Fall tends to be a great time of year many of us love because of the cooler weather, the changing trees, and the multitude of fall events that keep our weekends packed with fun.
What are your family traditions in the fall? If you're on the search for ideas to make this season special for your family, we have an alphabet of ideas for you!
Here's our ABC fall bucket list:
Apples. Visit an orchard! To the north, there's one that offers kid-friendly tours: Steele Orchard. To the South, visit this one: Mountain View Orchards. As far as we know there are no orchards nearby that allow you to pick your own apples. If you know of one, let us know, please! There are lots of apple-picking orchards in North Georgia if you are willing to travel.
Bake. Apple pie is a great place to start!
Camp. Fall is the perfect time of year for camping. Spend your day hiking under beautiful gold and red trees and cuddle close during the cool nights by a campfire. Need some ideas about where to go in Alabama? Check out our Travel Guide featuring Cheaha State Park, DeSoto State Park, Prairie Creek Campground and Point Mallard Campground.
Drive. Take a scenic fall drive and find new places to explore.
Explore a local museum. A cold or rainy fall day is the perfect time to finally explore that museum you've been meaning to take the family to see. If you'd like to visit a new museum, check out our review of the brand new Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur, Alabama. It is definitely worth a day trip!
Fall festivals. Because they're so much fun! Watch for our Fall Family Fun Guide coming soon!
Ghost stories. Pull up chairs around a backyard campfire for some spooky Halloween stories.
Haunted house. Boo! Several of these will be listed in our upcoming Fall Family Fun Guide.
Invite friends over for a soup or chili potluck. Everyone brings their family's favorite for sharing! Here's a 5-ingredient recipe.
Jump in a pile of leaves.
Kite flying. Blustery fall days are the perfect time to get out the kite.
Long walks. Because walking is good for you.
Make your own Halloween costumes! And let your kids do your makeup.
Neighborhood movie night. Check out how to make it extra special with these fun DIY cars for kids!
Oktoberfest! Prost!
Pumpkins! Carve them. Cook them. Bake with them. Love them.
Quench your thirst. OK, we had to stretch a little bit on this one ... but how about some warm apple cider with the kids? Warm it on the stove with a few sticks of cinnamon to imbue your home with the smell of fall.
Roast marshmallows over a bonfire on a chilly night. Here are several s'mores recipes you can try.
Scarecrow. Fun and easy family project: Take some old clothes and stuff them with hay or newspapers to make a family scarecrow as part of your Halloween decorations.
Tailgate. Hanging out with friends before the big football game is always a good time.
Unplug for the day. Turn off the electronics, ignore the TV, and leave the phone behind to spend a beautiful fall day completely tuned in to your family.
Visit a National Park. Did you know fourth graders and their families can visit national parks for free?
Wreath. Have your kids help you collect pinecones and other treasures from around your neighborhood to create your own wreath.
X marks the spot! Create a fall treasure hunt for your kids with a Halloween surprise at the end!
Yawn ... spend a lazy foul-weather Saturday at home cuddling on the couch, watching movies, and maybe even curling up in bed for a lovely mid-day nap.
Zoo! A fall visit to the zoo is always a treat!
Hope this list helps you find your family's ABCs of fall fun!
Jennifer Hill is the publisher of Macaroni Kid Fremont, Calif.
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Macaroni Kid South Birmingham is a free weekly e-newsletter and website focused on fun family events and things to do with kids in the South Birmingham region. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in downtown Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Pelham, the Oak Mountain and 280 area, Helena and Alabaster.
