Fall is my favorite season of all. Even though it is the busiest season of the year as a mom & a family photographer, because of the start of another school year and the demand for fall family photos, you can’t deny the fact that the crisp fall weather is perfect and the leaves changing colors is just breathtaking. Every fall, my family and I make more memories by doing these fun fall traditions.
Fun Fall Traditions For Families
I’ve compiled a list of our favorite fall traditions that we enjoy as a family. I’ve also included some tips that have worked for us. You’re welcome! 😉
1. Go Apple Picking & Make Some Treats
Going apple picking is not only a great activity to bond as a family, but the kids also find great joy in picking their own apples. Plus, if you love apple cider like me, the apple orchard is one of the best places to get some. And then we make caramel apples and chocolate-covered apples. To make it even more fun, I let the kids decorate their apples with whatever toppings they want. Some of the things we’ve tried are macadamia nuts, Oreo, and sprinkles. My favorite combination is chocolate and macadamia nuts.
2. Go To A Fall Festival
This is one of our favorite fall traditions as a family. There are so many fun activities to do at fall festivals. We love going on hayrides & corn maze, looking at the farm animals, and of course, enjoying all the giant slides as much as we could. Every year, we go to Cox Farms. During the peak of COVID, we missed it and it certainly felt like our fall wasn’t complete. We try to go earlier in the season to avoid crowds and longer wait times on attractions.
3. Carve, Paint, Or Decorate A Pumpkin
When the kids were little, we tried carving a pumpkin “as a family” and we learned that that activity is not kid-friendly. Since then, we just stuck to painting the pumpkins in fall. The kids love doing whatever design they want on the pumpkin. Sometimes, they would go crazy and use the paint on themselves. It can be very messy but it was a fun mess and it sure was worth all the laughter. For little ones that do not like getting messy, using stickers to decorate their pumpkin is another way for them to enjoy this fun fall family tradition. Now that the kids are getting a bit older, we might try carving a pumpkin again soon.
4. Enjoy The Fall Foliage
No matter how many times you’ve seen the leaves change color, it never grows old. Take the time to go on family walks and enjoy the beauty of nature. Maybe you could also make a leaf pile as the leaves are falling and let the kids just jump on them. If you’re like me, you’d most likely also join in on the fun. And you can also take some of the fallen leaves inside and make some crafts with your kids.
5. Dress Up In Halloween Costumes As A Family
This is another one of our favorite fall tradition as a family. Since the kids were little, we have always dressed up in coordinating Halloween costumes as a family. We do this when we attend Halloween parties or when we go trick or treating. In the top of our list is the Addams Family we did when we attended our neighbor’s Halloween party. Some of our favorite family Halloween costumes were Monsters Inc. where A was Boo and I was Sully; Snow White where A was Snow White, X was Dopey, I was the evil queen, and my husband was the mirror on the wall; and zombies and mummies which tested my non-existent makeup skills. We try to choose costumes that can work with normal clothes so even if I spend money buying “costumes” for every one, we can wear them again outside of Halloween.
6. Make A “Thankful Pumpkin” Or A “Grateful Notes”
What started as a “Thankful Pumpkin” every November where we write what each family member is thankful for on a pumpkin at the end of each day, turned into a “Grateful Notes“. Instead of using a pumpkin each year, we now write what each family member is thankful for on a little piece of paper with a date and then we put it in a little treasure chest. I thought keeping all of the papers that we’ve written throughout the years would be a fun activity to look into in the coming years when the kids are a little bit older. The activity itself is also great exercise to teach the kids about gratitude not only for the big blessings that we receive every day, but also for the little ones.
7. Have A Fall Family Photoshoot
While you can technically have a family photoshoot at any time during the year, if you love fall colors like I do, then having a fall photoshoot with your favorite family photographer is a great idea. Doing this every year not only ensures that you get to see how much each kid has grown every year with the fall foliage providing a beautiful backdrop, it also gives you photos to use for your holiday cards to send to family and friends. If you have yet to find your favorite Northern Virginia family photographer, I would love to hear from you. I have a team of amazing photographers who can give you beautiful photos while you make memories with your favorite people.
I hope this list of fall traditions for fun-loving families like yours will help you & your family make a lot of fun memories as your kids grow older. I know, as a busy mom, one thing I always look forward to in fall are the fun traditions that we get to do as a family because they fill my heart with so much joy.
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‘Til next time,
Belle
