25 Fun Fall Outdoor Activities for Kids (with FREE Bingo Board!)

Introduction

Fall is my favorite season. I love each season for the unique things they offer, but in my opinion, there is something extra special about fall. It’s a season that manages to be cozy and a great time to get outside. 

That’s why I pulled together this list of 25 fun fall outdoor activities for kids. These ideas are part of our family’s fall bucket list and they’re all easy, budget-friendly ways to soak up autumn outdoors. In addition, I’ve made a free Fall Activities Bingo Board you can download at the bottom of this post to track your adventures! 

25 Fall Outdoor Activities for Kids

1. Visit a pumpkin patch 

Pumpkin patches are basically fall’s version of Disneyland for my kids. Each pumpkin patch is a little different, so we like visiting a few a year. Some we go to because they have the best fall activities and games, others we visit because they have the best selection of pumpkins or the best apple cider donuts. I suggest finding the pumpkin patches you love and make visiting them an annual tradition. 

My kids love all of the fun activities the different patches offer and have a great time picking out their own pumpkins. Once each of the kids pick out their own pumpkin, we go home and line them up on our porch like a little pumpkin family. Pumpkin patches are always at the top of our list of fall outdoor activities for kids because they combine play, food, and tradition all in one.

2. Go apple picking 

One of my favorite memories from last year was going apple picking with the kids. I quickly realized just how many apples three children can carry at once (hint: too many). The best part is the payoff later. We usually make apple crisp or and apple pie and use the rest as crunchy snacks in lunchboxes. Many apple orchards also have fun homemade treats like apple cider, apple slushies or apple donuts, if you are in the mood for something sweet. 

3. Have a leaf pile jumping contest 

Leaf piles are the cheapest, easiest fun you’ll ever have. I rake, pile, and then watch my kids fling themselves in. We also like to level it up, our kids race to see who can build the biggest pile and hide little treasures (like pinecones) in the pile for them to find. The point is to have a good time as a family and make those classic fall memories together. 

I love that so many of these fall outdoor activities for kids are budget-friendly and simple to pull off in a day, if you’d like to do more than one!

4. Take a family hayride

Every fall we try to squeeze in at least one hayride. My kids think sitting on scratchy hay bales in a wagon is an adventure. Check out your local Parks and Recreation websites to see if they do a hayride. Many do and afterwards they provide s’mores and hot apple cider. 

If your local park doesn’t have a hayride, you can also check local farms or harvest festivals for one. This is one that you can double up on with the pumpkin patch, as many patches offer these as part of admission. 

Festivals, hayrides, and leaf piles all remind me that the best fall outdoor activities for kids are usually the simplest.

5. Carve a pumpkin

This is a great activity to do with those pumpkins you got from the patch. We usually carve our pumpkins outside because then we get more outdoor time and we don’t make a mess inside. Carving pumpkins is messy, chaotic, and my kids absolutely love it. They argue over who gets to scoop out the “guts,” and then we roast the seeds with cinnamon sugar or salt. 

If carving feels like too much for little kids, give them paint, stickers, or even Mr. Potato Head parts to decorate their pumpkins. It’s so fun to see what my kids come up with and to watch their personalities shine through their jack-o-lanterns. 

6. Make leaf rubbings with crayons outside

I have a collection of my kids’ leaf rubbings from over the years. Sometimes we get leaves from our yard and sometimes we use ones we’ve gathered from a hike. They always get excited when the veins of the leaf pop through the paper like magic. To mix it up, try making rubbings of tree bark or acorns, too.

7. Go on a fall nature hike

Hiking is one of our favorite year-round activities, but fall is extra special with all the colors. Sometimes we pack thermoses of hot cocoa or apple cider and little bags of trail mix to keep everyone motivated. Fall hikes are especially fun with friends, so invite your fellow nature-lovers and get out and explore. 

Hiking through colorful leaves is one of those timeless fall outdoor activities for kids that never gets old, no matter how many times we do it.

8. Try a fall scavenger hunt

I love fall scavenger hunts, because they get you outdoors and you can do them anywhere, such as the neighborhood, at parks, camping or on hikes. I make a list ahead of time, things like scarecrow, acorn, orange leaf, pumpkin, spider web, squirrel, and let the kids run around checking them off. If you don’t want to make your own, there are lots of free ones you can find online. You can make the stakes higher by offering a prize to anyone who completes their scavenger hunt. 

9. Visit a corn maze

My kids think corn mazes are magical. They run ahead, convinced they know the way, while I trail behind, hoping that they are right. To make it fun, let your kids be the official map reader or bring glow sticks for an evening maze adventure. You could also split into teams and race to the finish. 

10. Go camping under the fall stars

Camping in fall is my favorite because the bugs are mostly gone, and the cool nights make the campfire extra cozy. We sometimes camp close to home so that we can get more time camping and less time driving, but camping further away is a great way to explore a new spot. Many campgrounds have Halloween and fall activities, so check that before you book. 

If camping feels overwhelming, try a backyard campout. Let your kids be in charge of roasting the marshmallows or telling spooky stories around the fire.

11. Collect acorns and pinecones for crafts

This is a great activity to do at a park or on a hike. When my kids were toddlers, they called these “treasures,” and I still find little stashes of acorns in their coat pockets. We use pinecones for bird feeders (roll them in peanut butter and birdseed) and acorns for pretend “soup” in the backyard mud kitchen. 

This is one of those fall outdoor activities for kids that brings back my own childhood memories while creating new ones with my kids.

