Things to do before Halloween

Healthy Fall Activities for Families to Share

With schools now in session, most likely your life is settling back into a routine. Just because things have settled down, doesn’t mean your family has to become sedentary and less healthy. These healthy fall activities are great for everyone in your family to share.

• Visit an orchard as a family and pick fruit from the trees. Once you have picked and purchased a good quantity of apples, make homemade apple pies or applesauce.

• Have you ever picked your own pumpkins? There’s something to be said for going out to a big field of pumpkins and looking for just the right one. For some, the best will be the biggest, but even the smaller pumpkins can have great “character.” Take your selections home and turn them into pies, carve them for Halloween or paint them with silly faces.

• Visit a local corn maze. Farmers all over the country have learned that people will pay to go through a corn maze. If you look in the newspaper or online during the fall months, you may find more than one corn maze in your area. Just remember to follow the rules that the farmer has posted and have an adult go through the maze with younger children. Most of all have fun being outdoors in the crisp fall weather.

• Go for a walk in the stunning fall foliage. Whether you take a walk around your neighborhood, find a park nearby or a local hiking trail, you can enjoy the beauty of nature and the time you spend together. Be sure to take a long a camera to snap pictures of not only nature but your family, as well.

• Speaking of fall foliage, why not take a bag with you while you take your walk? Search for the most colorful or large leaves that you can use for fall crafts. Leaves can be used to decorate pre-made wreaths to give it a different look, glue them to picture frames or come up with other ways to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside.

• An old time favorite is to rake up the leaves in your lawn into a large pile and then take turns jumping into the leaf pile. Of course, you’ll want to be sure there are no sticks in the pile and that the rake is away from the leaves so no one is hurt on it.

• Buy a bale of hay and create a scarecrow to decorate your yard. Let the children find old clothes for the scarecrow to wear – blue jeans, t-shirt, flannel shirt and hat – then see how full you can get them. Use a pumpkin for the head and paint a face on it.

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• There’s no need to sit and watch television when you can get outside and play. Gather families, friends and those in your neighborhood and have a game of touch or flag football, basketball or other fun game. After the game, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or hot apple cider.

There are so many healthy fall activities your family can share. This list provides just a few to consider. With just a little thought you can find a variety of special activities you can do as a family that will become a cherished autumn tradition.