10 Fall Fun Ideas for Families

Fall is a favorite time of the year for many people.  We see God’s handiwork in the changing of the leaves and the relief of cooler weather after a warm summer.  We get to decorate with pretty wreaths and fun pumpkins.  We can pick up our favorite fall flavors at the coffee shops and put on a pot of soup to enjoy with our family.  These are just a few of the reasons that many of us enjoy the beautiful season of fall.
My family likes to do many things during the fall.  Here’s a list of some of our favorite fun things to do. Each of these are a perfect opportunity to talk about God’s glory displayed in the changing seasons.
1. Go apple picking.  We have an almost local orchard that we can drive to in about 45 minutes.  We don’t even usually pick the apples.  We just go for the fun of walking through the orchard and seeing the different kinds of apples.  We take a picnic lunch and have lots of fun just enjoying the beauty of creation.
2. Painting mini-pumpkins.  This is something my 7-year-old has been doing for a couple of years and loves!  I buy a couple of the mini pumpkins at the grocery for him and give him a paintbrush and some paint.  He can then paint whatever he wants on the pumpkins.  They then become fall décor!
3. Football.  We live in the South where football is a Saturday Fall past time.  Tailgating and watching the game is one of our family’s favorite things to do.
4. Visiting the pumpkin patch.  We can go pick out a pumpkin and visit farm animals, go through a corn maze, hayride and much more!
5. Pumpkin Carving Contest.  Each year our Sunday school class has a pumpkin carving contest.  We cook chili (the ultimate fall soup!), bring desserts, and all things needed to carve a pumpkin.  It’s a fun time to spend with not only our family, but with Christian brothers and sisters as well.
6. Take a ride to the mountains and look at the leaves.  It’s always fun to see the leaves changing color.  The cooler temperatures allow us to ride with the windows down and enjoy the scenery.
7. Go camping.  Again, with cooler temperatures, camping is much more pleasant!  We pack up and go hang out with friends for the weekend.
8. Rake leaves once they have fallen from the trees.  Rake the leaves into a big pile, and then jump into them.  My son thinks this is great!
9. Roasting marshmallows by the fire.  This can be done during the summer as well, but there’s something about sitting outside by the fire pit when it’s 50 degrees outside and eating s’mores!
10. Sit outside to eat.  We like to sit on the patio and enjoy our supper (or dinner if that’s what you call it)!  Fun family time together.
In all of these fun things to do during the fall, the point is spending time together as a family and reflecting on the goodness of God to us.  We try to talk about God’s creation when we ride through the mountains, how he provides for us when we eat, how he gives us relationships to enjoy with others.  We try to make it a point to not just have fun, but to point out the things that God has blessed us with.  And best of all, many of these things are free or cheap!