The Ultimate List of Fall Outdoor Activities For Kids
Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved Fall. The changing leaves are always gorgeous, the seasonal treats are delicious, and the holidays are right around the corner!
But, I also love Fall because we get a break from the sometimes unbearable Summer heat. And when you have small children, the cooler weather means you can stay outside for longer. That’s where these Fall outdoor activities for kids come in!
Our family loves to get outside as much as possible, so I always try to stay prepared with plenty of outdoor activities for my son. And the changing seasons mean different kinds of activities to try out.
This list of Fall outdoor activities for kids is full of simple, low-prep activities that kids of all ages will love. Plus, these activities are budget-friendly because most of them require things you likely already have!
Let’s get started!
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1. Make Leaf Rubbings
Making leaf rubbings is a simple craft your children can do outside or inside! For this activity, you’ll need leaves, thin or lightweight paper, and crayons or oil pastels. Here’s what to do:
- Start by collecting leaves. You can use any leaves, fresh from the tree or fallen and dried. Also, encourage your kids to collect different shapes and sizes so they can create multiple different patterns on their pictures.
- Once your child collects the leaves they want, help them position the leaves with the bottom sides facing up. Arrange the leaves in a pattern about the size of the paper they’ll use.
- Position the thin or lightweight paper over the leaves. Focusing on one leaf at a time, have your child hold down part of the leaf with one hand and gently run the crayon or pastel over the leaf.
- Repeat step 3 on all of the leaves under the paper. Don’t be afraid to use different colors to make a beautiful picture!
2. Go Apple Picking
Apple picking is a win-win Fall outdoor activity because it gets everyone outside while picking yummy produce! Most apples are in season in the Fall, meaning any apples you pick and bring home will be juicy and flavorful.
Not to mention so many delicious recipes to make with apples if you get tired of eating apple slices. For example, there’s apple pie, applesauce (which is the best when it’s homemade and warm!), apple strudel, apple cobbler, apple cider; the list goes on and on!
If you’ve never been apple picking, google ‘apple picking near me,’ and I’m sure you’ll find at least a few farms open.
3. Make Apple Stamps
Speaking of apples, another fun thing to do with apples is making apple stamps. I prefer to make apple stamps if we have some apples that are about to spoil or are getting softer. Plus, since this craft requires using paint, it’s an excellent craft to take outside to minimize mess!
For this craft, you’ll need:
- An apple or two, depending on how many kids you have
- Red, yellow, and/or green craft paint
- Brown marker or paint
- White paper
- Paintbrushes
- Start by cutting the apples in half.
- Choose yellow, red, or green paint, and paint the flat half of the apple. Next, press the apple onto the paper. Repeat painting and stamping the apples until your child has their desired pattern. To take this activity up a step, your child can draw a tree or basket, and they can stamp the apples on the picture.
- Taking the brown paint or marker, add stems and seeds to the apples. Also, your child can add leaves to the stems using green paint. Once they add the finishing touches to the picture, they can hang it on the fridge for some cute Fall decor.
4. Investigate With a Magnifying Glass
One outdoor activity for kids that is fun no matter the time of year is to bring a magnifying glass out to explore the seasonal changes.
Ask your child to brainstorm what changes during Fall, and then see those things up close with the magnifying glass. This activity is especially fun to do at the beginning of each season and document with pictures or a journal.
Need more outdoor activity ideas? Check out these articles:
- Simple Spring Outdoor Activities for Kids
- Fun Summer Outdoor Activities for Kids
- Easy Winter Outdoor Activities for Kids
5. Make a Nature Jar
If your child is like mine, they probably love collecting things they find on walks or in the yard. Why not make a fun place to keep all of their treasures?
To make a nature jar, you’ll need a large mason jar like this one. That’s it! You can make a fun craft time by letting your child decorate the outside of the jar. But, it’s also fun to leave the jar as is so your child can see all of their findings inside.
6. Play in a Leaf Pile
One of the Fall outdoor activities for kids that automatically comes to mind is playing in a leaf pile.
Playing in a leaf pile is a great fall activity because it can get your kids outside to help rake up the leaves. Once you have a substantial leaf pile, your kids can run through it and jump in it. Just remember that you’ll probably have to do some more raking once the kids are done playing.
One safety tip to remember is never to let your kids play in leaf piles alongside the road. Always rake piles in your yard for kids to play in, and then move them to the street when they are done.
7. Rake Leaves for Neighbors
While you have the leaf rakes out, see if you and your kids can offer to rake leaves for some of your neighbors. If you have elderly neighbors, I know they will appreciate the gesture!
Raking leaves for neighbors will give your kids a sense of pride for giving back and helping their community. Not to mention, raking leaves is a great activity to get some energy out!
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8. Paint Terra Cotta Pots
Before the weather gets too chilly, taking painting activities outside is perfect for Fall. The weather isn’t too unbearable, but it’s still warm enough to go out without a jacket. One outdoor painting activity is painting fun fall designs on terra cotta pots.
