Summer tends to get all the attention when it comes to family activities, but as those long, hot days turn shorter and cooler, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the fall.

The changing of seasons is a great opportunity for children to learn about nature. And parents get to experience the thrills of childhood all over again (Jumping in leaves! Pumpkin patches! Costumes!) while making memories with their children.

Need some inspiration for your own fall family fun?

1. Visit a pumpkin patch or corn maze. These fall activities are classics for good reason: They’re easily accessible, and children love them. Even infants enjoy looking at and handling pumpkins, in their many sizes, colors and shapes. Toddlers and preschoolers love the accomplishment of navigating a maze while holding their grown-up’s hand — and they can learn spatial concepts and vocabulary, such as above, below, under, behind and inside.
2. Collaborate on a fall-themed craft. The colors of autumn are just begging for artistic expression — and the supplies are right outside! Go on a nature walk in your neighborhood or at the park and collect leaves, sticks and pebbles (beware of choking hazards for children younger than 3). Take them home and create leafy animals, encouraging your child to flex their creativity. Or try making googly-eyed bats and paper plate black cats with upcycled materials you already have at home.
3. Move like leaves together. Raking leaves can get a little repetitive. Pretending that your body is a leaf floating through the crisp air is a lot more fun. Put on the Harmony & Heart® song “Raking Leaves,” from the Fall Music Collection, and pretend to be a falling leaf with your child. Elevate the learning by talking about contrasts: A light leaf will flutter slowly to the ground, while a big acorn might drop with a thud — what do each of those look and sound like?
4. Read books about fall. The changing seasons inspire wonderful children’s literature. Take your child to the library or a bookstore and look for books about fall. Ask your child to compare the scenes they see in the book with the expressions of fall around them in real life. (“What color is the tree on this page? Does that look like any of the trees in our yard?”) If you need inspiration for books, we have some fall favorites to check out.
5. Go on a scavenger hunt. Children love adventures, and a simple scavenger hunt gets their muscles moving and brains working, all in the fresh air. To help children learn to verbalize their feelings and experiences, model sensory vocabulary on the hunt: What do you see? What can you smell? How do these objects feel?

For more ideas for parenting in the fall, check out:

• 7 Tips: Stress-Free Costumes for Kids
• Halloween Scaries? How to Help if Your Child Is Spooked
• 7 Ways to Make Time Change Easier