7 Sustainable Fall Family Activities For New Fall Traditions
Mix your love of the fall season with your passion for sustainability by trying out a few of these sustainable fall family activities!
Treat this list as a sustainable fall bucket list that you can tick off as the season passes. From classic fall traditions to some new traditions there will be at least something on this list that everyone in your family will love!
We will cover ways to get outside, honor the change in seasons to feel more connected to the earth and minimize our impact on the environment.
I hope this list helps you and your family to make tons of great new memories this fall season!
This post is all about fun sustainable fall family activities.
How to make your fall traditions a bit more eco-friendly?
- Introduce your kids to plant based options or at least extra fruit and veggies!
- Prioritize getting to fall activities using public transportation
- Try to reuse, repurpose and thrift items to make things like fall decor, Halloween costumes etc.
- Help build your kids connection to the earth through outdoor educational activities (that are fun too!)
Making sustainable living choices is a great way to save money and live more mindfully. Sometimes simple outdoor activities are more memorable for families rather than the big expensive ones!
The Best Sustainable Fall Family Activities
1. Try out a vegan fall-themed drink or treat
Instead of getting your usual pumpkin spice latte from your favorite coffee shop, give the vegan version a try!
Even if you have no plans to be 100% vegan, adding small vegan substitutes in your life can make a big impact on your health and the environment. You might be surprised at how similar it tastes.
For your kids, you can simply get drinks made with plant based milk and pumpkin spice seasoning or make these drinks at home!
You can still share all of your childhood fall favorites like apple cider, apple pie, cider donuts, and pumpkin donuts with your kids, just in a plant based way!
Take your treats to go and enjoy the fall foliage on a nature walk.
2. Connect with the change in seasons with a nature themed scavenger hunt
Find ways to connect with nature and witness the change of seasons as the air starts to get cooler and the leaves crunch beneath your feet.
In our modern world, we are constantly stuck indoors and don’t necessarily need to focus on the seasons changing for our survival. The grocery store will magically have a variety of produce at any time anyways.
To help your kids notice the change in seasons make a DIY fall scavenger hunt. You can add native plants, different color leaves, animals they might spot etc.
The more your kids feel connected to nature and learn about it the more respect they will have for it as they grow older.
3. Thrift your Halloween costume instead of buying one
Halloween costumes are one of the most fun and creative parts of the fall season! Unfortunately many of them are made of plastic materials and end up getting tossed in the landfill at the end of the spooky season.
Instead try some these eco-friendly Halloween costume ideas:
- DIY costumes
- Swap Halloween costumes from previous years with neighbors, friends & classmates
- Repurpose clothing your family already has
- Rewear a costume from a previous year or hand me downs from an older sibling
Your kids may also be very excited to help in the creation of their costume as well!
4. DIY Fall decor using second hand materials and things from nature
Instead of picking up plastic pumpkins and fake fall leaves, go the natural way! Prioritize second hand fall decor, make your own fall decorations and used natural materials to make fall decor.
Here are some fall decor ideas to get you started:
- DIY Fall wreath using grapevines and mini pumpkins
- Carving pumpkins for front porch decor
- DIY scarecrow using thrifted clothes and hay
- Fall themed coloring sheets that your kids can hang in their rooms, on the fridge etc.
If you find plastic autumn decor that you love, try to reuse it every year rather than buy new items every year.
Seasonal home decor is not a necessity but it is fun! With a little creativity, you can get festive without creating a lot of waste from disposable decorations.
Check out the list below for TONS of ideas to decorate for fall. Make it a fun craft day for your kids as well!
{RECOMMENDED POST: 46 Cozy Front Porch Fall Decorating Ideas On A Budget}
5. Research plant-based recipes for fall celebrations and gatherings
Turkey. Stuffing. Cranberry sauce. Year after year it can be repetitive. Why not mix it up with new side dishes that are plant-based or even do a full on vegan Thanksgiving!
More and more people are eating a plant-based diet and there are plenty of plant based dishes that kids love as well!
*I acknowledge and respect those who choose to not celebrate Thanksgiving.
{RECOMMENDED POST: 8 Sustainable Thanksgiving Tips To Host The Perfect Holiday Spread}
6. Check out local farms that have your favorite fall activities
Support local farmers by checking out their fall activities. Outside of food production some farms have really fun fall activities that you may think of as normal fall traditions. These are great ways to get your kids outside, trying something new and learning a bit about where their food comes from!
Here are some general family fall activities local farms offer but your community might offer other things too!
- Corn maze
- Apple picking at an apple orchard
- Pumpkin picking at a pumpkin patch
- Petting zoo with farm animals
- Hay ride
- Explore sunflower fields
- Browse their fall vegetable garden
- Haunted house
- Fall festival or special events
If they have their corn stalks, pumpkins, cotton for sale this is a great way to find unique pieces to use in DIY fall decor projects!
7. Picnic at local park with fall fun activities
Bring a cozy blanket to sit on, some yummy fall plant based snacks and some fall activities. Enjoy the fresh air and beautiful fall scenery with a simple picnic.
Aside from yummy food, stop by your local library to pick up some fall themed books (even better if they are nature focused!). You can even snag some fall themed coloring sheets.
This is the perfect activity to get your kids out of the house and doing something a bit more creative. Resting and play in nature is so important for kids to experience!
{RECOMMENDED POST: 5 Healthy Plant-Based Fall Snack Ideas You Need To Try This Fall Season}
8. Check out local fall themed community events for family friendly live entertainment
Check out local community events like your local library, restaurants and coffee shops.
Sometimes they host fall fairs, live music or plays to welcome in the fall season. Many times they are free or at least affordable!
9. Stop by the farmer’s market for seasonal produce and family-friendly activities
Stop by your local farmer’s market to get seasonal produce or specialty fall themed prepared foods.
This is a great way to teach your kids more about the food system and seasons of your local area. There may also be fun fall decor made from local makers and activities for kids depending on the market in your area!
10. Bundle up and ride bikes through your neighborhood or park
Admire the autumn season from your bikes or scooters! Plan a family bike ride through your neighborhood to enjoy the fall leaves.
11. Go on a fall family hike to enjoy the crisp fall air
Take a day trip to go on a short fall hike. This is the perfect activity because it is basically free and gets your kids outside. Even if your kids are not fans of hiking, even spending some time in nature other than their backyard can help to get them excited about exploring new places and building confidence in the outdoors.
Nature centers and gardens are great options as well if you want a more guided or educational side to it!
12. Jump in a leaf pile!
Sometimes simplicity is best. Get your kids to rake up some leaves and expose them to the best fall tradition-jumping in a leaf pile!
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to do every fall activity on this list. Just use it as inspiration as you plan out your fall schedule. The ideas on this list can help you to save money since most are virtually free, deepen your kids connection to nature and try out some new fall traditions.
Just like the leaves changing colors, our fall traditions can too! We can find ways to enjoy the fall season in a more sustainable way.
Have any other sustainable fall family activities ideas for kids of all ages? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well!
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Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about the best sustainable fall activities for the whole family.
Other posts you may like:
8 Sustainable Thanksgiving Tips To Host The Perfect Holiday Spread
28 Cheap DIY Outdoor Halloween Decorations For Sustainable Home Decor
No Tricks, All Treats: 9 Simple Ways To Celebrate Halloween Sustainably
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