Active for Life has posted an article on 10 Fun Autumn Activities for Kids on October 8, 2020, on their website, including:

·       Visit an orchard or farm:  They suggest picking apples and trying to balance one on the top of your head!

·       Rake the leaves:  They suggest that you rake the leaves into a big pile and then jump!  Another great idea is to make a maze out of leaves, either in a rectangle or a circle.  More information about making a leaf maze, with example pictures, can be found on the Happy Hooligans site at  https://happyhooligans.ca/leaf-maze/   “Kids will develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills as they encounter road blocks and dead ends.  Staying between the lines helps them develop special sense, and they’ll learn to look and think ahead, and plan their steps as they navigate the maze from start to finish.  Don’t worry about it if your child accidentally walks through a “wall”.  That’s a part of the learning process as well,l and as they get older, that will happen less.  Just keep the rake handy for quick repairs if it happens.  What’s most important here is that you and your child are enjoying some exercise in the fresh, Fall air.”

·       Hit the trails:  The site offers a number of ‘trail games” including:

o   Giddy up:  Make hiking more fun by riding pretend “horsies” down the trails, making “gates” and using secret passwords to go through.

o   Follow the leader:  Encourage your child to “lead” you through the trail, over, around, and under obstacles, incorporating as many trees, shrubs, and rocks along the path as possible.

o   Pick up sticks:  Something as simple as choosing the perfect stick or rock can give kids a sense of ownership over the trail.  Bonus:  leaving the sticks/stones at the trailhead can teach little ones to pay it forward and continue the search on the next hike.

·       Just roll with it:  Climb to the top of a hill and roll down – learning to roll under control with connecting with nature!

·       Practice gratitude:  Autumn is a time to be thankful.  Enjoy some quiet moments with your kids this season to be mindful of all that you have and can do:

o   Seeing the world through the eyes of a child:  the world of the imagination and the ‘new”.

o   Being active together:  Walking, riding, exploring the world.

o   Living with the concept of the possible:  To a child, any idea is possible, because they have not yet developed the concept that it might not be.