To paint on terra cotta pots, you’ll need some pots like these ones, acrylic paint, and paint brushes. Because some acrylic paint may leave stains, it’s also a good idea to use smocks or aprons.
Once you have all your supplies, your kids can have fun painting as many fall designs as they like on the pots. Once the pots have dried, you can either keep them to plant flowers in or gift them to friends, family, or neighbors!
9. Plant Fall Mums
If you paint the terra cotta pots suggested above, it can be fun to plant fall mums in them! The easiest way to plant mums in your pots is to buy a more extensive, already blooming plant and separate it between however many pots your kids have painted.
But, if you get an early start, you can also plant seeds to bloom in the Fall. You’ll need to verify the best planting time for your climate.
10. Plant Bulbs for Spring
If you want to get in some more last-minute gardening before winter, plant some Spring bulbs!
Spring-flowering bulbs need the long winter months to ensure sufficient root growth. Plus, you’ll get a fun surprise when they start to bloom after the winter ends!
Some of my favorite Spring bulbs to plant in the Fall are hyacinth, daffodils, tulips, and irises.
11. Nature Walk with Apple Cider
Taking a nature walk in the Fall is a great way to soak in all the changes the season brings. Because the weather can get a little chilly in the Fall, grab some thermoses of apple cider to bring on the walk!
When walking with your children, ask them to describe the changes they notice. You can also ask them what their favorite change of the season is; you might be surprised!
12. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
If you’ve never visited a pumpkin patch, I highly recommend it! It’s one of our favorite Fall outdoor activities for kids. When you visit a pumpkin patch, you get the opportunity to pick out the perfect pumpkin to later carve for Halloween.
Being able to pick out the perfect-sized pumpkin is especially helpful for smaller children. They can find one that is just right!
Also, many pumpkin patches offer other fun activities like farm animal petting zoos, delicious food stands, fun activities for kids, and more!
13. Carve Halloween Pumpkins
Once you have a pumpkin all picked out, it’s time to carve them! If the weather isn’t too chilly where you live, carving pumpkins is a perfect outdoor activity, so your house doesn’t get so messy.
14. Make a Pumpkin Decomposition Journal
Once you have carved the pumpkins and set them outside, help your children start a pumpkin decomposition journal! Starting a pumpkin journal is a great way to teach your kids how things like fruits or vegetables rot over time.
To make a pumpkin decomposition journal, you’ll need a notebook or blank paper. To make this activity even more interesting, you can use a camera to take pictures of the pumpkin over time and print them out for the journal.
Once you have the supplies, you’ll want to start the journal, preferably when you carve the pumpkin. Using their journal, have your kids describe how the pumpkin looks from the outside and inside, plus the textures they see. Really, any way your children want to describe the pumpkin is excellent! And don’t forget to take a picture!
Then, you’ll want to decide how often you wish to update the journal. It could be every day, every other day, or however frequently you’d like. Then, repeat the steps above in the journal.
Day to day, your kids might not notice the changes in the pumpkin, but when they look back through the journal, it will be surprising!
15. Have a Picnic at Your Favorite Spot
Before it gets too chilly in the early weeks of Fall, have a picnic at your favorite outdoor spot. This could be a park, a lake, or even a beach.
Spending time at your favorite outdoor spot is a great way to enjoy the scenery before winter. Plus, it’s a great way to unwind and spend time outside with your family.
16. Skip Rocks
Skipping rocks is a fun outdoor autumn activity because the lakes and rivers are likely less populated. This means you won’t have to worry about people in the water while skipping the rocks.
Also, with fewer people around, it may be easier for your kids to look for the perfect rocks to skip.
17. Take a Crunchy Walk
My son and I have always enjoyed going on walks together. In the Fall, when he was around two years old, he always loved going on ‘crunchy walks.’ A ‘crunchy walk’ is a walk when plenty of dry leaves have fallen onto the sidewalk for you to stomp on and crunch.
While a crunchy walk is fun for everyone, toddlers especially love it. They love the sounds and the textures, and you’ll find that just getting to explore is a fantastic time for them!
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18. Find and Replicate a Bird’s Nest
With many birds migrating in the Fall, you may see numerous empty bird nests. Try to see if you and your kids can find a bird nest near your home, take a picture, and replicate it in your yard!
Fall is the perfect time to do this activity because there will be plenty of twigs and leaves to choose from.
Then, once your replica bird nest is finished, place it somewhere safe in your yard and see if birds use it in the spring.
19. Rake Leaves Into a Maze
Raking leaves into a maze is another one of our favorite Fall outdoor activities for kids. Once you have an abundance of leaves in the yard, rake them into a maze before you rake them into piles!
You’ll start by raking a path in the yard to make a leaf maze. Make sure the course has plenty of turns to make it more interesting. Then, go back through the path and start raking connecting paths that come to a dead end.
