Must-Do Fall Activities for Toddlers

Fun and Simple Fall Activities for Toddlers

 

With these fun and simple fall activities for toddlers, you will be set for the season!
This list of fall activities covers not only things to make and do, but it also has great ideas for places to visit with your toddler!

 

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Fall Activities for Toddlers

Fall is such a fun time for kids. (And me to be honest!)
Just by looking around you can often see things going on for all ages.
And toddlers are no exception.

This fall break out of regular routine with your toddler and jump into some fun!
I believe very strongly that parents should be active not just in their children’s lives, but also in their children’s activities.
Be active in your children’s fun.

 

Free Printable

With this list of fall activities for toddlers, you can create your very own personalized Fall Family Bucket List.
You can choose between the pre-filled in printable, the blank bucket list, or you can enjoy both!

Simply let your toddler color in each apple once your family has completed that fall activity.
This simple and free printable will amp up the fall excitement even more for your toddler!

 

 

To get your very own fall activity checklists enter your information down below!

 

 

Things to Do

 

Plant Something

Planting is not just for springtime.
There are countless things you can plant with your little one this fall.

You can keep it simple and start a houseplant, or go all out and create a winter garden!
Do what works best for you and what you and your toddler’s patience can handle.

If you already have a garden, get your toddler to help!
You may have some reservations about letting your child go at something like a garden that you work so hard on, but children thrive on responsibility and knowledge.

Take this time to teach them, let them learn, and gardening can become your new favorite thing to do with your little one.

 

Rake Leaves

Don’t take the simple things for granted.
The joy a toddler can get from raking a big pile of leaves to jump into is contagious!

 

Watch a Fall Movie

There are many great fall movies out there, some of my favorites are ones that my family watched when I was little!

Some great fall movies to try are:

• It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
• A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
• This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers
• Room on the Broom
• Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest 
• Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie 
• Care Bears: Give Thanks

 

Wash Squash

Feeling and learning about different textures is great stimulation for your little learner.
This toddler activity is perfect for autumn.

Washing Squash is a simple game your toddler will love.
This game is pretty self-explanatory.
Simply get squash of varying shapes and size, add some dirt or a cleaner “dirt-substitute”, and give your toddler a place to get their squash squeaky clean!

If you are lucky they will get really into cleaning and will naturally move on to cleaning around the house.
We can dream, right?

 

Carve a Pumpkin

So simple, so classic, so undeniably fun.
Pumpkin insides are all slimy and kinda gross.
That’s exactly what makes scooping out pumpkin insides perfect for toddlers!

 

 

Read Fall Books

Reading to your children is such an important and special activity.
Reading is great no matter the season.
But, in fall you can make this a little more festive!

There are so many great books for fall!
My family’s all-time favorite fall book is The Runaway Pumpkin.
We love the bright fall colors used in the illustration, and it is such a great simple, silly story.

 

Paint Leaves

Leaves make a fun and festive canvas for your child’s artwork!
Painting works best as leaves are sometimes pretty fragile.

For best results use leaves that have not started to shrivel, even at the ends.
You can then preserve your little one’s masterpiece with decoupage.

 

Fall-Themed Sensory Bins

There are so many great ideas out there for your toddler’s fall sensory bin.
You can find a list of great ideas here at Funtastic Fun and Learning to make your own fall sensory bin this year.

 

 

Go on a Leaf Hunt

Zip up your jackets and head out the door!
Give your toddler the task of collecting the most beautiful and unique leaves.
Bring along a basket or bag to put the leaves in.

When you get home from your walk you can use them for activities like painting, or you can preserve them with decoupage and create a leaf book!

 

 

 

Things to Make

 

Bake Something Yummy

Cooler temperatures get me into a baking mood.
Use this opportunity to start teaching your toddler about cooking and baking!
I know a lot of parents have hesitations when letting their young children (or even their teenagers if we are being honest) help in the kitchen, but I really encourage it!

Letting your children help in the kitchen not only starts a foundation of good skills, but also gives them the chance to practice some responsibility.

 

Bake Something For Someone Else

Once you have let your kiddo help out with some baked goods for the family, now add in a good lesson about giving to others.

You can make treats for all kinds of people, neighbors, friends, grandparents, and even your local firefighters!

This is also a great activity because I can try, emphasis on try, to evenly distribute fall and winter goodies. ?

Pumpkin Spice Play Dough

My son loves a good home-made playdough recipe.
And this one has the added bonus of smelling like a Starbucks in October!

You can find a fantastic recipe for pumpkin-colored and scented playdough right here.
It is completely safe and completely fun!

 

 

Make Fall Crafts

You can find so many fun and fall-related crafts on Pinterest and the like.
Luckily for us, Susie over at Busy Toddler has compiled a fantastic list of fall crafts you can make with your toddler!
Find the list right here!

 

Make Apple Treats

We love making things with apples in the fall!
Personally I think they are just as versatile as pumpkin, if not more so, but far more underrated.
From pie, to apple sauce, and even to jam: you can make so many delicious treats using apples.

Bonus if you make treats with apples you picked yourself! 
Try this delicious apple dumpling recipe from Belly Full.

 

 

Roast Marshmallows and Make S’mores

Bonfires, sweatshirts, and s’mores seem to go together oh so nicely.
If you are in a position that you can and feel comfortable having your toddler around a bonfire for s’mores and bonding- go for it!
Personally because my little is still so little we prefer the “cheater s’mores” that you make in a microwave.
No matter how you s’mores, have a lot of fall family fun with it!

 

Pumpkin Goop

The last but in no way least thing to make this fall with your toddler is Pumpkin Goop!
If you have heard of oobleck before (cornstarch and water) this is just an autumnified version!

You can find the recipe for this fantastic fall activity for toddlers right here at The Resourceful Mama.

 

 

Places to Go

 

Go to an Indoor Playground

There are all kinds of indoor playgrounds you and your toddler can visit.
This is perfect for days that the weather isn’t good for playing outside.

There are businesses that are exclusively indoor playgrounds, but there are often indoor playgrounds at malls and community centers that are totally free!

 

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Fall with your toddler would not be complete without giving them the chance to pick out their very own pumpkin!
Some pumpkin patches even have other activities like a trampoline pad, a corn maze, and even restaurants.

 

 

Hayride

What better way to enjoy the fall trees than in a hayride?
The first time we took our son on a hayride he was only about 15 months old.
He loved every minute of it!

I was worried he would get restless, but there was so much for him to see.
He was enthralled!

We can’t wait to do another hayride this fall!

 

Go to the Library

Many libraries have fall programs made especially for toddlers.
Check with your local library to see all of the fall activities for toddlers that they offer!

 

Apple Orchard

Apple picking is one of my favorite fall activities because you can usually do it very inexpensively and then you have plenty of materials to make tons of yummy apple-related treats!
Can you tell I really love apple things?

Visiting an apple orchard is fun for all ages.

 

Go to a Science Center or Children’s Museum

I know not all areas have these places, but if there is one near you I highly recommend checking it out!
Science Centers and Children’s Museums have areas literally built for toddlers.
The change in scenery and built-in learning activities make these great places to go with your toddler this fall!

 

Park

Get outside as much as you possibly can.
I don’t know what the climate is like where you live.
But, here the outdoors are basically out of commission for 5 months or so.

Fall is an itty bitty beautiful weather window here in Iowa.
We like to take full advantage of this by visiting all of the parks we can.

 

 

 

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I hope this list gets you inspired to have all the fun this fall with your toddler!
Fall is such a special time of year, your options are really limitless.
Try something new, make something yummy, and of course, have so much fun with your little one!