Autumn is a transition season. Change is in the air and there is a new sense of opportunity. For many parents, last summer was a hectic one. There were uncertainties about whether schools would reopen, and many regular summer activities were no longer available for children including overnight and day camps. Even though fall is now well underway, there is still some time before the December holidays. As such, you may be wondering what kind of fun activities you can do with your kids.
For many parents of young children, specifically toddlers, ages one through three, there is sometimes some difficulty figuring out which activities will be the most enjoyable, especially during the transition seasons. The article below touches on three excellent fall activities. These won’t only be entertaining for your toddler, but also for you. From getting outdoors and breathing that crisp Autumn air to cozying up inside with some heartwarming food, these activities will keep everyone occupied and fulfilled this Autumn. You may also want to consider enrolling your toddler in one of the after school child care programs.
Nature-Themed Scavenger Hunt
Getting outdoors with your kid is essential. Spending time outside not only keeps your kid content, but it also improves their physical and emotional health. Rather than staying indoors this fall and watching cartoons with your toddler, start thinking of some things you can do outdoors. One great activity that more parents are starting to do this year is fall-themed scavenger hunts. As the parent, you must take the lead and spend some time organizing the activity.
Sit down with your toddler and make a list of five (you can do more, but five is an excellent place to start) unique things you may be able to find outside. Some examples would be a red leaf in the shape of a star, a cracked brown chestnut, or a moss-covered rock.
The more detailed you get, the more challenging the scavenger hunt will be. You can even get out the colored pencils when making a list and start drawing little pictures of these potential items. Then, when the weather is to your liking, you can pick a day to head outside with your kid to search for these unique items. Having the list beforehand and making the items unique will make the hunt more interesting, and it will spark excitement, curiosity, and joy in your kid when you find the items on the list. You may even find yourself becoming more entertained than you thought by this fun fall activity. You can also speak to the staff at the child development center about great activities to do with your toddler.
Fall Smoothie Making Contest
Another healthy and fun activity you can do with your toddler this fall is a smoothie-making contest. Smoothies are an excellent drink for toddlers because it is a great way to pack many nutrients from fruits and vegetables into a delicious and colorful drink that they will not think twice about slurping down. The smoothie-making contest works by first gathering all of your ingredients. Grab several frozen fruits and other food items to make it fall-themed like pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You can get the standard ingredients like bananas and strawberries, but don’t be afraid to delve into other fruits you may see at the store like frozen melon, coconut, or even passionfruit.
These types of fruit will make the game more fun as the flavors will be different than what’s familiar. You can also get some other ingredients like juices, yogurt, or whatever else you might have on hand. Once you have your spread of ingredients, start coming up with different combos. You can make small batches of each different smoothie and you can enjoy trying each one and determining which is best. As this may sound like a lot of kitchen work for one day, you can always make this a long-term contest. Each day, or week, you can make a new smoothie combination, and then you and your family can take a vote at the end of the month. You can even pack a smoothie as a snack for when they are at their early learning center.
A Costume Party
While you may have already dressed up for Halloween with your toddler, that doesn’t mean that you can’t dress up again. Dressing up in costumes can be fun for toddlers because it allows them to express their creativity and adds a comedic and light-hearted nature to family get-togethers. Plan a couple of weeks in advance and have everyone dress up for dinner. Perhaps someone in your family wanted to be something else for Halloween. Well, this is the perfect time to try that out. If you think that this takes too much work and time, there is another version you can try.
Plan to have a formal dinner party where everyone in the family wears something a little fancier than they usually would. Put on a suit and tie, clip on a bowtie to your toddler, or shine up your sneakers to make dinner other than an everyday meal. If you tend to work late and sometimes are not home for dinner, there are several after-school programs that you can enroll your kid in so that you can rest easy and not have to worry about your toddler while you are at work.
During the Autumn, you may find that the days and weekends can get a little dreary. If you’re looking for something to do throughout the day, you should try some of the activities above. Technically, you can do these activities any season, but by putting an Autumnal spin on it, whether by adding pumpkin or a dash of orange, you will make it perfect for the season. In no time, your toddler will be so excited to leave preschool and get home for all the adventures.
