5 Fantastic Fall Activities for Families

Fall Leaves Finger Painting

- You will need a piece of brown construction paper (or white paper, brown paint/ markers/crayons), scissors, a glue stick and red, green, orange and yellow non-toxic finger paints. Colorful markers or crayons will also do the trick if you do not have finger paints on hand or if your child does not like using paints.
- Trace your child’s hand and arm onto the brown construction paper and have them cut it out, depending on age, some children may need help with this task.
- Glue this to a piece of white paper or color in the area that you traced on white paper. This will form the tree trunk and branches.
- Next, have your child add the colorful leaves to their “tree” using the finger paint, crayons or markers.

Family friendly farms abound in Maine! In addition to a few of my favorites listed below, a simple Google search will offer options nearby. These farms offer up a variety of family friendly activities and farm fresh seasonal produce for all ages.

Homemade apple sauce is the perfect way to use apples and our Maine SNAP-Ed coordinators have the perfect recipe to share.

Ingredients
- Medium Apples
- 1/2 Cup of Water
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar (optional)

Steps
1. Wash the apples.
2. Peel, core and quarter the apples.
3. Cut the apples into small chunks.
4. In a medium pot, combine the apples, water, cinnamon and brown sugar.
5. Cover pot, and cook on medium heat until they come to a boil. Stir mixture. Then simmer over low heat until the apples are tender when you test with a fork, about 20-30 minutes.
6. You can mash apples with a fork or potato masher for a smoother texture.
7. Serve applesauce warm or cold if desired,
8. Promptly store extra applesauce in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Take a hike in your own back yard, neighborhood, local park or walking path. Walking is a great physical activity and can be an adventure for the whole family. Adding a scavenger hunt to your hike can help keep kids engaged and on the move. You may want to bring a bag or a basket to carry your found items home.
Visit the Maine Trail Finder to find a trail near you!

Perhaps you picked some pumpkins to celebrate the season. Don’t let those seeds go to waste when they can make an excellent snack. To roast pumpkin seeds,

- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
- Clean and dry your seeds with a towel.
- Spread them on a lined or sprayed baking sheet.
- Spray with a bit of cooking spray and sprinkle a pinch of salt. More adventurous? Spice them up with other favorite seasonings like curry powder, taco seasoning, chili powder or cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake them for 15 minutes, cool and enjoy.

Pumpkin seeds are full of flavor, magnesium, antioxidants and fiber!

Want more fall recipe ideas?