34 Fun Fall Outdoor Activities For Kids (And Families)
Autumn is the perfect time of year to get outside, enjoy the cooler temperatures and take advantage of all of the fun fall activities the season has to offer! From visiting apple orchards, to going on a family hike to enjoy the fall leaves, here are 42 of the best fall outdoor activities for kids (that the whole family will love!).
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
The Best Family-Friendly Outdoor Fall Activities
The end of summer is here, and just north of Chicago we’re in the last few months before things get prettyyy diceyyy and the winter struggles begin. But until then, we’re trying to squeeze in the best outdoor fall family activities and enjoy every bit of the season! From simple childhood joys like jumping in a pile of leaves, to Halloween festivities, you’ll be able to find many fall bucket list ideas!
Here are some of the BEST fall outdoor activities for kids that the entire family will LOVE!
Rake Leaves (It looks like work, but kids love it!)
Before the jumping fun begins, kids love to rake leaves. They know the end goal is worth it, and it’s a fun (and productive) way to get the big kids and toddlers active together in the crisp fall air. You can even get toddler-sized rakes so they can join in on the fun and gather leaves on their own.
We have a sugar maple tree in our backyard whose leaves turn the most stunning golden yellow color, and the kids love “checking in” on the tree throughout the fall to see when it is “the big day” when they’re able to rake up those pretty leaves and jump in a huge leaf pile.
Plus, it’s a fun way to do a yard chore. Win-win!
Jump In Leaves!
Classic! My kids can’t help themselves every time we’re on a walk and they see a giant pile of leaves to jump in. It’s simple, it’s free, and kids love it.
And get your iPhone ready because kids jumping in leaf piles make some of the best pictures- beautiful vibrant colors, natural smiles (instead of those forced awkward smiles when you desperately need a photo of them), and no one is ghostly pale yet since winter hasn’t arrived! If you have a baby, be sure to plop them in the leaves for some adorable photos too.
Kids of all ages consider this one of their favorite fall activities!
You can take outdoor fun level up a notch by creating a leaf slide!
Apple Picking
One of our favorite fall family traditions is going apple picking in September. There are so many options for apple orchards with all the “extras” which are a lot of fun, but also can be pretty overwhelming with little ones. We stick to a small local orchard every year (Heinz Orchard), where they only have the basics- a little stand to get your inexpensive peck-bags and rows and rows of apple trees where you can pick your own apples.
There’s something so charming about apple orchards like these. The kids aren’t distracted by all the “stuff”, but instead love climbing trees to pick apples, running down the orchard rows together, and the littlest ones sneaking sweet tiny bites of apples. Apple picking is hands down one of the best outdoor fall activities for kids. Another spot for some of the best fall family photos.
Plus, there are countless fall apple treats to bake once you’re back at home! Apple pies, apple danishes, apple pancakes- you name it!
Apple picking is such a wonderful way to enjoy the autumn season at it’s finest, while creating core childhood memories.
Plant Tulips (And Other Fall Planted Bulbs)
Planting tulip bulbs is one of my favorite fall gardening activities to do with the kids. It’s easy to do, the kids love planting bulbs in the soil or in containers (that we store in the garage all winter), and it’s one of the kids’ favorite things to look forward to in the spring- when everything we planted starts to bloom!
It’s really fun to let the kids pick out some of their favorite bulbs and get back to nature doing the planting (be sure to wear garden gloves!). Fall-planted bulbs include tulips, hyacinths, grape hyacinths (also known as muscari), daffodils, alliums, crocus, snowdrops, iris, ranunculus, and many more! Here are some great ideas for purple tulips, yellow tulips, most beautiful tulips, and other fall-planted bulbs!)
Visit A Petting Zoo Or Local Farm
Cute little petting zoos tend to pop up all over by us during the fall months. Even our local garden center hosts a weekend where they have a simple petting zoo for kids to visit and engage with the sweet farm animals. It’s worth finding the local pop-up petting zoo locations as they are often free (and nearby!). Visiting a local farm in the fall is another great alternative if a petting zoo isn’t an option. But a chance to feed and pet animals is always a fun experience for the kids!
