Football, pumpkins, and leaves are reminders that fall is near. The weather is getting cooler, and it’s almost sweater weather. Get excited for the autumn season and try some of these fall crafts and activities for kids. 

Candy Corn Pinecones

Head to your nearby park or go for a walk and pick up some quality, large pinecones. You will need yellow, orange, and white paint. Paint the bottom third yellow, the middle third orange, and the top part white. Let dry, and then put them in a bowl for decoration. Or tie some clear fishing line to them and hang them up around your house or entryway. 

 

Turkey Pinecones

If you have leftover pinecones from the candy corn project, save them for Thanksgiving. You can make cute turkey pinecones. You will also need feathers, googly eyes, a pipecleaner and a small piece of orange and red felt to make the turkey’s beak and wattle. Glue feathers to half of the cone forming the turkey’s feathers. Use the pipecleaner to make the turkey’s head. Add the two eyes. Cut out a triangle for a beak and a waddle to go under the beak. Glue those to the pinecone and then you have a decoration for Thanksgiving.

 

Build A Scarecrow

Scarecrows were invented to deter birds or other animals from eating seeds, fruit, and crops on farms, but they are also a fun symbol of fall. To make a scarecrow, you will need an empty milk jug, which you will use for the head of the scarecrow, some PVC pipe for the frame to attach everything to, an old shirt and some old jeans, lots of straw or hay, and items to decorate the face with such as markers or felt. First, build the frame with the PVC pipe. The kids might need help with this part. Put the clothes on over the frame, and start stuffing them with the hay or straw. Let the kids decorate the scarecrow face and put it on the top. Set your scarecrow on some hay bales by the front door or out in the garden. Add some pumpkins around it for an extra touch of fall. 

 

Paint Pumpkins

Carving pumpkins is what everyone does for Halloween, but why not paint pumpkins to make them last a little longer. Before painting, wipe down the pumpkin with a light bleach solution of a few teaspoons of bleach mixed with a gallon of water (best for parents to do this step) to kill off any bacteria on the pumpkin. This will help the pumpkin last longer and will prevent any bacteria from getting trapped under the paint. Once the pumpkin is dry, you can get started painting. You will need paint brushes and various colors of paint. You can follow a pattern, or freehand it. Pumpkins don’t have to be spooky. You can paint your favorite cartoon character, a pet portrait, or even a self portrait. Have fun with it!

 

Go To A Football Game

Football season kicks off in the fall, so why not support your local high school and check out a game. Even if you don’t know anyone on the team, it’s still fun to go to the game, grab some snacks, and huddle up as a family.

 

Visit A Corn Maze

Like the challenge of escape rooms? Take a visit to your local corn maze. Go through in pairs so nobody gets too scared. Try to find your way out and celebrate with some warm apple cider afterward. This is a fun way to spend a fall evening!

 

Make Pumpkin Desserts

The fall is a great time to make all the different kinds of pumpkin desserts. Some pumpkin desserts for kids include pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, pumpkin roll, mini pumpkin cheesecakes (use the muffin tin), cinnamon flavored pumpkin seeds, pumpkin cake pops, and toast with pumpkin butter. Not a fan of pumpkin? Make all the same things with apples instead.

 

What fall activities do you enjoy? Tag us in your fall activities on social media to share.