8 Frugal Fall Fun Activities

 

I love fall!  Everything starts to cool off, but you don't have to worry about being scraping windshields or shoveling snow for a while longer.  There are also so many fun activities we can do as a family! What kind of memories can you create with kids when you are on a budget? Plenty! Here are some of my favorite ways to create a frugal and fun fall.

1. Go to a local pumpkin patch and spend the afternoon looking at all the different sizes, colors and types. Then, let each child pick a small one to decorate with markers, glue, glitter etc at home.

2. Go for a “leaf walk”. Try to gather different types of leaves and talk to your kids about why the leaves change in the fall. You could even do a fall scavenger hunt looking for things in your area such as acorns, a purple leaf, a pinecone or whatever is available.

3. Apple picking is always fun and can often be low price. Just look up local orchards in your area and see if they allow people to pick their own. Many times on Craigslist there are farms that allow people to do it for free with their over-harvest, even. Make homemade applesauce when you get home for extra fun.

4. Gather some men’s clothes and stuff your own scarecrow with leftover hay from a farm or newspaper. Set him up on your porch for a fun fall decoration.

5. Fall is the perfect time to do some cooking and baking with kids. Homemade soups are easy to involve kids in the process and are great budget friendly meals.

6. Fall hiking is perfect for a free fall activity. While you may think of spring or summer as being an ideal time, autumn is great because it comes with beautiful leaves, and you can gather them for crafts since there are so many of them. The crisp air is perfect for this activity so you don’t get overheated as well.

7. Make sure to check in your community for fun harvest activities. Many churches and community centers do free family activities in the fall.

8. If the air is just a little too crisp out, gather some pinecones and take them inside to create bird feeders for the year round birds in the area. Just slather peanut butter (or another kind of “butter such as soy if there are allergies in your household) on them and roll or top with bird seed. Hung by a string near a window and watch them birds flock to this delicious treat!

What are some of your favorite fall activities?