Fall Picnics and Activities for Kids

Encourage your kids to appreciate fall and get some exercise - right in your own yard! There are a lot of great activities that your kids will have a blast participating in, that don't cost any money and will get them thinking creatively.

Pitch a tent in the yard so they can play in their new 'fort'. Prepare a fun picnic lunch of sandwiches cut in the shape of leaves or pumpkins, along with apple slices dipped in peanut butter or ants on a log (celery sticks spread with peanut butter, with raisins in a row on top).

Have a scavenger hunt in the leaves. A great way to get the kids to complete a chore for you - raking leaves! Hide a few objects (toys, candy, etc.) in piles of leaves spread across your yard. They can use rakes, or just play around in the leaves and try to find them with their hands.

Make a leaf maze. Have everyone work together to rake the leaves into a maze in your yard- you could print out a maze off the internet, or look in one of their coloring books. Make the maze wide enough for all of the kids to be able to run through it together, at the same time. Have a prize waiting at the end!

Stuff a scarecrow. This perennial symbol of autumn is easy to construct and super fun for the little ones! Find an old shirt and overalls and stuff them with leaves, newspaper, hay, or whatever you have on hand that's convenient for you. Top it off with a pumpkin head and, if you like, a hat! You could even carve or draw a face on the pumpkin.

Create some lovely autumn decorations by making leaf rubbings. Bring out some drawing or construction paper and a box of crayons. Have the kids place a leaf under the paper and rub on top of it with a crayon to make the shape of the leaf. They can think up other things that remind them of fall, and draw them on the paper as well. Before you know it, you'll have some great new drawings to show off on the refrigerator. They could also turn leaves into little ornaments with some string and pinecones or acorns.

If you're looking for more autumn activities, check out Picnicking in Autumn - and don't forget to get yourself some great fall recipes!