The fall is such a lovely time to get outdoors with your kids no matter what age they are. It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. You don’t have to worry so much about the bugs, heat and rainy weather, and the chill you to the bone cold weather hasn’t crept in to ruin your desire to be out for an entire afternoon of fun.
So here are my six top choices for getting outdoors with kids in tow:
Hiking
Depending on the age of your kids, that will determine the terrain, but take the opportunity to investigate a new local park or trails in your area for the young ones and then head to more rural terrain for your older kids.
Make it a treasure hunt by searching for specific types of foliage, rocks, caterpillars, bugs and other common things found on a hiking trail.
Apple Picking
This is the perfect time of year for picking apples at a local orchard. It’s a great option for an outing where you can meander about and pick your own basket. Bring a picnic lunch to finish out your afternoon of hard work and you have a lovely outing with your kids.
Local HistoryÂÂ
No matter where you live, there’s almost always some local history that can be explored either within your community or somewhere within a short driving distance. Tailor it to the interest of young kids by making it a scavenger hunt where they have to locate specific historical elements at the site.
Natural Bridges and Cave Exploring
When you live in a mountainous area, you can often find natural bridges and caves to explore – this is a great way to get outdoors with your kids and explain the many wonders of nature – not to mention the picture worthy moments you’ll probably capture in the process!
Coastal Drives with Picnic Lunch
Live near a coast line? Take a meandering drive and stop along the way to build sandcastles and eat a little lunch before you continue on your way. Plan ahead to pick out beach parks that have a variety of different options for kids so they get the break from riding in the car.
Geocaching is a great way to go on a real life treasure hunt in your local area or as an added element to one of the above outings. It’s a great way to teach map skills, get outdoors and find new spaces and places that you haven’t seen before.
Overall, there are a ton of things you can do outside with your family in these dwindling nice weather days – so get outdoors and enjoy!
What are your plans to enjoy the nice fall weather?
Image via Flickr The Birkes
