Frugal Fall Activities For Your Family

I love Fall. The scents and traditions just make me smile and say, “Mmmmm ….” I think Fall is one of the best seasons for families. There are so many things to do that your whole family can enjoy. Today I’d like to share a few frugal ideas for Fall family fun. Sorry if I’m killing you with the alliteration – I just can’t help myself.

Fashion a Scarecrow

photo credit: allanworden@btinternet.com

This can be made entirely out of things you already have. Rake the leaves in your yard (or someone else’s?). Find some old clothes: jeans, long sleeve shirt (flannel shirt if you can). Grab some of those twist ties that you never use, if you don’t have those then rubber bands will work too. We usually fill the jeans and the shirt separately, tying off the openings. I sit our scarecrow on the porch, adjusting the pieces as necessary. For the head you have several options. An old pillowcase is the favorite – draw a face on it and put a hat on top. We used a basketball one year but had to prop it up. Be creative and make it fun!

Feast on Apples

photo credit: NancyK!

Find an orchard and go apple picking! This is a family tradition of ours and we look forward to it every year. Something about the crisp air and the crunchy, fresh apples makes everyone happy. The baking that follows is always good too I know – this one costs money but I still think it’s frugal. It isn’t often you can purchase fruit so inexpensively. Apples are great because as long as you keep them cool they last a long time.

Fun with Pumpkins

photo credit: NancyK!

Each year I usually purchase a few pumpkins to decorate with – growing them would be better but my garden spot isn’t big enough. I hunt around for them so I can get the best deal. A lot of times the best deal is a family farm selling them on the side of the road. Pumpkins are great fun – carve them, draw on them, decorate with them, scoop out the seeds and roast them. Don’t forget to let the little kids play with the ooey-gooey stuff inside

Find a Corn Maze

photo credit: roland

There are quite a few of these where I live. I’m not sure of the availability or even the popularity in other areas. To find one near you, check here. Corn Mazes are great fun for kids and adults of all ages. I remember taking Chloe when she was around 2-1/2. We brought the stroller right in. She got a huge kick out of it. The cost was pretty minimal – just a few dollars per person and we spent hours in there.

Form a new Tradition

photo credit:me. This is David and Chloe last year.

There are few things as sacred as a family tradition. There’s something about doing them and keeping them that strengthens the bond of your relationships. Introduce your children to a Fall family recipe and teach them to make it. Plan an outing, like one of the above, and do it every year. What makes things special isn’t how extravagant they are – it’s how much thought you put into them and the reward of seeing ALL members of the family smiling.

What’s your Fall family tradition? Do you have any fun, frugal ideas to share?

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe’s temper was getting the best of her the other day so she was in another room for a time out. My younger niece, who is 3-1/2, came up to me and said, “It’s OK. Chloe’s just having a temperature.”Have you liked Domestic Cents on Facebook yet?

Tagged as: Family Life, Frugal Living, Resourcefulness