The summer is over, and fall is here. For young children fall usually brings mixed emotions since school is back in session, but for toddlers, there is nothing but exciting activities to look forward to. Toddlers are still learning about the world, but unlike infants, they are old enough to get a more distinctive and sensory experience from the fall season than they have previously.
In truth, autumn is a wonderful time of year for everyone since the slight chill in the air, and the radiant orange and amber colors can be very calming. For some people, the fall is all about pumpkin spice lattes and sweatshirts, but for toddlers, it’s an especially enjoyable time of year with the beginning of exciting holidays around the corner. Below are just three fall activities for toddlers.
1) Go Apple Picking.
Apple picking is one the most classic fall activities there is and something that is fun for parents too. Not every toddler gets to visit a farm, but when they go on apple picking, they get to learn the basics of what it’s like to grow food. Apples are a fruit that is widely enjoyed by everyone since it has so many different uses such as juice, sauce, and pie. When children get to pick their own apples, it makes them feel special since they are directly choosing the food they are going to eat, which is very important today since we are so disconnected too so much of our everyday food. Parents also enjoy apple-picking because it’s one of those activities where the entire family can come along and take part in.
2) Visiting a Pumpkin Patch.
Visiting a pumpkin patch is similar to apple picking, but when it comes to pumpkins, it’s much more directly linked to a holiday most kids wildly enjoy: Halloween. At pumpkin patches, you are likely to see haystack mazes, hayrides, and maybe even a few haunted attractions. Typically there isn’t anything at a pumpkin patch too scary for a toddler but seeing Halloween-themed decorations can still be exciting. It’s also likely that toddlers don’t realize a pumpkin can be used as food since so many pumpkins are there to be decorated into jack-o-lanterns. If you take your toddler to a pumpkin patch to pick up Halloween pumpkins, also be sure to consider showing them how to make pumpkin pie in preparation for the following month’s major holiday: Thanksgiving.
3) Going on a nature hike.
Fall isn’t just about Halloween and Thanksgiving though. Regardless of what day it is, the best thing about the fall is to see how nature is changing. Taking your toddler on a nature hike can be the most memorable and educational experience of all. They will get to learn about the life of trees by seeing how they change. They’ll get to see how different wildlife prepares for the winter. Most fun of all though is that they’ll pick up acorns and leaves to bring home for all sorts of arts and crafts-related projects. Some of those projects can be leaf coloring, creating their own indoor tree, or of course making their own holiday decorations.
Halloween may be the most fun day there is for a toddler in the entire fall season but not everyone lives in a neighborhood conducive for trick-or-treating, so it makes it even more important to have fun in other ways. With the three activities listed above, you can have fun with your toddler and also turn it into a valuable learning experience.
If you would like to learn more about how to get the best of fall, be sure to visit our blog for more ideas and helpful tips.
