After a blistering summer, many families are welcoming autumn with open arms. Cooler weather, warm drinks, the smell of spices in the air, cozying up with a blanket…these are just a few of many perks that come with the arrival of fall.
How is your family going to make the most of the season? Are you going to build a bonfire and make s’mores? Are you planning to watch football on the patio every weekend? What about raking a pile of leaves just to have your kids tear through them?
If you’re as excited as we are to have fun and relax amid the mild weather and beautiful foliage, then try out these simple family outdoor activities—many of which you can do at home!
Have a bonfire.
What better excuse is there to build a bonfire than the arrival of chilly autumn nights? Light the flames in your wood or gas fire pit, and enjoy roasting marshmallows, cooking hot dogs, or making s’mores. Add an acoustic guitar to the mix, and you have everything you need for a bonafide fall evening! If you need to pick up a gas fire pit, Hearth & Patio has a few available right now!
Set up camp in the backyard.
Who says you need to leave home to go camping? There’s no better time to camp out than when the weather is crisp and cool, and your backyard can make for a wonderful (and convenient) campsite.
Make sure you have all the equipment you need, such as a tent, sleeping bags, and pillows. If you want to go all-out, you can even incorporate a portable grill and snacks! Enjoy your time together telling stories, and have a stellar night falling asleep under the stars.
Host an outdoor movie night.
Similar to camping, you don’t need to leave home to have a great outdoor theater night. Bring the drive-in experience to your backyard! Maybe that means hosting a spooky Halloween marathon, or perhaps you simply want to watch your favorite family film with popcorn, snacks, and drinks in hand!
Keep the football going.
Fall means football. Whether your family keeps up with professional, college, or both, now is the time to experience those special moments that only football games can provide. And the next best thing to watching in the stadium is turning the games on in your patio. Put on your team gear, grill some burgers and hot dogs, and make a weekend of it!
Play in the leaves.
This is one of the most fun, counterproductive activities you can do with your family. Bust out that old rake, organize the leaves in your yard into neat little piles, and let your kids loose to cause as much destruction as they can muster. They’ll have so much fun, you’ll almost forget about all that time you spent raking!
Go apple picking.
Apple picking is a classic fall activity—and it also happens to be quite tasty! If you have an apple orchard nearby, consider taking the kiddos there on the weekend. You can walk through the tree-filled trails and seek the perfect apples for that scrumptious apple pie you’ve been craving. You can also save some of the apples you pick, set up a tub in your backyard, and bob for apples!
Travel the neighborhood by foot or bike.
If you want to incorporate some exercise into your fall routine, take the family around your neighborhood. Go for a nice walk or bike ride amid the sunshine and foliage, and catch up on what your kids have been learning at school, new hobbies they’ve been trying out, and anything else that gives you an excuse to talk to them!
The perfect season for relaxing outdoors is here. Make sure your family is set up to get the most out of the mild weather and magnificent scenery. Pick up a fire pit from Hearth & Patio, and try out some of the activities mentioned above to create lifelong memories with the people closest to your heart. There’s no time like the present, especially when it’s fall!