Go On A Fall Bike Ride
We try to get outside as much as we can with the kids, and a fall bike ride is one of the best simple and free fall outdoor activities for kids. Biking is a great idea for staying active, while enjoying the great outdoors together.
Plus, biking under the trees as the leaves have turned to gorgeous colors of yellow, red, or orange is a bit magical. Biking through the neighborhood or to a local park is great and easy, but if you want a bit more of an adventure, pack up the bikes and take them to a nearby bike trail or forest preserve trail.
We’ve always loved using bike trailers for our littlest riders (you can read about my favorite foldable double bike trailer here!) – be sure to pack some fall-themed snacks!
Go To A College Football Game
A college football game is quite the experience for kids that they’ll always remember! It’s fun to get the family geared-up for game day and experience the excitement, crowds, cheers, and check out kid-friendly tailgate opportunities beforehand! Even if your kids can’t sit through an entire game, go for a bit and call it a day. And if a college football game is too far away, even a local high school game would be fun for the little ones! Even if you don’t go every year, going to a college football game is a family fall bucket list idea you should do at least once!
Pumpkin Patch (With All The “Extras”)
Spend the afternoon at a pumpkin patch and enjoy all the fun “extras” offered there- petting zoo, corn maze, apple cider donuts, rides, and more! It’s one of those fall activities for kids that offers lots of entertainment, a great photo opportunity, and will hopefully tire out the little ones!
Local Pumpkin Patch
If the larger pumpkin patches aren’t quite your thing, search for a simple, no-frills, local pumpkin patch. There are often simple pumpkin patches set up at local garden centers, schools, or churches.
Each year we love taking the kids to this sweet pumpkin patch set up near our kids’ preschool where proceeds from pumpkin sales go to nearby charities. The kids love finding the perfect large pumpkin for carving and small pumpkins for decorating our front steps and inside our home.
And they love knowing that they’re picking out pumpkins for a good cause and helping others. (This is a great time of year to teach kids about gratitude and ways of giving back!).
Carve Or Paint Pumpkins
Now that you have your pumpkins, set aside time to carve! Kids love turning a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern, but I swear they like digging out the “pumpkin guts” even more. (And counting pumpkin seeds, cleaning them, and roasting pumpkin seeds are all fun too!)
A great sensory activity for the little ones and a festive decoration- double win! And try painting some pumpkins for a fun, decorative fall craft. Both can get messy, so if you have a nice sunny fall day, take this activity outside!
Read more about tips for painting pumpkins HERE!
Go Horseback Riding
Fall is one of the best seasons for horseback riding as the weather cools and the leaves are gorgeous. If your kids are old enough to ride (call the stable ahead of time because ages vary) this is a much-loved outdoor fall activity!
Climb Trees
A natural instinct for our “climbers” (all of mine are), climbing trees in the fall is a great way to get outside in the fresh air, exercise those muscles, and enjoy the beautifully-colored trees. Outdoor fall activities for kids that are free, simple and active are always a plus!
Scooter-Ride In Halloween Costumes
Our 5 and 3 year old love going for scooter rides in their halloween costumes (not just around Halloween, I might add). They really get “in character” and love scootering around the neighborhood as Spiderman, a firefighter, a ghost, and whatever else they’re “feeling” that day. It’s great fall exercise for the little ones and they love to make pit stops along the way finding leaves, acorns, pinecones, or good trees to climb.
Farmers Markets
Making a trip to the nearby farmers market is always a fun outdoor fall activity for the kids. They love picking out the fall fruits and vegetables, and sampling the fall treat samples from the bakery stands. They also love talking to the farmers and learning all about how the fruits and vegetables grow, as well as how they get transported to the buyer. Engage with farmers at the market and it is a great learning experience for the kids! (These are super cute farmers market bags/baskets: Moroccon Market Basket, an inexpensive Jute Market Tote, French Market Basket with adorable matching kids size baskets!)
