5 Fantastic Fall Activities for Families

Fall Leaves Finger Painting

• This activity is great for pre-k and elementary age children.

• • 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.

Visit A Local Farm or Orchard

• 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.

A few of my favorites:

• Lakeside Orchards318 Readfield Road, Manchester.
• Pleasant Pond Orchard 430 Brunswick Road, Richmond.
• Bailey’s Orchard 255 N. Hunts Meadow Road, Whitefield.
• Kents Hill Orchard 1625 Main Street, Kents Hill.
• Applewald Farm 525 Huntington Hill Road, Litchfield.
• Lemieux Orchard 210 Priest Hill Road, Vassalboro.

Make Apple Sauce 

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

HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE

• 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 and Have A Scavenger Hunt

• 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!

Roast Some Pumpkin Seeds

• 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?

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