The end of summer is upon us and fall is almost here. For all the pumpkin spice, cashmere sweater candle lovers and pumpkin decorators, your time is about to shine. Hit pause and keep reading.
The weather is about to be magical while bringing the breath of fresh air we have longed for all summer! Get outside, play outside, sleep outside, just BE outside. These are the glory days of the year when all the seasonal fun is about to start.
If you are considering an “indoor” play place this month, skip it.
If you are considering putting your Christmas tree up, hold on Mrs. Claus!
I grew up before computers, phones and gadgets were invented. Playing outside sun-up to sun-down was what we did. We always found something to do outside. Now as an adult, it’s still my favorite place to be and I love sharing all the creative outdoor adventures with my boys.
If you are searching for some outside ideas, here are my top 10:
1. Family dinners on the patio
2. Take a last minute getaway to one of our local lakes (there’s something special about a weekend at the lake in the fall)
3. Go on nature walks! This is my favorite thing so I feel like this subject needs an extra bullet system.
* If you have several kids (or even one) have a competition to see who can collect the most acorns or pine cones. Then draw faces on the acorns with a thin sharpie and make a
decorative “fall pine-cone bowl”.
* Draw a treasure map on a hike and name the different areas you walk by (some of ours include Stack Rock Mountain or Dinosaur Valley).
* Spell their name with sticks (take a picture, frame it and hang it in their room)
* When my boys were little we would go exploring on “Dinosaur Mountain” looking for anything that looked like dinosaur teeth
* Find some water or a creek and play in it or explore around it (Lake Arcadia and Martin Nature Park are our favorites)
4. On a rainy muddy day, let them get muddy, as muddy as they can get and make mud pies
5. Get a bug house at the dollar store and collect bugs or frogs
6. Chalk the driveway, as in the whole driveway! I like to write words of affirmation for my kids to read-If you feel like taking it to the next “mom” level.
7. If you really want to watch a movie, head to the drive-in theater!
8. Don’t forget coffee dates with friends on the patio because moms need to keep their cups full!
9. Lay out in the driveway at night and look for shooting stars (added bonus with popcorn)
10. Build a fire and make s’mores (always one of my boys’ favorites!)
So before baking apple pies and stocking up on all things pumpkin, step outside and fill up on Vitamin D because before we know it, winter will be here and so will the holiday hustle.
