We’ve all been there. The incoming message that says, “Hey! Are you going to the ______ tonight? Everyone’s going to be there and it’s only $10 per person.” Even if that’s a stellar deal, I have four kids. So, taking my children to a fun family activity at ten bucks a head runs me $50, $60 if my husband tags along, and that’s not even counting the “available concessions,” and various extras! Are there no fun fall family activities that are inexpensive? There must be a way to have fun as a family on a low budget!
It’s such a conundrum. You don’t necessarily want everyone to know that you can’t afford it. Maybe you could afford it if you strategically move things around in the budget. And while everyone else is running around, having a great time with their kids, buying them snacks at the concession stand, and souvenirs at the shop, you are crunching numbers in your head, worrying about how you’ll make that extra $50 up, while offering your children pre-packed snacks that didn’t cost a small fortune.
First of all, it’s okay to not be able to afford to do it all! Children who are not handed everything they ever ask for will have a far better awareness of money and budgeting as they grow and develop. This is a GOOD THING! It’s definitely not something you should ever feel guilty about. But I know that mom guilt. I know that feeling of not being able to give your kids the things you want to be able to!
Remember: Love is spelled T-I-M-E! You can’t buy your child’s love. And some of the tightest-knit families I have seen are those that can’t afford all the things! The important thing is not that you’re missing events; the important thing is what you’re doing to replace that fun!
The good news is that you CAN have some of the best fun on a low budget!
10 Free or Cheap Fall Family Activities:
- Jump in a Pile of Leaves—
My kids love playing in the leaves! It’s way more fun if their parents play too (and, of course, do the raking.) There’s not much that can beat the sound of crunching leaves and giggling! We like to rake up a bunch of piles of leaves, and then play a family game of Hide and Seek. The leaves provide a variety of hiding places; however, it’s best if the counter can count either inside, or in another part of the yard because the sound of the leaves tends to give away the hiding place.
If you live in an apartment, without a yard, there’s no reason you can’t bring a rake to the park and do it there! Every child should get to jump in a pile of leaves—no child left behind on this one!
- Hike a Trail and Take Pictures at a Park—
Getting outside as the weather turns colder is important—especially if your children are required to wear masks every day. Take them to a park, hike a trail, and collect treasures they find along the way. Allow them to breathe the crisp, fresh air. Have a picnic!
When my children are really wearing on me, I like to take some time to take pictures of them. It forces me to see my children from a different perspective. I can see their beauty; their sweetness; and am so busy trying to capture who they are at that particular stage in their lives, that I come to appreciate it more too.
There’s just something so special about viewing your child through the lens of a camera. It’s sort of like seeing things in slow motion for a moment, as you try to capture the perfect moment in time to freeze forever. Seeing those cute pictures really can change your attitude about your kids—at least for a short time!
- Collect Acorns and Colored Leaves for Art Projects—
This doesn’t have to be organized at all! Just see what your children choose; give them some paper, glue, and markers; and allow them to create! Remember, projects don’t have to be Pinterest-y, or planned out in order to be fun and teach!
Did you know that process art (the type of unplanned, no specific desired end-result project that we’re talking about here) is very healthy for children? Even teens, who are going through major reconstruction of the brain, benefit from doing process art! Of course, your teen will think this project is dumb, so you’ll have to pull the “Yes, but your little brother wants to be like you, so would you please do this with us?” card, but once they’re doing it, they might enjoy it!
Allow your child to simply create, and like everything, it’s better when you sit down and do it too!
P.S. Shelled acorns make a cute fill for a pretty vase or dish (and painted acorns are even cuter!)
- Make a Scarecrow—
It’s easy to find some old clothes lying around! Use them to make a scarecrow with your children. We did this a few years ago and my children amused themselves by naming their scarecrow “Dad” since we used some of his old clothes to make it. Every time we came home to that scarecrow sitting by the garden, they laughed and said, “There’s Dad!”
