Falling leaves and cool breezes announce the start of autumn. It’s the perfect time to move your summer clothes into storage and wrap yourself in warm sweaters. If you’re one of the many people who wait all year for this season, this is the guide for you.
Check out how you can have a cozy fall with your family this year. By the time winter arrives, you’ll check off every item on your autumn bucket list.
1. Light a Bonfire
Some classic activities have to wait until fall, like lighting a bonfire. It’s finally cool enough to comfortably sit around a roaring fire with all your favorite people.
Add cozy ambiance to the experience by decorating your yard with fairy lights or candles. Play relaxing music or stock up on creative s’mores supplies so everyone gets a delicious treat. Bonfires are a great way to catch up with your family after a long day and spend more time outside.
2. Jump in Fallen Leaves
If you live around deciduous trees, ask everyone to grab a rake. Gather all the leaves in your yard into a pile and play music while you take turns jumping into it. Kids will love the endless fun, especially if the family dog runs back and forth from the pile with them.
Store your leaves in a large garbage bag in your garage if your trees don’t drop enough in between your lawn care efforts. As long as they don’t get wet, you can add to them and still do this activity even if you don’t have many deciduous trees in your yard.
3. Go Apple Picking
Apple harvesting begins in fall, so pile up the family in your car and pick a few for yourselves. It’s a family-friendly activity that many apple farms prepare for before the season begins. Call any local apple farmers to ask if they have things like step stools for little kids or containers to carry your apples home. You’ll know which supplies you should bring and come home with enough apples for snacks, smoothies and plenty of pies.
4. Make Comfort Food
Even though you might enjoy a nice salad now and then, cold weather is the best excuse to make comfort food. Try new recipes that use seasonal spices and flavors, like pumpkin-stuffed ravioli. Even picky eaters can’t resist the savory aroma of warm, fall comfort food after a day spent playing outside in the chilly air.
5. Light Seasonal Candles
There are so many autumn scents to enjoy while the season lasts. Indulge in a few candles and place them around your home. Whenever you want to feel the spirit of fall, light candles with apple, pumpkin or cinnamon scents. Your home will smell and feel like the ultimate autumn escape.
6. Cuddle Under Heavy Blankets
There’s nothing quite as relaxing as snuggling up under a heavy blanket. The key is to use a chunky knit throw because the texture and weight add luxury and warmth.
You can find them in local stores or make your own without knitting experience, depending on your free time and if you love a good craft. After you decide on your blanket, use it for cuddling with your family during your next movie night at home.
7. Reinvent Your Wardrobe
It’s hard not to love piling on cozy layers and styling fall accessories. Take a look at your wardrobe and reinvent it with fall staples like sweaters, scarves and boots. Get every family member just a few new fashion staples for fall and everyone will have a capsule wardrobe to rely on through winter.
8. Pose for Pictures
Family pictures can either feel like a fun occasion or a stressful undertaking. Scheduling a new autumn photoshoot gives your family the chance to have fun in their favorite season and capture the moment in time.
Talk with a local photographer about posing outdoors. Get pictures of your kids playing in leaves or posing in front of a background of red and orange trees. Afterward, you can hang them around your home for additional fall decor and keep them for years to come.
9. Plan a Camping Trip
People love to camp during most times of the year, but autumn is a popular time to rent an RV or invest in a tent. The weather is cool and dry, so hiking and fishing won’t leave your family with sunburns and bug bites.
Plan a camping trip that everyone will love. If your kids aren’t into sleeping under the stars, you can also consider a glamping trip to make the vacation feel more like home. Who can say no to fresh air, campfire stew and an RV where you can watch your favorite family movies after dinner?
10. Watch the Sunset
It’s much more enjoyable to watch a fall sunset when summer bugs aren’t buzzing around. Pull out that new blanket you made and light a few of your favorite candles. Autumn sunsets with your family are the perfect way to end the day before the weather gets too cold.
Make a Family Bucket List
These are just a few ways you can have a cozy fall with your family, so make a seasonal bucket list. Ask everyone what they’d like to do and find ways to make those things happen. When everyone gets to choose an activity, you’re bound to have your best autumn season yet.
Written by Jennifer Landis
About the Author
Jennifer Landis is a mom, wife, writer, and blogger at Mindfulness Mama. She’s quite fond of peanut butter, distance running, yoga, and drinking as much tea as possible. Find her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.
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