Once you have finished the maze, it’s time for your kids to test it out! The fun thing about making a simple leaf maze is that kids can go through them many times before it gets boring!
20. Watch Your Breath in the Cold Air
In the crisp Fall mornings, head outside with your kids to see how the cold air makes your breath appear.
While outside, you can take turns making patterns in the air with your breath. Or, you can see who can exhale the longest!
21. Go on a Hay Ride
Finding a hay ride near you is a wonderful option if you’re looking for a fun fall outing! If you’re unsure where to find a hay ride locally, pumpkin patches and farms typically have them. But, you can also search ‘hay rides near me’ to get more options.
When going on a hay ride, it’s fun to dress up in all of your cozy clothes, scarves, and hats and grab some hot cocoa or cider for the ride. It’s undoubtedly a unique activity to do as a family!
22. Feed Ducks at Local Park
Before the ducks have begun their migration in early Fall, head to a local park with some duck treats! Likely, the park will be less crowded, and the ducks will be excited to see you.
We like to bring frozen peas, oats, cracked corn, or chopped lettuce when we feed the ducks. You’ll want to stay away from feeding ducks items like bread, crackers, and other processed foods; they are hard for the duck to digest and can make them sick.
23. Build a Scarecrow
One of the unique outdoor Fall decor items is a scarecrow. Instead of going out and buying one, make one together as a family!
The fantastic thing about building your own scarecrow is that you likely have most of what you need in your home. So on top of making memories as a family, you’ll also save some money on your new yard friend!
If you’re unsure how to make a scarecrow, check out this great article from the Budget Decorator for tips and instructions.
24. Make Pictures Out of Leaves, Sticks, and Seeds
One of the Fall outdoor activities for kids that all kids love is making pictures/portraits out of things they find in the yard. Not only is this crafty activity a fun way to get outside, but in the end, you’ll have some cute new fall decor for your home.
For this Fall activity, you’ll want to have your kids go out in the yard and collect whatever catches their eye. It could be things like leaves, twigs, seeds, grass, and small rocks.
Then, you’ll need some white or fall-colored construction paper and Elmer’s glue. Once your kids have finished collecting the things for their nature pictures, they can start making their creations!
Some fun ideas for their pictures could be landscapes, self-portraits, or even portraits of their pets. Whatever they decide will be terrific!
25. Decorate the Outside of Your Home
Whether you want to decorate your home for Halloween or just the Fall season, getting your kids involved is always fun!
When it comes to decorating the outside of your home, it doesn’t have to be expensive! If you don’t already have outdoor decorations for the season, you can get some simple, cute decor items from the dollar store!
Also, if you want some more prominent decorations but don’t want to spend a fortune, you can invest in one piece of decor a year. In a few years, you’ll have a nice set of decorations!
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26. Play With Magnetic Blocks on the Garage Door
Do your kids love Magnetic blocks? They are such versatile, open-ended toys! One fun way to switch up how your child plays with them is to take them outside to the garage door.
Because of the material they are made out of, most garage doors are magnetic. This means your kids can make fun designs on the garage door with magnetic tiles!
27. Go on a Fall Scavenger Hunt
Fall scavenger hunts are one of our favorite outdoor activities for kids. Scavenger hunts get kids active, outside, and having fun!
When putting together a scavenger hunt, you can make your own by brainstorming things that you know your kids can find outside.
Or, you can download our free printable below! When using a printable, you can have visuals to instruct your children and print out multiple sheets if you have more than one child.
Download here:
28. Attend a Fall Parade
One exciting way to kick off the Fall season is to attend a parade. In most towns, there is a parade that happens around Halloween.
Younger children especially love going to a parade, but it’s certainly fun for the whole family. Get dressed up in your best Fall attire, and have some fun!
29. Paint Mini Pumpkins
One fun way to decorate for the season is to paint mini pumpkins, whether it’s for Fall or Halloween.
This straightforward craft is fun for all kids and is simple enough to do outside. To make it even easier, you can get a pumpkin painting kit, like this one, that has everything you need (minus the pumpkins).
30. Go on a Spiderweb Hunt
Like a scavenger hunt, you can go on a spider web hunt. Take a walk around your yard or neighborhood and see how many spiderwebs you can find!
If you fear spiders, you can also do this activity inside, but look for cobwebs instead. Not only is it a great fall-themed activity, but your house will be free of cobwebs when you’re done!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of Fall outdoor activities for kids! Spending time outdoors with your kids is beneficial for many reasons; I hope these activities help make getting outside effortless for your family!
Before you go, check out these related articles:
- The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers
- Family-Friendly Halloween Traditions To Start This Year
- Memorable Thanksgiving Traditions Your Kids Will Love
- Special Christmas Traditions Your Family Won’t Forget
- The Best Birthday Traditions for Kids
What was one of your favorite Fall outdoor activities for kids? I would love to know in the comments below!
