A last it’s the cozy-wozy time of year, so why not have a little fall fun with the kids?
fall fun with the kids
1. Grab your kids and head to your local pumpkin patch. Make a point to take a hay ride while you’re there and let your children pick out their own pumpkins. This is a great time for a photo!
2. Set up your jack-o-lanterns once they are all done, and light them up with battery operated tea lights for a fun and glow-filled night even BEFORE Halloween.
3. Take a couple of spice sticks and toss them in a pot of apple cider. Bring that to a low boil/slow simmer and let the aroma of everything October waft through your house. Your kids will love coming in from the brisk cold outdoors to a warm and inviting home.
4. Caramel apples aren’t just for the fair anymore. Go apple picking and choose which apples you think would be perfect to dip into your homemade caramel sauce or just grab a bag of apples from the grocery store and a bag of caramel candies. Heat the candies in a large pot until you can stir with a creamy/syrupy consistency and dunk your apples one at a time using a skewer cut in half and poked into the apple as your handle. Talk about fall fun with the kids!
5. The dollar store has some great decorations for next to nothing. What kid doesn’t like to hang fake cobwebs from his doorway?
bake, eat, decorate
6. Pumpkin bread, banana bread, zucchini bread and spice bread are a few of the season’s favorite treats. This is a great way to get your kids to eat breakfast in the morning.
7. A bowl of candy corn, peanuts, M&Ms and popcorn is the perfect Halloween mix for any sweet tooth. If you’re prone to putting your hand into the bowl one too many times, put it out of sight where you’re less likely to splurge. If you don’t mind the extra helpings, have at it!
8. Fall décor has a way of accumulating throughout the years as does any seasonal decoration. Kids love to help with setting up something special in their home, so let them help you get those tubs and boxes out and reminisce over holidays past.
9. Halloween costumes aren’t just for Halloween night. Any parent knows these pieces of clothing are like gold. Let your kids get out their old costumes and dress up to their hearts’ delight before the big night.
10. Candles may feel like a thing of the past with all of the infusers out now, but they provide a warm feeling in your kitchen. Get your favorite scented candle and make a special home for it on your counter. Light it morning and night.
11. A welcome mat can seem like such a simple thing and is often overlooked but it is the first thing your visitors will see upon entering your home. Head to your hardware store or department store and pick up a cute, whimsical doormat. Of course, have a little fall fun with the kids and let them pick out a few new decorations.
To Watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown … You’ll Need to Subscribe!
12. Basic cable usually airs It’s the Great Big Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. You can stream it this year on Apple TV+ (There is currently a seven-day free trial for the streaming service. After the trial, the price is $4.99 a month). In 2021, it was broadcast on Sunday, Oct. 24 through a special partnership with PBS and PBS Kids, but PBS lost the show this year.
13. Last but not least, paint those faces. This is the perfect time to whip out your cosmetic skills and draw your little girl a heart or tiara on her plump, soft cheek.
— Meagan Ruffing
