Did you know that prioritizing time spent with family members can actually benefit your mental health? Unfortunately, with back-to-school, fall activities, and shorter days, finding time to spend with your family can be difficult. We have compiled a list of some of the best recommendations for affordable, engaging, fun family activities for you and your loved ones to try out this fall.
Why is Family Time Important?
Incorporating designated family time into your schedule is crucial for your child’s development and to have time to relax within your busy schedule. According to Rosanna Snee, a licensed marriage and family therapist, spending time together as a family builds trust and positively impacts well-being. She writes that, “spending that quality time together gives your children a safe platform in which to express themselves, ask questions about things that are bothering them, or talk about their day and things they’ve learned.”
Here are some fun and engaging activities to help you and your family spend quality time together this fall.
For the Great Outdoors:
Go for a Walk or Hike
As the fall arrives in full force, we are treated to one of nature’s prettiest displays: colorful fall leaves. Going for a walk or a hike with your family can be relaxing, refreshing, and just plain beautiful. Taking your family out to walk amongst the warm orange, yellow, red, and brown leaves will leave you feeling your best.
Make a Leaf Pile
If you want to clean up your yard and occupy the kids for a of couple hours, why not make a leaf pile? Have your kids help you rake all the leaves together and then have fun jumping around in the mound of yellow, orange, and red. You’ll get to spend some quality time together while accomplishing your yardwork.
Build a Scarecrow
Instead of buying a scarecrow from your local craft store, make one of your own! Send your kids into the yard to collect materials, including leaves, sticks, rocks, acorns, and other natural items. You can repurpose old clothing, stuffing your too-small t-shirts and torn jeans with the collected leaves and sticks, and using rocks and sticks to shape your scarecrow’s body. Top it off with a jack-o-lantern or painted pumpkin head and set your scarecrow outside for the neighborhood to admire!
For the Chillier Days When You Want to be Inside:
Build an Indoor Fort for Movie Night
When it’s too chilly for outdoor activities, bring the fun inside and build a fort! Use chairs, blankets, pillows — anything you can find to create a warm, comfortable tent in your home. After you’ve got everything set up, bring in some snacks and books and spend the afternoon reading together in your cozy new spot.
Family Game Night
After a long day at school or work, sometimes a classic family game night is all you need to help you unwind. Collect any games from around the house and have a competition to see how can win the most. Or maybe you want to split up into teams and play charades. Or, if you’re feeling extra creative, create your own games!
For example, using a few plastic bottles and a ball, you can create your own indoor bowling alley. Whatever you choose to play, you’re sure to keep everyone entertained throughout the night.
Put on a Show
If your kids are particularly theatrical, you could help them put on a play. They can make their own costumes using dress-up clothes or everyday wear, creating characters and a storyline to perform. Hang up a sheet, dim the lights, and you’ve got yourself a stage! Let your little ones entertain you as you sit back and relax.
For Your Crafty Kiddos:
Carve and Paint Pumpkins
Fall is the perfect time to take out your creativity on some fruit, or pumpkins more specifically. You can easily find them at your local farm stand or grocery store. Using child-safe carving tools, your older kids can scoop out the guts of the pumpkin and create their own jack-o-lantern. For your little ones, you can get some acrylic paint for them to create their own masterpiece across their pumpkins.
If your family does end up carving, remember to save and wash the seeds; you can add a little salt and roast them in the oven for a great snack! Here is a recipe to keep in mind when you do so.
Make Your Own Halloween Costumes
With Halloween just days away, it’s the perfect time to make your own costumes! Using old clothes and craft supplies from around your home, have your kids come up with their own characters to dress up as.
With a plaid shirt, jeans, a wide-brim hat, and some straw, they could be a scarecrow! Or, if you have an old headband and some felt, they can create some cat ears and a tail, a classic costume. With just some simple art supplies and your wardrobe, your kiddos can be the craftiest trick-or-treaters on the block!
Create a Fall Leaf Wreath
Another fun craft to do with your family is creating a wreath of fall leaves to hang on your front door. Take a walk outside and tell your little ones to pick up their favorite fallen leaves, between 20 to 40 of them.
Take them home and cut out a donut-shaped piece of craft paper (a circle with a hole in the middle). Have your kids glue as many of the leaves as they want onto the circle, creating a colorful, fall-themed wreath. Glue a piece of ribbon or string to the back and hang it somewhere in or around your home. This project allows your kids to get outside for a bit, and then create something that everyone can admire for the rest of the season.
For Autumn Snack Time:
Bake a Fall-Themed Treat
As the weather cools down, baking a warm, sweet treat is a great way to make the most of time spent inside. Baking allows you to teach your little ones about cooking, time management, and patience, all ending up with a tasty reward. What could be better?
One of the easiest and best recipes to make during the autumn is pumpkin bread, a sweet, spiced loaf that’s best served warm. Another option are cinnamon crackle cookies, which will quickly become a fan favorite in anyone’s home. Your baked goods might not last for long, but the memories you make will stick around forever.
Make S’mores
S’mores are traditionally a summer snack but making them in the fall is arguably better. You can cozy up next to a warm fire and fill up on the sticky, sweet, chocolaty treats. If it’s too cold outside, you could even make them in your fireplace or microwave. While you’re making s’mores, you can tell stories around the campfire or point out different constellations in the night sky.
Cook a Warm Meal Together
Another way to spend more time with your kids in the fall is to involve them in the cooking process. Have them pick a warm meal, take them to the store to purchase ingredients, and make it together at home. By giving them age-appropriate tasks, you can teach them about the cooking process and kitchen safety, all while preparing a tasty meal to share. Using in-season ingredients, you can make an affordable and nutritious butternut squash soup or a turkey chili.
Conclusion
In 2023, The Pew Research Center reported that 73% of Americans consider “spending time with family” to be one of the most important aspects of their life. By integrating family time into your schedule, you can strengthen your bonds and build a safe space for your children to express themselves.
Understanding the importance of family time can help you better arrange your schedule to focus on treasured relationships. If you are looking for new opportunities to spend time together outside of your home, check out our Family Success Centers, which offer game nights, craft nights, reading groups, book clubs, and other forms of entertainment for all ages.
“When my son was little and only recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, we struggled with finding opportunities for family activities that were welcoming and supportive of his special needs," said Tatsiana DaGrosa, associate site director for the Oceanside II Family Success Center. "One of our absolute favorite memories from that time was attending a fall craft event at a Family Success Center (FSC) in a nearby town. Community-based organizations, like FSCs, help build and support crucial elements of family units and promote parent-child bonding in a fun, safe, and stimulating space for children and families.”
Remember, fall is a great time to wind down and spend quality time with your loved ones before the holiday season starts up. Whether you choose to get outside and go for a hike, or stay in and cook with your kiddos, take a second to appreciate and enjoy your time together. Have fun, and happy fall!
Feeling overwhelmed with your family's calendar? Check out our recent blog on organizing your busy schedule together!
About the Author
Riley de Jong, Communications Strategist at Acenda, attended the University of California – Los Angeles for her undergraduate degree in Communication and minor in Entrepreneurship. She enjoys supporting her community, telling engaging stories, and connecting with others.
Sources:
Why Spending Time With Your Family Is Important (And How To Do So) - LifeHack
Americans see family time as one of the most important things in life | Pew Research Center
65 Fun Fall Family Activities (with Check List!) (whatdowedoallday.com)