The brisk fall air is here and the drop in temperatures is the perfect excuse to get outdoors and soak up the beauty of the season with family activities. Autumn is ripe for opportunities, from nature hikes to apple picking. You'll get your entire family up and moving while making lasting memories. Here are ten of our favorite fall activities to add some fitness to your autumn adventures.
1. Get Inspired By Geocaching
Motivate the kids to get outdoors with geocaching for an outdoor treasure hunt with GPS coordinates. With the help of a geocaching app, you can find hidden “caches” in your area or a nearby park. The entire family will get in on the excitement of walking, exploring, and maybe some climbing and crawling to find hidden treasures.
Turn your geocaching hunt into a full-day activity by planning several caches in different locations and covering as much ground as possible. Reward yourselves with a healthy treat after finding the last one.
2. Take a Nature Hike
For a more strenuous fall family activity, go on a nature hike. Your family will enjoy soaking up the fall’s breathtaking scenery while getting some exercise. Choose a local trail with a mix of terrain from rugged to smooth for a varied adventure. This fall activity gets bonus points if there's a waterfall or scenic lookout at the end. With a vibrant mix of colors, the leaves and crisp fall breeze turn it into an enjoyable hike for all ages while strengthening muscles and improving cardiovascular health.
Remember to bring a pair of binoculars and turn your hike into a challenge for your family. Set your own goals to find specific types of leaves or declare a bird-watching contest.
3. Explore a Local Corn Maze
Younger kids and kids at heart will love exploring a local corn maze. Navigating twists and turns is a surprisingly good workout with the right approach. Turn it into a challenge to see who gets out the fastest and add in checkpoints or a scavenger hunt to get the entire family engaged. You can also team up with extended family or neighbors to turn it into a spirited group challenge.
4. Bike Ride Through a Local State Park
The arrival of cooler weather means more time to hop on your bikes to cruise through the neighborhood or a nearby park with trails. This low-impact cardiovascular exercise is ideal to work out your legs and foster your kids' sense of balance and coordination. It's also a great way to chat while you bike and catch up on what's going on in your children's lives. Bring along some fresh fruit and fall snacks for a planned stop with scenic views.
5. Rake and Jump in Leaf Piles
Jumping into a pile of colorful, fall leaves is a rite of passage for any family. Raking up leaves is its own workout and involves your family's upper body strength and core. After you rake up the leaves, see who can leap the farthest into the leaves for an exhilarating family activity that gets your heart rate up. The best part is, you can keep raking and jumping into leaves all day. The fun doesn't end until your kids get tired.
6. Go Apple Picking
Apple orchards are full of ways to enjoy some fall family activities. Choose an expansive orchard to walk the rows of trees and carry their heavy bags of fresh, crisp apples. Turn it into a game to see who can pick the most apples or carry the most. You can also choose an apple orchard with other activities, including trampolines and racing games. Remember to turn your apples into a delicious recipe later. Try adding a scoop of our whey protein powder to turn it into a nutritious treat.
7. Visit a Pumpkin Patch and Carve Pumpkins
Plan a family trip to a pumpkin patch for more than some iconic photo ops. Take a long walk through the rows of pumpkins to find the best ones and do some squats and lifting to test your family's strength. Once you’ve selected your pumpkin, head home and turn this fall family activity into a creative project with some old-fashioned pumpkin carving. You can also bake the seeds with a sprinkle of salt for a nutritious snack.
8. Play Flag Football or Soccer
Ready to embrace your competitive side? Help your family stay fit with flag football or soccer. Head out to the backyard, a local park, or open field and divide into teams. Get your family running, jumping, and strategizing with the opportunity to add in silly, absurd rules to make it more fun. You'll keep everyone in good spirits if you set a time limit for each half and switch up the positions to keep things more exciting while working on different muscle groups.
9. Host an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Fall's colorful backdrop makes it an ideal setting for a seasonal scavenger hunt. Turn it into a family tradition and create a list of seasonal items for your family to find. From vibrant leaves to acorns, pine cones, and bunnies, come up with fun ideas that will thrill your kids to keep hunting. This family fall activity encourages walking, exploring, and jogging for a physical challenge with a twist.
10. Raise Money for a Fun Run or Walk
Give back to the community as a family with fall-themed fun runs or charity walks. Choose a good cause together and enjoy running, walking, and supporting your community together. If you can’t find an organized event nearby that aligns with your interests, create your own fun run.
Set up a course through your neighborhood and pick a theme, like like dressing up in Halloween costumes, and invite friends to join in. You can ask everyone to chip in a few dollars per family to donate as a group to your favorite charity.
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