Minimalist Mama: Frugal Fall Fun for Families

Though some may claim I am biased, it's tough to beat the beauty and coziness of fall in New England. However, you don’t need to live in New England to enjoy fall fun, and you certainly don't need to break the bank doing it. The following are some of my favorite ways to enjoy frugal fall fun for the whole family, each followed by a bonus tip rooted in the spirit of giving:

VISIT A FARM
If a farm is within geographical reach, visit! In addition to offering the perfect backdrop for photos (think: pumpkin patch), farms often host free or inexpensive activities such as hayrides, craft projects, and animal petting areas for kids. These visits offer an opportunity to talk about where food comes from and see animals in dimensions outside a picture book.

Bonus tip: Before you leave the farm, pick up produce for dinner; it will save you a trip to the grocery store and you'll feel good supporting an independent, working farm.

ENJOY A NATURE WALK
The little details of life that seem commonplace to grownups can be miraculous, special, and treasure-hunt-worthy for kids. Enjoy a nature walk with your child; an activity that can be done in any range of environments. Look for different kinds of leaves (pointing out different shapes, patterns, or colors) and hunt for whole acorns, pine cones, pods, seeds, and other organic objects. You can make a scavenger hunt out of the walk or simply leave the experience open for exploration.

Bonus tip: Bring a small pail for your child to collect their nature treasures and keep your pockets free of crumbled leaves. Also consider bringing a plastic bag to pick up litter along the way, teaching your kids a little something about being good to the environment.

READ, READ, READ
I'm a huge fan of public libraries, especially for tracking down theme-based books without denting your budget. To get in the fall spirit, check out fall nature books or books about Halloween and Thanksgiving. Many libraries also offer wonderful free programming (e.g., story time, sing alongs, crafts) for kids.

Bonus tip: Before your visit, sift through your household book collection and collect a few books to donate to the library. Engage your child in this process to help teach them about giving.

HEAT UP THE KITCHEN
One of my favorite things about fall is the return of baking, and baking projects offer excellent teaching opportunities for kids. Cooking helps kids learn about numbers, fractions, measurements, and what happens when you mix different ingredients together. Some of our favorite fall recipes include apple crisp, banana muffins, and chocolate zucchini cake, and then, of course, you can create theme-based baking activities for the holidays, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Bonus tip: Foster neighborly good will and share some baked goods with a neighbor — especially if you bake as frequently as we do!

GET CRAFTY
The change of season offers fresh inspiration for craft projects with kids. Have your child make a nature collage with some of the treasures procured during the nature walk. Draw Halloween shapes (or download free clip art) for your child to color; attach with string to a hanger to make a mobile. Make a fall mural with tissue or construction paper, ripping little scraps of colored paper to represent leaves. Make an abstract fall painting in fall or holiday themed colors. The possibilities are endless.

Bonus tip: Set aside some of these creations for holiday gifts for loved ones. Use cards as the canvas for your mural or abstract art and have the kids write them out for teachers, aunts & uncles, or grandparents.

Story and image: Copyright 2009, Shoestring LLC & Christine Koh / MinimalistMama.com.