Leaves are changing colors, students are back in school, and temperatures are cooling down. It’s official; autumn has come once again. While your kids might be complaining about early morning routines and heavy homework loads, there are plenty of ways to show your children the upsides of fall. Celebrate the new season with your children by creating tasty treats, fun crafts, and enjoying all the great things autumn has to offer.

• Set the mood and cozy up. If summer was all about frolicking in the sun, fall is definitely about enjoying the comforts of home. Pick up some autumn scented candles like pumpkin or apple and fill your home with your favorite warm and inviting fragrance. Get some new throw pillows in dark, rich colors and restore the life in your living space. Add some fall décor (pumpkins, corn stalks, apples, scarecrows, etc) to complete the renewed atmosphere. Make a big pot hot apple cider and snuggle up with your kids around a fire, sharing favorite memories and silly stories.
• Fill your bellies with autumn delights. As the temperature cools down, it is time for the fall baking season to begin. Custards, tarts, cakes, and cookies, there is no limit to the kind of amazing treats you can make with your kids. Each week, try cooking a new autumn-inspired recipe with your little minions and encourage them to experience new ingredients and flavors.
• Enjoy the crisp fall weather. Early fall is a great time to take a hike and explore a new trail or bike around town as a family. Depending on where you live, you should be able to find you-pick apple orchards, hay rides, pumpkin patches, or corn mazes to explore together. Or if your schedule is too busy, spend some time frolicking in the leaves in your yard. If the weather is too chilly for outdoor fun, pile into the car for a daytime adventure. Whether touring your hometown or driving aimlessly with no set plans, you will definitely be creating memories your entire family will cherish for years to come.
• Utilize your crafty bone. Children love creating shrunken apple heads. Simply peel a few apples, use a knife to cut distinctive facial features, bake at lowest oven temperature for three hours, and let them rest and dry for another few days. After they are shrunken, add bean eyes and rice teeth. Add yarn hair, fabric headbands, or add some colorful flair to finish them off. Take your kids on a nature walk and have them pick up a few twigs, leaves, pinecones, and other miscellaneous fallen bits to create some foliage friends. Glue them creatively to pieces of paper and add faces, limbs, and other stylish elegance to create creatures with pizzazz.

What are your favorite ways to celebrate fall?