Pick The Last Of The Garden Veggies
If you have a home garden, pick the last of the garden veggies! Kids love to pick what they’ve grown, and clear out the garden bed for next year. We love talking about our “favorites” from the growing season and they still remember the “biggest lettuce ever” from 2 years ago 🙂
Collect Seeds From The Garden
Also a fun activity if you have a garden, try to collect some seeds from plants you’ve grown. Some flowers are easier than others, but it’s a fun little project to collect the seeds, count them all, save the seeds in little bags (don’t forget to label them!) and plant them next spring. (We love doing this with Ruby Moon Hyacinth Bean Vines– which are so easy to collect seeds and super easy to grow!)
Plus, it’s a great activity for practicing fine-motor skills for those little hands!
Hayride
A fall bucket list activity for kids is a traditional hayride! They’re fun for the entire family and kids get such a kick out of getting a ride in a wagon.
Go For An Apple Cider Walk
Whether you make your own, or buy some apple cider from the farmers market, grocery store, or pumpkin patch, warm up your cider, fill up some to-go cups with lids, and get out with the family for an apple cider walk. There’s something so cozy about taking a warm apple cider out into the cool fall air. (If you have young kids in a stroller, these cups are great and actually don’t spill! Perfect for a mess-free apple cider walk 🙂
Play Flag Football Or Soccer
Need to get some exercise? Playing a family game of flag football or soccer is always so much fun! The littlest ones love running around and chasing after the ball or their older siblings, and the older kids get a little competitive! From a family that goes pretty stir-crazy inside, outdoor physical activities and sports are always a great thing for everyone!
Set Up Halloween Decorations Outside
Get festive! Kids love decorating for Halloween (word is I never seem to get quite enough decorations in their eyes… I really need to up my game apparently!). This year our kids have loved decorating with a giant spiderweb along our front fence and adding a giant spider with bats surrounding it. Halloween decoration ideas are endless and the kids love them all!
Go On Halloween Decoration Walks
Again, any chance to get outside and get active is a win in our book! The kids love going for walks through the neighborhood to find their favorite halloween decorations on different houses. (As I mentioned before, make it even more festive by going on an apple cider walk!)
Visit A Botanic Garden
Fall is a favorite season for visiting a botanical garden, and there is SO much to do there! From going on a nature walk, going bird watching, enjoying the different colors of all the surrounding plants and tree leaves, etc. A botanic garden is the best place to take in the magic of the outdoors in fall!
Plus, many botanic gardens have the sweetest kid friendly areas for kids to explore, climb, and do nature-themed activities.
We are so lucky to live very close to the Chicago Botanic Garden, which is such a wonderful outdoor place to take the kids, regardless of the season. During the fall they have special events like a fall fest, a corn maze, a bulb sale, a “Night of 1,000 Jack-O’-Lanterns“, and even an amazing “Lightscape” show which starts at the end of fall (we love doing this in the winter though as it’s one of the only outdoor nighttime activities during that time, and it’s truly magical!). Find a botanic garden near you and check out the fall events they have on the calendar, or take a road trip / day trip to one, because it’s really worth it and a much-loved outdoor fall family activity.
Road Trip (Or Day Trip!)
When fall sports tend to wind down on the weekends, it’s always a great time to squeeze in a weekend away and take a road trip, or even just a day trip to a city/town that we usually don’t have time to go to. Seeing a new place during this lovely time of year is a great fall experience, and doesn’t have to be some elaborate (or expensive) vacation!
Trick-Or-Treating
A fall classic activity! Probably #1 on a fall bucket list for kids! If you have kids (old enough to know what’s going on!), you are not missing this Halloween tradition. My kids start counting down the days until Halloween probably since back in August. The costumes, the candy, the excitement of trick-or-treating door-to-door is one of the best days of the year for kids. (The next day after the sugar-crash can be a tad bit of a nightmare for parents- so prepare accordingly!). Take lots of pictures, and enjoy one of the best fall activities with the kids. If you’re overwhelmed by the amount of candy coming home, encourage kids to donate half their bag (or more!)- many stores, schools, and even our nearby dentist offices encourage candy donation drop-offs where they raise money for different children’s hospitals, or even send candy to deployed military members. (A nice opportunity to teach kids about ways to give back!).
