all. These differences can offer countless opportunities to learn, share traditions, exchange recipes, and discover new ways of connecting.
22. Share a Favorite Fall Tradition
Ask your au pair about a seasonal tradition from home. Whether it’s a harvest celebration or a special autumn activity, learning about another culture’s customs can inspire meaningful conversations and new family traditions.
23. Try an International Fall Recipe
Because fall is the harvest season for many countries across the globe, countless cultures celebrate with unique dishes and family feasts. Invite your au pair to teach your family a favorite autumn recipe from their home, then spend an evening cooking together and learning about the traditions behind the dish.
24. Read a Seasonal Story from Another Culture
Ask your au pair to recommend a seasonal story from their home country. Or, visit the library and look for children’s books that explore how other cultures celebrate the changing seasons. Reading together is a simple way to introduce children to different perspectives and traditions from around the world.
25. Learn About a Global Fall Celebration
From the Mid-Autumn Festival in China to Diwali in India and Día de los Muertos in Mexico, fall is filled with cultural celebrations across the globe. Learning about these traditions together can help children develop a broader understanding of the world.
Looking for even more ways to enjoy family time this season? Host an au pair with Au Pair in America®!
The best fall activities for kids are the ones that inspire family connection. Whether you’re spending a day at an apple orchard, baking together in the kitchen, attending a local festival, or learning about how your au pair celebrates the season, these moments help families strengthen relationships and create memories that can last for years to come.
For families hosting an au pair, fall can be especially rewarding. Along with providing flexible childcare support during the busy back-to-school season, au pairs bring their own traditions, recipes, and cultural perspectives to share with your family. Host an au pair with Au Pair in America® and watch as they turn familiar fall activities into meaningful opportunities for cultural exchange.
