Your Family Fall Bucket List

Fall is exploding with color and is just waiting for you to get outside to enjoy it. The kids may be back to school but that doesn’t mean your outdoor fun has to stop. Create a fall bucket list with all the places and activities you’d like to see or do this season. Making a list will help you make time to see all that fall has to offer; the food, fall color, and family fun. To help you get started, I’ve assembled a list of 10 outdoor activities that are absolute "must-do's" with your kids. These are the outdoor activities are fall traditions in our house that we look forward to every year. Take a look and you’ll see just how fun getting outdoors this fall will be.

1. Go on a Nature Safari

Take the family out for a nature walk and make fairy bracelets or play a game of I Spy. You could also gather things for nature inspired fall crafts.

2. Fall Color Drive

The leaves are changing into brilliant reds, gold, and brown. Take the scenic route on your way to somewhere you are already going with your family to see the trees changing color. Of course, the greenest way to do this is in an electric car!

3. Visit a Local Apple Orchard

Imagine the fun you’ll have picking apples with the kids. I remember doing this with my family as a child. Now that I’m a parent, we enjoy this whenever we are in an area with apple orchards. After picking apples, enjoy a hot cup of apple cider or come home and create this Gluten Free Apple Pie Smoothie or a hot Gluten Free Apple Pie Crumble.

4. Visit a Farmers Market

Fall is still harvest time and your local farmers markets are filled with fresh offerings. Stop by and pick up fresh food for dinner or pick out your pumpkin for painting or carving.

5. Go for a Bike Ride

Many cities have bike trails for you to enjoy. Grab your bikes and pedal together. You can go for an hour or plan for a full afternoon with a stop for lunch.

6. Go Camping

Now that the weather has cooled down, it’s a fantastic time to plan a fall camping trip with your family. Pick an extended weekend or fall break and head to a nearby state or national park to pitch your tent and enjoy sleeping under the stars. If you don’t want to travel far, consider a backyard campout and pitch the tent in your own backyard.

7. Plan a Fall Playdate

Fall is a busy time of year with Back to School, sports, school activities, etc. Schedule outdoor play time with an outdoor playdate. Gather a few friends and their children after an afternoon of fun.

8. Visit a Pumpkin Patch

This is an annual tradition in our house. We all look forward to going out and so will you. Kids are never too old to pick out a pumpkin so this is a fun activity for everyone. Some pumpkin patches even include hay rides, pumpkin painting or carving stations and corn mazes!

9. Go Geocaching or Letterboxing

Modern day treasure hunting can be done anywhere with access to the internet! Download the Geocaching app and start searching for hidden caches. You can also make your own cache and log it for others to find. (You will need a GPS enabled device to geocache).

Another fun treasure hunting game is called letterboxing. Look for clues to letterboxes near you on AtlasQuest or Letterboxing.org. To play this game you will need a small log book (a mini sketchbook is perfect) and a stamp that you made. You can find more about making letterboxing stamps (even if you aren't crafty!) and getting started on Creative Green Living.

10. Create S'Mores over a fireplace or fire pit

Food over a campfire tastes delicious. Even if you aren't heading out to go camping, you can still enjoy s'mores. Do the traditional version or try these Banana S'Mores with gluten free oatmeal cookies, honey, marshmallow and banana.

About the Author:

Nicky is a California native living in Oklahoma. She was bitten by the travel bug years ago and she is always looking for new places to explore with her 3 kids and husband. A foodie at heart, she loves to cook and taste her way through a cityís local markets. Nicky founded the active family lifestyle website, Little Family Adventure where "No Child Should Be Left Inside". She inspires families to eat healthy to have the energy to find their own adventure where ever that is. It could be in the backyard, camping outdoors, or traveling the world. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.