Activities

50 must-do fall activities for families

The colours, the crisp air, the pumpkins... Fall is a fabulous season. Here are some ideas for how your family can enjoy this festive time!

By Jessica Spera

50 must-do fall activities for families

Photo: iStock/lisegagne

01

Jump into a pile of leaves

Nothing beats jumping into a huge pile of freshly-raked leaves.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

02

Go apple picking

Visit any of these awesome apple orchards across Canada with your family—it’s the perfect autumn activity! 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

03

Throw a themed party

Throw a woodland party or a monster party! There’s no better way to celebrate fall than with a backyard celebration—you gotta enjoy the warm-ish weather while it lasts. 

50 must-do fall activities for families

04

Make a Halloween costume

Do your little ones want to dress up as a piñata, jellyfish or even a cupcake? Get a head start on your kids’ homemade Halloween costume with any of these super cute DIY ideas. If DIY isn’t your thing, check out your local costume shop.

50 must-do fall activities for families

05

Head to a pumpkin patch

Find the nearest pumpkin patch and spend the day enjoying outdoor activities, like hay rides, corn mazes, farmer’s markets and petting zoos. The best part is, you and your bunch can pick the biggest pumpkin to take home and carve for Halloween.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

06

Decorate a pumpkin

Carving not your thing? Trade in the knife for a glue gun and some paint, and you can make a tiger, sugar skull or fang-tastic Dracula. Here are some spooky, but super cute, no-carve pumpkins ideas.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Roberto Caruso

07

Try face painting

It’s time for a little make-believe! Try out one of these 12 face painting tutorials and transform your kid into a zombie doll, a butterfly or even a cute, little lion. Roar!

50 must-do fall activities for families

08

Make some hot chocolate

Curl up with a big mug of maple hot chocolate. Or if you really want to get into the spirit of the season, try our recipe for these cute hot-chocolate pudding ghosts.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Roberto Caruso

09

Play indoors

It might be too chilly to play outside, so here are some fun indoor games that you can play together. We highly recommend you try Magical Mama (or Papa). 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhotos: Casey Wiegand via Instagram, Tania K. via Instagram, Stocksy United

10

Get cozy and read

Get cozy on the couch and read a new book together.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Tundra Books

11

Go to a haunted house

Visit a haunted house in your local neighbourhood. Or better yet, get your family into the Halloween spirit and turn your house into one.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

12

Explore fall colours

Go on a local nature walk, or visit any of these beautiful spots to take in the leaves changing colour on all of the trees.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

13

Shopping spree

Head out to the mall to get your little one ready for the cold weather ahead. Besides buying fall essentials like jackets and scarves, now is the time to get that snowsuit and those winter boots. Happy shopping. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Erik Putz

14

Decorate!

Whether you’re hosting a themed party or just want to impress trick-or-treaters, it’s fun to get into the Halloween spirit and decorate your house. And you don’t have to make your house spooky—silly is just as fun.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Roberto Caruso

15

Bob for apples

Seriously, it’s fun. You might think there may not be much to a bucket of water with floating apples, but it makes for a great party game or just a fun activity for the family. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

16

Make pumpkin pie treats

Prevent the battle of who got the bigger piece with these individual mini pumpkin pie tarts. They’re as delicious as they are adorable. If you’re serving a bigger crowd, try this yummy cheater pumpkin pie. It’s OK to cheat sometimes. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Maya Visnyei

17

Thanksgiving crafts

Try making any of these adorably festive crafts using odds and ends, just in time for Thanksgiving. It will keep the kids busy while you’re making the feast. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: DIY Inspired via Pinterest

18

Settle in for a movie

Watch kid-friendly Halloween classics, like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Halloweentown or Casper.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: IMDb

19

Make Halloween treats

Make fall trail mix with candy corn and roasted nuts, or get in the spirit of Halloween with these monster doughnuts and skeleton cupcakes.

50 must-do fall activities for families

20

Play Halloween games

Invite some friends over, sit around a table and play some spooky games, like Boo Bingo. Or take it outside and play some ghost bowling.

Halloween bingo gamePhoto: Roberto Caruso

21

Make a pot of chili

Nothing says autumn like a belly full of chili. Try this make-ahead lentil chili  or put a new spin on the classic with tasty chili mac recipe that the entire family will love.

chili macPhoto: edoneil/iStockphoto

22

Nibble on some corn

After walking around in a corn maze, you’ll start dreaming of corn. Whip up any of these delicious corn recipes, or throw a few stalks on the BBQ for some good ol’ corn on the cob.

plate of corn and ribsPhoto: Jodi Pudge

23

Flavour everything pumpkin

Add pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to your smoothies, pancake and waffle mix. Or try making your very own maple pumpkin butter.

