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10 Family-Friendly Activities For Fall And The Holidays

FALL - FAMILY - FUN

Make Thanksgiving and fall memorable with these fun family-friendly activities!

"The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us" ~ James E. Faust.

These family-friendly activities will ensure for memorable moments spent with loved ones this fall and Thanksgiving. May they instill a thankful heart when discovering the beauty in everyday life!

Forage For Natural Decorations

Need to decorate the table for an upcoming holiday dinner? Or maybe change up the decor around the home to suit the holidays? Turn to nature!

When we start looking at things around us with a fresh perspective, we realize how many things we often overlook that are beautiful in their own way.

By using natural decor, we learn to appreciate the simplest things and minimize our impact on the earth.

Some fun natural decor examples:

Bowls of freshly picked fruit
Multi-colored dried corncob
Leaves and branches, berries
Pinecones
Pompous grass
Dried herbs for a lovely scent
Dried seed pods
Feathers

kids fall scavenger hunt

This fall scavenger hunt printable by Azure Farm is perfect for downloading, laminating, and reusing repeatedly!

Send the kids outside and let them check things off as they find them.

This scavenger hunt is not just for fun! Along the way, the kids will be exploring their senses, discovering textures, experiencing how change happens in nature (and life), and learn to appreciate the value of spending time outside.

After the scavenger hunt, use the items to make fun projects, I.e., making a beautiful collage on paper with the leaves, tying the feather to a pencil, decorating the pinecones, or painting the rocks to look like pumpkins.

DOWNLOAD THE FALL SCAVENGER HUNT HERE

Make Dried Citrus Holiday Garlands

This is another fun activity for the whole family! It requires minimal items and effort to make, yet it makes a beautiful, yet simple statement.

All you need is:

Sliced oranges, lemons, or grapefruit
Cinnamon sticks, dried aniseed stars, greenery (these are optional)
Paper towel
Baking sheet
Twine or fishing line and needle

How to:

Preheat your oven to 200°F
Slice your chosen citrus into 1/8-inch thickness.
Press them gently with a paper towel to remove as much of the juice as possible, and then place them on parchment paper on a baking tray.
Dehydrate them in the oven for about 3 hours, flipping halfway through.
Let them cool down.
Tie your chosen thread through the needle and start stringing up the dried citrus to make the garland. This is where you can get creative and add the cinnamon sticks, aniseed stars, and greenery in between!
Make a loop at the end so you can easily hang the garland.

Make salt dough ornaments

This is an inexpensive way to always have new ornaments for any occasion or theme. Hang your handmade ornaments on your Christmas tree, add them as part of table decorations, make name place settings, or use them as cute thank-you gifts.

What you need:

1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of salt and up to 1 cup of warm water
Twine or string

How to:

Preheat your oven to 140°F.
Add the flour to a bowl and slowly add the water.
Stir until the dough is mostly together and becomes difficult to stir further.
Knead the dough a few times with your hands to bring it together. If it is very sticky, add a few drops of water.
Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll until it is 1/4-inch thick.
Cut out your desired shapes with cookie cutters.
Carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined tray using a spatula.
Poke holes with a straw before baking to pull the string through.
Bake for about 4 hours or until firm and dry.
Decorate or paint them as you wish!

Camping, Bonfire, And Roasting Marshmallows

The perfect fall activity!

Imagine a crackling fire capturing your thoughts, a beautiful star-ridden sky, the sound of crickets and loved ones laughing, and gooey roasted marshmallows. Now doesn't that sound inviting??

Spending the nights looking at the stars, singing around the campfire, and roasting sweet marshmallows is a great way for your family to bond and create everlasting memories.

We love these vegan marshmallows from Dandies. They are light, fluffy, gluten-free, and so yummy! Oh, and they roast so well!

Dandies Vegan Marshmallows

Enjoy some holiday baking

There's just something about freshly, cozy baked goods during the holiday season! The nostalgia, the comfort, the aromas, the treat we all deserve after a long year ;-) Grab the kids and have a fun baking session!

Butternut squash pie

Celebrate fall with all the beautiful vegetables it has to offer. And whoever said you cannot have veggies for dessert needs to try this butternut squash pie recipe!

Cinnamon Rolls

These fresh-milled flour cinnamon rolls are incredibly delicious, a recipe shared by one of our customers, Mindful Mama Eats. Perfect for a sweet treat with your mid-morning tea or the upcoming holiday season! Get the recipe here!

Gluten-free apple pie

What would fall and the holidays be without the classic apple pie?! This mouthwatering apple pie will not disappoint. It is plant-based, gluten-free, contains no added oils, and is oh-so-juicy!

Vegan chocolate cookies

These vegan chocolate cookies are a crowd pleaser! Made with vegan butter, a vegan egg substitute, and chickpea flour, they are as healthy as they are delicious! Okay, these still need to be enjoyed in moderation ;-)

Stock up on holiday baking essentials here!

More Ideas!

Enjoy a fall picnic

Enjoy the last of the lovely fall weather before it gets too cold to spend time outside. Pack a basket full of your favorite fall snacks and enjoy a picnic under the beautiful fall trees, surrounded by the gorgeously colored leaves. Enjoy the warmth of the mellow sun and take some memorable family photos.

Buy your favorite plant-based snacks here!

'cookies-in-a-jar' gifts

Start your holiday gifting prep early by making 'cookies-in-a-jar' gifts. It is a fun and sustainable way to treat your loved ones. This is a great activity to get the kids involved and keep them busy for a while. We love this recipe from Azure Farm.

Hot cocoa and game night

Invite a group of friends or family and host a game night! Offer a hot chocolate bar with a variety of tasty ingredients to choose from for a fun experience. Try this decadent vegan peppermint hot chocolate. These mini vegan maple marshmallows are so yummy as hot chocolate toppings!

Volunteer at a soup kitchen

Give back and show gratitude by helping out at your local soup kitchen or community center. Thanksgiving and fall are the perfect times to reflect on what to be thankful for and show gratitude by helping others in need.