Fall is my favorite time of year, followed closely by Spring. But in the light of Fall being a few short days away I wanted to create a fun compilation of ideas for my family and yours to do this Fall! A lot of our family traditions are included below and I hope they spark some great ideas for you and yours to do this season and maybe even many more to come. There is something for all ages and life circumstance to enjoy! As we say here in the South, Happy Fall Y’all!
Apple tasting: Buy a handful or two of different apple varieties. (One apple each variety) Cut then into thin slices and everyone tries a piece of each apple together. You can also do a blind tasting after to see if you can guess which one is which.
Apple picking: Visit an orchard and pick apples fresh off the tree. It’s such a great way to get your family doing something outdoors together and seeing the beauty and simple “magic” of how a tiny seed grows into a delicious apple on a tree.
Shop fall: One of my favorite recent memories is going with my mom a couple years back to William Sanoma where we took in all the fall items, scents, and even taste. My husband and I have since carried on the tradition each year. The store smells and feels cozy like fall. I also love to visit Kirkland’s (home décor), Target (décor), Anthropologie (all the feels), Pottery Barn (cozy feeling), Joann Fabrics (diy costumes), to name a few.
Hayride: Take a hayride or tractor ride around a farm or orchard.
Dress the part: With the colder weather comes layers! Who doesn’t love a good cozy plaid shirt, warm scarf, or rust colored sweater? (This seasons color) For my gals, how about adding a pretty mauve lipstick with your look.
Football: Watch a football game together as a family! My husband loves football, so he follows it all season long (minus watching games on Sundays) but I am not as big of a fan. So when it comes to Monday night games for the Broncos or early Monday morning games we plan together, then we often watch them together.
Cider tasting: Go to a local orchard or famers market and get different flavors of cider. Pour them in little tasting cups and enjoy the different flavors. Choose your favorite! *Our orchards here in GA have flavors like Apple, Peach, Scuppernong, Muscadine, Cherry Apple, and more.
Visit a pumpkin patch: While there, have a friendly competition of who can find the biggest, smallest, craziest shape, longest, widest pumpkins.
Give a pumpkin: Pick out a pumpkin and leave it on someone’s doorstep for them to carve.
You’ve been booed: “Boo” a neighbor or two and start a fun act of service for others to do! A yearly tradition for us. My own mama (and dad) used to do with my family growing up that we have carried on into our family as well. You can find a sign online, print it, make or buy treats, then leave them on a couple people’s porches. Spread the fun this Halloween season!
Get lost in a corn maze: There is something so inviting about a good ol corn maze that you get lost inside and have to work your way out of. I love how the tall corn covers your views and the only way out is by trial and error. I find that it brings out everyone’s silly side and we always seem to have a lot of fun each time we go.
Fall foliage drive: Take a long drive with soft blankets, enjoying the beautiful fall colors near or far away.
Photo op with leaves: Take a picture playing in the leaves. Have fun tossing them in the air, jump in a pile, or simply pose by a bright colored tree. Memories are made when having fun, but they are captured through a photo to remember year after year.
Carve or decorate a pumpkin: Carve, paint, or drill holes to make a creative design in pumpkins. Then put your candle inside, turn the lights down low, snuggle up the couch together, and enjoy the warm flickering lights while admiring your work of art.
Make your favorite apple treat: Apple cakes, apple muffins, apple dumplings, apple bread, apple pie, apple strudels, apple cider doughnuts, etc.
*In our home we love Apple snickerdoodle bread and apple dumplings! We really love it all! 😉
Hike through the fall foliage: Take a hike in the fall colors.
Go antiquing: See what holiday treasures you can find to fill your home with.
Watch a fall harvest movie: Hallmark channel makes adorable and clean family fall themed movies. They really let you escape into a dream scene of the harvest season.
Collect colored leaves: Pick out leaves that are bright colors and press them for your journal.
Have a fall carnival at home: Bake an apple pie (at home you get the first place ribbon J), have pillow case races, bob for apples, knock down tin can pumpkins, cake walk, bean bag toss, pumpkin ring toss, face painting, apple toss, make caramel apples, or popcorn balls. The fun is limited on to your imagination and desires!
Make homemade applesauce: (trust us when we say homemade is the way to go) and granola.
Craft Time: Create or craft something for Fall. I don’t know about you but there is something about the weather getting crisp outside that makes me want to create. It could be the turn of season bringing in the holidays that does it too me. But this time of year, is my favorite and most productive season where I create. I love it!
Pie Bar: Make pie “sticks” and bake a couple pie fillings and then you just dip the sticks into the different flavors. (Got this idea from Home and Family)
Bonfire: Make a fire and roast marshmallows. There is something so connective about sitting around a fire with people you love to be around. So this Fall roast a mallow (burn it for me) and eat it too!
Soup, Soup, and more Soup: Enjoy your favorite soup on a cold fall evening! Or how about all season long? I remember as a young girl when my mom would make soup again and again and ask us if we wanted it for dinner? Ha I did not always want it, but now I totally get it. It’s quick, easy, you can make double batches, and it can be an expensive dinner option. I did love my mom’s soup, don’t get me wrong here! But as an adult, I totally get it! I love soup! Some of our favorites here are creamy potato, corn chowder, and tortilla soup with quinoa.
Pumpkin Baking: Bake up some pumpkin bread or pumpkin cookies. We love it with chocolate chips inside! Each year we bake up pumpkin chocolate chip bread in cans (trust me on this one because it makes the most delicious soft bread) and then I put a little ribbon or twine around the can and deliver it to neighbors or friends. I love Fall traditions!
Select one of the three free options to download and print for your own copy of my Fall bucket list! Print on 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.