Fall Scavenger Hunt
Doing a fall scavenger hunt is a favorite for the littlest ones! They love being on a “quest” or “mission” to find their “3 red leaves”, “5 acorns”, etc. It’s a mom-win when I feel like I’m bringing in a hands-on, educational math activity for them (I’m not a math-worksheet kinda gal 😉 .
Collect Leaves, Acorns And Pinecones
Grab a bag, bucket, wagon, or use a stroller basket and have the little ones collect leaves, acorns, and pine cones! My kids love counting how many acorns they can find and comparing all the different pretty leaves and colors. There are so many fun fall crafts you can do with the colorful leaves, acorns and pinecones once you get back home.
Go On A Fall Hike
Another great physical activity is going on a fall hike with the family. Find a nearby forest preserve, trail, or take advantage of a day trip / road trip weekend to explore places to hike.
Learn About Different Trees
While on a fall hike or neighborhood walk, take the time to learn about different trees and the different colored leaves they have during the season. As I mentioned previously, we have a sugar maple tree in our backyard that has the most stunning golden yellow colored leaves, and the kids always ask about which specific trees have leaves that turn red, yellow, orange, etc.
Go “Camping” In The Backyard
I won’t even pretend to suggest camping, it’s not my thing. And I have no problem admitting I’d rather sleep away from creepy critters and prefer my own bed. For you fellow non-campers, go “camping” in the backyard. Get a mini bonfire going, or even use a pop-up fire pit, and roast marshmallows, drink apple cider, set up a tent for the younger ones to play in, maybe bring a board game in the tent, and go backyard birdwatching together. Camping can be short, fun, nearby, and have a quick exit to come inside when it gets too cold!
Outdoor Picnic
We have picnics all the time during the summer, but once in a while we’ll have a sunny fall day that just calls for a picnic! Whether in the backyard, at a park, or at an apple orchard, set up some blankets and whip out a great fall lunch like a warm soup, and a fall treat like mini pumpkin muffins! The kids love the experience of picnics, and it’s a way for the family to have some “down time” together and enjoy a nice meal in the fresh fall air.
Playground-Hop
Fall is the perfect season to get out and explore new and favorite playgrounds. Playground-hop from one to the next and the kids will love the change of scenery. It’s one of the best ways to keep kids entertained outside before winter creeps in (and be sure to bring a nice to-go mug of coffee or tea for yourself to sit on a park bench and “take a minute” for yourself while the kids play.).
Corn Maze
I feel like this one is a bit of an anxiety-inducer (for me at least) but the kids still love corn mazes. Find a simple one for the youngest kids (so they don’t get lost!), and stick together. But as long as no one runs too far ahead, a corn maze can be a fun fall family activity.
Outdoor Family Photos (And let the kids be the photographer!)
Fall is a great time to get some outdoor family photos taken- beautiful backdrops, and good timing to get holiday cards planned for and ordered in time.
If professional photos are too expensive, or you don’t feel like yelling at everyone in your family to look perfect or practice their “best smiles”, ask a friend or relative to take some good pictures of your family at any of the outdoor fall activities or locations- apple orchard, pumpkin patch, jumping in leaves, on a fall hike. Make it enjoyable! Take some fun fall family photos that the kids will love to look back on as they grow up.
Kids also love to take photos on their own, so let them in on the fun! Give them a little camera, their current iPad/Fire/device, or even your iPhone for a few minutes to snap their favorite shots. I promise they’ll love looking back on these 🙂 .
Attend Fall Festivals And Halloween Events
Fall is one of the BEST times of the year for different festivals and events. From fall festivals to halloween events, they seem to pop up all over the place and occur most weekends throughout the season. These are always super fun outdoor fall activities for the kids! From costume walks, to thanksgiving parades, and everything in between, get out with the kids and explore and experience the best fall family activities that the season has to offer!
Cozy up, drink some cider, get your pumpkins, and enjoy the best outdoor fall family activities the season has to offer!
Happy Fall!
