Fall Family Traditions to Start This Year

October 4, 2020

It’s finally fall! I love the cooler weather, football season, cozy sweaters, and all things fall. I also love our fall traditions this time of year – Halloween parties, fun get-togethers, and other events.

However, this autumn will be a bit different than other years. Some of our traditional fall activities might not be happening. However, the slowness of this season could be a great opportunity to start new fall traditions!

Here are some ideas for seasonal activities you can enjoy with your family:

Find a Fun Outdoor Activity

Fall is a fantastic time to find a new outdoor activity that your family can do year after year. The weather is cooler and the scenery and colors are beautiful; it’s the perfect time to get your family outside! Here are a few fun options:

Visit a nearby state park. There are many great state parks in our area! A new tradition could be to pick a different state park to visit each fall. Check this post for more information on hiking spots in our region, or this article on great parks to take in fall scenery.
Take outdoor family pictures. Fall colors at their peak makes for a scenic background. Whether you hire a photographer (see our Guide to Local Photographers in Fargo & Moorhead) or use your own phone, there are many picturesque options in the FM area and beyond. For location ideas in our area click here.
Visit a pumpkin patch or go apple picking. Nothing says “fall tradition” like an annual fall trip to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard (see Guide to Pumpkin Patches in Fargo & Beyond). In addition, you get to take a pumpkin to carve or apples for pie.
Rent a local cabin. There are many resorts in the area that are still open in the fall, and usually at lower rates! Spend a weekend in a cozy cabin with your family, bring board games, have a campfire, and really take in all of the beautiful autumn weather.

Start a New Halloween Tradition

Even if your family won’t be trick-or-treating this year, there are still other ways to make this Halloween memorable for your kids!

Host a Halloween party for your household. Many of us are trying to keep our inner circle small at the moment. However, you can still stay safe and get festive by hosting a Halloween party for your own family! With each family member in costume, serve some spooky snacks, have a “candy scavenger hunt”, and listen to Halloween music.
Carve pumpkins. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but help your kids design cute or scary Halloween pumpkins each year!
Make homemade costumes. Kids will love this one; help them come up with their own homemade costumes using whatever you have lying around the house. Get creative!
Bake Halloween-inspired goodies. When making cookies and cupcakes, it’s easy to get your kids involved! Pick out some Halloween-colored frosting, find different goodies to go on top, and let their imaginations take over!
Have a Halloween scavenger hunt. You can do this either at home, or around your neighborhood. First make a list of Halloween-themed items for the kids to spot, and then have them cross off each item as they find it!

Have a Family Football Game

Because we likely aren’t able to attend football games this fall, why not start a new fall tradition and have a scrimmage with your family! Let your kids select their teams and coordinating “team jerseys”. You can play in your own yard, or find green space at one of our many local parks. Also, for more fun, add in tailgating in your own driveway! It’s a good excuse to fire up the grill for one last time before the snow flies.

Fall Art Projects

Let the colors of the season be your inspiration for some homemade art. Have your kids draw a fall-themed picture; or go outside and hunt for some pretty fallen leaves, and paste them to a canvas. This is a great way to capture the season in a keepsake you can enjoy for years to come.

This fall will look a little different than others, but, most importantly, we can still enjoy the time that we have together. And finding new fall traditions can bring some excitement into this otherwise slower-than-usual season. Involving your whole family in a new fall tradition can be a fun way to create memories and give everyone something to look forward to each and every fall!