(They particularly got a kick out of the fact that “Dad” had hair!)
- Drink Apple Cider Around a Bonfire—
Bonfires have always seemed like a “summer thing” to me; however, I recently put two and two together that bonfires are WAY better in the fall! We’ve already had consistent freezing temperatures at night, which means, no bugs! The sun goes down earlier, meaning the kids don’t have to be up so late to enjoy a bonfire. The cooler weather also means that s’mores taste even better and hot cider takes the edge off the crisp air! (My husband and sons have discovered the beauty of bonfires in the winter too, but I haven’t gotten on board yet.) Be sure to take some pictures of your kids’ s’more faces.
If you’re a campfire master, feel free to make it a bonfire night; complete with a meal and some popcorn cooked over the fire!
- Fall Camping—
If you can go camping in the fall, definitely do it! The colors are so beautiful and the crisp air is perfect for morning walks through the park. Of course, you can enjoy bonfires and star-gazing, as well. Be sure to bring a football to throw around, and check out these camping activities for kids in order to avoid the ever-loving words, “I’m boooored!”
We only have a tent and weather that is not warm enough to camp in during the fall, but if you can, make some memories with your family by going on a fall camping trip.
- Visit a Pumpkin Patch—
Many pumpkin patches have free activities, even if you’re not there to buy pumpkins. Buying a pumpkin at a patch, though, is usually quite reasonable and SO MUCH MORE FUN than going to the grocery store, so if pumpkin art is in your plans and budget, let your kids pick a pumpkin too!
Our local pumpkin patch has some cute games and activities, along with a sweet photo set-up to take pictures of your kids.
For a little learning activity, look at the pumpkins and help your children compare them. Look at the different sizes, shapes, colors, etc. Find a few that are similar and one that is different. Explain to your child why some might still be green, and how they will ripen with some time spent in the sun. And if you’re lucky enough to have a pumpkin patch with GIANT pumpkins, ask your child why he or she thinks giant pumpkins don’t turn out round!
- Make Pumpkin Anything—
‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice! But while you may think that’s strictly for Mama’s latte, there are actually plenty of pumpkin flavored treats for kids too! You can start with this pumpkin mac and cheese recipe!
Of course, there are pumpkin pies and cakes, cookies and bars, but did you know that there are pumpkin flavored dips, butters, chips, hot chocolate, and even punch? For a whole list of recipes, click here:
Try a new recipe every Thursday from now until Thanksgiving!
- Decorate!—
Use nature as your party store and decorate! Allow your kids to really dig in with decorating your yard, or inside your home for the Fall. You can limit it by allowing your child to be in charge of one small area (i.e. the table or the antique cabinet.) Or you can turn your children loose to decorate it all! Fall decorations don’t stay up very long (HELLO! Christmas will be here soon!) so it’s a great way to allow your children to be creative, and be able to change it in less than a month!
- Make a Gratitude Pumpkin Patch—
We talked about using this with your kids for cultivating gratitude, but it also makes for a fun, family activity! It gets everyone talking about how much we have to be grateful for, and truly, I cannot stress this enough, after the year we have been through, we still have so much to thank the Lord for! Practicing gratitude is one of the most important things we can do for our own mental health, so why would it be different for our children?
This is an important tool for children to learn, and the younger, the better! Using the pumpkin patch spices it up a little and makes for a cute keepsake for years! Several years ago, we did this in the Spring with tulips. I still have some of them and love to see the tulip that says, “Alligators” in my son’s very primitive handwriting.
Fall can be a difficult season for some, as that transition to winter is hard on the brain! With fewer hours of daylight; fewer sunshine-y days, and colder weather setting in, seasonal affective disorder can kick in quickly! Be sure you’re watching and taking care of your own mental health! Spending quality time with your family, having fun together, and making memories, can really help give you that boost you need…so let’s get out there and crunch in some leaves!
