Fall is here, and the temps are cooling down. The kids are back to school and we are on the cusp of the busy holiday season. Once again, schedules are going to get hectic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t spend more time together as a family this fall. Make it a point to block out a day on the weekend for some family fun.
Check out 20 ways to spend time as a family this fall season:
Everybody loves family movie night. Typically, there is a theme like all the movies in a series or even a certain genre.
There are all kinds of fall chores that need to be done to prepare for the colder months ahead. Get together as a family and work on those chores together. Outdoor chores include raking leaves, cleaning gutters and downspouts, storing patio furniture, and bringing in plants. (Indoor chores include checking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, cleaning vents and replacing filters, checking fire hydrants, cleaning humidifiers, and washing linens.)
Cook a cozy, comforting meal together. We all know that family dinner time is important, so make it more special by preparing a meal together. Think meatloaf and mashed potatoes, cozy casseroles, and comforting soups. You could even try a recipe or two that you’ve never made before to shake things up. It can be as extravagant or as simple as you wish.
There is nothing like the smell of baked goods in the oven in the fall. It’s the perfect antidote to the chilly, fall weather and always makes our homes smell so amazing. Gather your family for a day of baking together. We immediately think of fall flavors like pumpkin spice and caramel apple, but you can choose any flavor. Make a variety of things like cookies, whoopie pies, and cinnamon rolls.
Create your own family book club. Since fall is a prime reading season, have your kids make a list of books they would like to read. Then choose one a month to read and discuss. You can access books in so many ways these days, so let everyone choose their preferred method of reading (print, e-book, or audio). To make discussion easier, choose books that have discussion questions at the end or see if you can find a list of questions relating to the book online to talk about.
Get a whiteboard or bulletin board and hang it where everyone in the family can see it. Buy either dry-erase markers or post-it notes and push pins. Each week, have everyone write what they are thankful for so everyone can see it. Then on Friday nights at dinner, talk about your week and the things you are grateful for.
Go online and look up recipes for homemade fall-scented Playdough and whip up a batch or two. Then break out the fun factory and accessories and unleash your inner child. Another idea is to make homemade fall-scented slime. Fall-scented DIY candles and homemade body products (lotion, sugar scrub, etc) are also fun ideas to make as a family.
Go old school and break out your board games. These are a great way to spend time as a family while having some friendly competition. If you know another family who likes to play board games, compare what you have and let each other borrow a game you don’t own for a weekend. This way, your options will stay fresh and interesting. You could also gather on the couch for a game of charades.
Another option is to call around to your local used bookstores and comic stores. Sometimes people can go in and pay a small fee to use the collection of board and card games they have.
Coloring is not only fun, but it’s also great for helping with anxiety and depression. Break out the coloring books, crayons, and colored pencils and color to your heart’s content. This is a great way to spend some quiet time with family and just “be."
Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day, it’s also cheaper than going out to lunch or dinner. Get up early on a Saturday morning and head to your favorite breakfast joint. Don’t forget to keep an eye out online, in your email, and also your snail mail for coupons. You can also go directly to the website and see if there are any specials going on as well. Enjoy the restaurant's fall specials, like pumpkin pancakes or pumpkin spice coffee.
Salty and savory snacks are just as yummy as baked goods. Look up some recipes for different flavored popcorn or try to create your own flavor. This could be a contest among family members. Who makes the most unique popcorn flavor?
You could also look up recipes for snack mixes, trail mixes, homemade jerky, and homemade potato chips. One of my favorite salty snacks that I make is taco crackers.
Make a list of places you would like to volunteer at and then call around to make sure there aren’t any age stipulations. Then choose one place to volunteer each weekend. This way, everyone in the family will have time to serve at their chosen charity, nonprofit, or shelter.
Go online and pick out some crafts you would like to make as a family. This could be something you could hang in your windows, use as a centerpiece, or even as a placeholder for the upcoming holiday season. Then spend the day relaxing and creating together.
Do some research and see if there are any fall festivals in your town or neighboring towns. If so, spend the day together as a family. There will be lots of things to see and do, and it will do you good to be out in the crisp, fall air.
S’mores are a staple in the fall, so fire up the bonfire or fire pit and gather ‘round. However, you don’t always have to make the traditional graham cracker, marshmallow, and Hershey bar kind. There are tons of variations online.
I have seen s’mores made with horizontal slices of granny smith apples with caramel melted in the middle. Chocolate chip cookies with marshmallows and a chocolate bar melted in the middle. And s’mores made with chocolate graham crackers, peppermint patties, and marshmallows in the middle. There are lots of delicious variations, so have fun. You could even make several kinds and have friends over to enjoy after family dinner.
16. Sleep under the stars
Pitch a tent or two and sleep under the stars one night as a family. Sit around the fire pit and talk, admire the moon and the stars, and thank God for his creation. Slow down and enjoy the surrounding nature.
17. Build a scarecrow
Gather up supplies to make a scarecrow together. You could even split into two teams and see who makes the best scarecrow.
18. Plant some bulbs
Take some time to get your garden in order for spring. Kids will love helping dig holes and planting bulbs, pulling weeds, etc. Let them go to the store with you and pick out what color bulbs they would like to plant.
19. Go on a picnic
Seek out a park or another area with beautiful scenery and go on a picnic together. It will be nice spending quality time together without interruption and food always tastes better when you are outside.
20. Go bowling with pumpkins
Set up some liter bottles in your driveway or backyard and use a pumpkin as a bowling ball for some family fun.
There are many ways to spend time as a family this fall. So start making plans to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/SrdjanPav