Low Cost Fall Activities for Kids!
We went to a local pumpkin patch a few days ago and while we had a blast, I get that doing these things regularly can be expensive! Ya know, $16/person + buying the pumpkins + buying the fancy snacks the kids see at the pumpkin patch + the list goes on and on and on! Am I right??
So I’m pulling together a few of my favorite fall activities that are no to low-cost but will definitely get you in the fall spirit + keep the kids entertained!
Sensory Bins!
You can turn about anything into a sensory bin! Maybe use some of those old stale items sitting in your pantry - the half eaten box of cheerios, the oats that expired 6 months ago, etc. Here are some sensory bin ideas:
Oatmeal: Add a little pumpkin pie or apple pie spice to make it scented! I love adding a couple cinnamon sticks into mine too. Grab a couple spoons and small plastic containers to make “apple pies”.
Rice: You can easily add a couple drops of food coloring to rice to change it to orange or red. Put it in a bag with a little water, a few drops of food coloring, and smash it all around. Then, put it out on a cookie sheet to dry for a bit.
Add acorns, sticks, and pinecones to your orange or red rice to really make it fall-inspired!Pasta: You can dye dried pasta by putting in a bag and adding a bit of washable paint! Stir it around and pour it out on a parchment covered baking sheet to dry. Add some fall-themed items like bats & ghosts (found at the dollar store).
If that sounds like a lot of work, no worries! Check out a small business like those listed below that make ready-to-go sensory activities with lots themed for the Fall:
Creative Play Shop - Her Autumn Joy mix is too cute!
Play Kits By Katelyn - Check out her Fall Harvest Kit and purchasing means you’re supporting a local, TX small business!
Pumpkin play!
Those mini pumpkins you see in all different colors are great for so many things! Grab a couple, usually just a few dollars and try out these ideas:
Put a couple pumpkins in water with a little soap, some brushes, and sponges and have a pumpkin wash!
Grab some paintbrushes and paint your pumpkins (it’s wayyy easier than carving!) (Photo: Fairy Dust Teaching)
If your child loves stickers, grab stickers to have on hand for them to use to decorate their pumpkin.
Leaf Crafts:
I’ve done leaf rubbing crafts for years but when I saw this shadow art project with leaves, I thought it was genius! Such a cool idea!
Make Apple Sauce:
If you make applesauce in the crockpot, you can imagine that your house will smell AMAZING! Check out a recipe here!
Pro tip: Have your kids help you chop the apples with a kid-safe knife, like those found here (affiliate link).
Learn some Fall-themed songs:
Here are a couple links to my favorites:
5 Little Pumpkins by the Kiboomers
Halloween Freeze Dance by the Kiboomers - great opportunity to practice verbs!
Skeleton Dance by the Kiboomers - lots of body part vocabulary!
Go Away! By Super Simple Songs - definitely want to pair this one with Go Away Big Green Monster!
Have a wonderful Fall y’all! If you do any of these activities, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram and let us see how much fun you’re having!