50 must-do fall activities for families

24

Picnic

Enjoy those crisp fall days and the gorgeous colours with a picnic! Keep warm food at the ready with insulated thermoses, or try any of these kid-friendly picnic recipes.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

25

Make festive fall crafts

Whether it’s a colourful turkey made from a toilet paper roll or a simple harvest crown, these fall crafts are perfectly festive.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

26

Scavenger hunt

Get your family moving and plan a nature scavenger hunt by collecting colourful leaves, pinecones, and other fall-like objects. Bonus: you’ll have a beautiful backdrop. Tip: Use some of the things you find outdoors to make nature crafts.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

27

Make apple desserts

After you go apple picking, you have to make apple treats. But baking apple pie isn’t super fun for kids. But they will love making monkey bread!

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Roberto Caruso

28

Make candy apples

These candy-corn apples are perfect for October 30th, which is National Candy Corn Day. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: IlonaBudzbon/iStockphoto

29

Paint pinecones

This is two activities in one! Send the kids out to find the best pinecones and then decorate them anyway you’d like—with paint, sequins, glitter or beads (fluorescent pink, anyone?) This is also a great opportunity to make the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

30

Craft with leaves

Go outside, collect some colourful leaves, and use them to make some festive crafts. Make a gorgeous garland, a leaf crown or do a leaf press with crayons.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

31

Attend a fall fair

For some classic family fun, visit a fall fair in your area. Eat some tasty treats, ride the ferris wheel and hey, maybe even participate in a pie-eating contest.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

32

Roast pumpkin seeds

Once you figure out the easy way to dig them out, try cinnamon-maple roasted pumpkin seeds for a tasty snack.

50 must-do fall activities for families

33

Jump in puddles

Don’t let cabin fever set in on those rainy days; get your family suited up in their most fashionable raingear and jump on in.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

34

Pick fall flowers

Make a fall bouquet of sunflowers and pussywillows. Use them in a wreath for your front door, or gather them for a festive Thanksgiving centerpiece.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

35

Have fun with plants indoors

Plant a windowsill garden so you’ll have fresh herbs throughout the winter, or make this easy terrarium that the kids will love.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Tony Lanz

36

Soup it up

The cooler weather means it’s time for a big bowl of comforting soup. Slurp on! 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Maya Visnyei

37

DIY cheesecloth ghosts

Amp up the spook factor in your house with this super adorable cheesecloth ghosts.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Roberto Caruso

38

Make mini, edible pumpkins

Nothing says fall like pumpkins! And these fun puffed-rice pumpkin treats are perfect for making with the kids.

 

50 must-do fall activities for families

39

Tell spooky tales by the fire

Gather ’round a cozy campfire (or your fireplace) and tell the scariest ghost stories you can think up. To add to the authenticity, roast some marshmallows and make some tasty s’mores.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

40

Play a game of football

Go to a football game, or gather your mini team and play one as a family.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

41

Play some fall trivia

Test each other with these fun fall facts, or to keep it all-things pumpkin, wow the kids with these interesting facts about pumpkins.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

42

Have a sack race

Gather the troops and some potato sacks and have an epic sack race outside.

50 must-do fall activities for families

43

Go camping

While the weather is still warm, pack the kids up, along with your gear, and go to a popular campground, or keep it easy and pitch a tent in the backyard. Enjoy fun camping games, crafts and stargazing to keep the little ones entertained.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

44

Build a fort

If you’d prefer to keep things indoors, make the coolest indoor fort ever. Grab your sleeping bag, some blankets and pillows and camp out in your living room. Who says you can only camp in the summer?

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

45

Make a mummified grilled cheese

Can’t decide on pizza or grilled cheese for dinner? Mash them together in a fun way with this tasty mummy pizza grilled cheese. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Roberto Caruso

46

Make a scarecrow

Make your very own scarecrow for your backyard or front lawn. Take inspiration from The Wizard of Oz. 

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

47

Make homemade or stove-top popcorn

Make popcorn on the stove and smother it with the craziest toppings you can think of. Or, try this tasty Kettle Corn Snack Mix for movie night.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

48

Eat some persimmons

Apples and pumpkins are everywhere in the fall, but have your kids try something new by slicing up some sweet and juicy persimmons. 

persimmons on a wooden tablePhoto: iStockphoto

49

Take your family Christmas photo

You might think it’s a little early considering you’re still buried in candy and costumes, but this is a perfect time to check that family Christmas card off your to-do list

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: iStockphoto

50

Check out a Halloween event

If you and the family are in the mood to be scared or creeped out, then look no further. Check out one of these thrilling Halloween events across the country.

50 must-do fall activities for familiesPhoto: Selkirk Marine Museum
This article was originally published on Sep 20, 2021
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