12. Bike ride on a trail with fall foliage

I love biking in the fall. This is a good way to get your family out on the trails. If you’re feeling very bold, you can drive to a longer trail that is further away as an excuse to explore. 

If your kids are smaller, a bike trailer is a fun way to let them enjoy the view without pedaling. Another good option for toddlers is to go on a shorter trail and bring balance bikes or scooters. 

13. Go on a Halloween Hike

A lot of nature centers and parks host family-friendly Halloween hikes with lanterns, glow sticks, and sometimes even candy stops. We tried one last year and my kids thought it was the coolest thing ever. Wooden ghosts were hidden along the trail and it was our job to try and spot them. They each had a letter, which helped you solve a puzzle. 

If you don’t have a Halloween hike near you, you can create your own by finding a local trail and hiding spooky items for your kids to find. We usually meet up with our friends at a local nature sanctuary and each bring a bucket of candy. We place the buckets along the trail, and the kids find them. The kids dress up in their costumes and the parents always have fun seeing everyone’s costumes. 

14. Make a leaf crown

This is one of those simple activities that kids remember. Gather leaves, tape, staple, or glue them onto a strip of paper, and let your kids parade around in their new “royal” gear. My twins wore theirs for hours, even to dinner.

If you’re looking for easy ways to enjoy autumn together, this is one of the best fall outdoor activities for kids to try.

15. Sidewalk chalk fall art

We keep chalk by the door year-round. In fall, we cover the sidewalk with giant pumpkins, turkeys, and leaf outlines. For younger kids, trace their bodies and let them “dress up” their chalk selves in Halloween costumes. 

What I love about fall outdoor activities for kids is that they can get us outside, moving, and laughing together without a lot of preparation.

16. Pumpkin Bowling

We line up empty water bottles as pins and use a small pumpkin as the bowling ball. My kids love cheering each other on, and the uneven “ball” makes it extra funny. It helps if you use smaller pumpkins or play on a hill. We have tried rolling large pumpkins and it is tricky for my kids.

17. Stargazing with blankets and cocoa

This one is pure magic. We lay out blankets in the backyard and sip our cocoa while pointing out constellations. My kids are always hoping that they might see a shooting star. Each year they say they saw one and are so excited (even if I suspect it was just a plane). 

18. Backyard obstacle course with fall themes

Maybe this will be the year you have your first “Pumpkin Olympics” by rolling pumpkins across the yard and racing to jump over leaf piles. You can add balance beams, cones, hula hoops, etc. 

I love this one because not only are we able to get outside, but we are able to move around and get wiggles out. It also takes little energy or creativity. I just raid our garage for random things and lay them out. Add in a pumpkin somehow, they are carrying or rolling it, and you’re good to go. 

19. Make a leaf garland

No need to buy more fall decor. Instead, try making your own. We thread colorful leaves onto yarn and hang it on our porch railing. It’s simple, yet cute and festive. Younger kids can help by just picking out the brightest leaves. 

Over time the leaves will turn brown, so if you want them to remain bright you can dip them in wax to preserve them. 

20. Make a leaf lantern

We glue colorful leaves to mason jars, pop in a battery tea light, and line them up outside for a fall evening glow. Real leaves don’t work very well, so I recommend using leaves you cut out from tissue paper.

21. Read Going on a Leaf Hunt and then go on your own

Going on a Leaf Hunt is a family favorite. After reading it together, we head outside for our own “leaf hunt.” The kids love showing me their best finds and pretending we’re in the story. Sometimes the most memorable fall outdoor activities for kids come from turning an ordinary day—like raking leaves—into something fun.

We also love Going on a Pumpkin Hunt for a similar book with a Halloween flare. 

22. Roast marshmallows or make s’mores over a fire pit

S’mores are a year-round request in our house, but they taste better in the fall. An added bonus is hanging out as a family by the fire pit. We’ve experimented with making s’mores with peanut butter cups, cookies, and even Nutella instead of traditional Hershey’s chocolate. You can also swap out graham crackers for cookies or something similar.  

Sometimes I make a s’mores charcuterie tray and put out lots of options. My kids “invent” their own version of a s’more and give it a silly name. 

23. Play glow stick games in the evening

When it gets dark earlier, crack some glow sticks and let the kids play hide and seek, tag, or flashlight tag in the backyard. Fall is a great time to play outside at night because the sun goes down earlier, but it’s not as cold as winter. There is something about being outside in the dark, that makes playing outdoors even more fun. There are also glow in the dark balls you can get, like this soccer ball or this football, if you’d like to play outside at night.

24. Visit a fall festival

We try to hit at least one festival every year. It seems like every town has its own festival, so even if you can’t make it to your city’s festival, you could make it to another. Small-town festivals are some of the best because they usually include parades, craft booths, and kids’ games. A lot of times many of the activities are free. 

25. Free Download: Fall Activities Bingo Board

To make all of this even easier, I created a Fall Activities Bingo Board for your family. It’s a fun way to turn the season into a game—cross off a row, go for blackout, or make it a family challenge.

 Get your FREE Fall Activities Bingo Board here!

More Outdoor Ideas

Our family always looks forward to fall and the activities that come along with it. I love that those simple traditions become our biggest memories. With these fall outdoor activities for kids, you’ll have plenty of ideas to fill your own fall bucket list. I hope this list encourages you to explore some new places and gives you some simple, budget-friendly ideas to get outdoors in fall. 

If you’re looking for more seasonal outdoor inspiration, check out 25 Fun Winter Outdoor Activities, 25 Spring Activities for Kids: Fun Outdoor Ideas to Embrace the Season, and 25 Summer Outdoor Activities for Kids.