Here in central Kentucky it’s really starting to feel like fall. The leaves have changed, the air is cool, pumpkin everything is everywhere. I am a forever summer girl but since having kids, they have helped me enjoy fall a lot more!

There are SO many fun things to do for families in the fall. With Halloween and Thanksgiving both to celebrate (in the U.S. anyway). With the holidays comes a lot of fun themed events and activities.

This fall, we have a 3 month old baby and a 3 year old, are building a house, and have Christmas coming up. So we are trying to budget and save wherever we can. There are still many fun activities to do with our kids that won’t break the bank!

DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. Which means I might be compensated for purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you. I am not responsible for any actions taken from my advice, all ideas and opinions on this post remain my own.

Pumpkin Patch (Obviously)

The first one I’m going to list is the most obvious and popular. The pumpkin patch.

Anymore, a trip to pick a pumpkin is truly an all day event. There are so many other activities going on at the pumpkin patch. From hay rides, games, playgrounds, food, petting zoos, corn mazes, gift shops- and so much more! It can be a fun family outing you can make a tradition out of.

kids looking at pumpkins
Photo by Nathan J Hilton on Pexels.com

Our family likes to visit the orchard pumpkin patch in our town. You pay a general admission and get access to every activity they have there. It is enough to keep a kid busy for hours! You do have to pay separately for any food items, produce picked and gift shop finds. But we have a blast there every year.

Halloween at the Zoo

Most ALL zoos around the country do some sort of Halloween themed event. We have two zoos near us that have “Boo at the Zoo.”

Kids get to dress up in costume and the zoo will have fun Halloween themed crafts, activities and of course candy! All while you have a fun day at the zoo. Even some of the animals participate!

A great way to save money when going to the zoo is to buy your tickets online and in advance. If there are train rides or other rides and activities, they might even have bundle packages that can save you money. Also, see about their food and drink policy, we save money by packing our own lunch and snacks!

a young boy with face paint
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Bake a fall treat

With pumpkin, apple and cinnamon being the flavors for fall there are SO many yummy recipes that are perfect for kids! My toddler LOVES helping in the kitchen (and of course eating all the goodness). Here are some of my favorite fall treats you can make with the kids- also budget friendly with some staples you might already have at home!

dipped caramel apples– SO easy and good! Use unwaxed apples of your choice, wash and dry them. Take out apple stems and replace with a popsicle stick. Melt in a saucepan a bag of soft caramel candies, and about 2 tablespoons of milk, mix together until all the way melted.

Dip apples in and place on wax sheet to dry. You can even add some toppings like crushed peanuts, oreos, candy of your choice or eat them plain! Pop them in the fridge for half an hour and they are ready to eat!

baked smores– All you need for this one is graham crackers, butter, powdered sugar, hershey chocolate bars and marshmallows.

Crush 2 cups of graham crackers and mix with about 10 tbsp melted butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Place the mixture in the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish and pack it down firmly.

Put in oven at 350 degrees for about 5 mins. After the bottom layer is cool, put a layer of hershey chocolate bars on top and bake for another 3ish minutes until chocolate starts to melt. Then, add the layer of marshmallows- turn the oven to broil and leave the bake in the oven only about 1-2 mins only until marshmallows are slightly browned. The perfect fall treat!

chocolate chip pumpkin muffins– You won’t find a more simple and YUMMY treat than this!

You need a box of spice cake mix, a can of pure pumpkin and a bag of semi sweet chocolate chips. That’s it! Mix all three together and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 mins in muffin tins. So easy, cheap, and amazingly good!

DIY fall decorations

If you have crafty kids, this is perfect for them! Fall colored leaves, pumpkins, pine cones, mums- there are so many great items you can use for fall decor. Collect all your items and let the kids go! Here are some adorable examples of fall decorations you can DIY cheap or even free-

leaf garland craft– Collect all your favorite colored leaves from outside. Use a fishing line and sewing needle to create a beautiful leaf garland! With mom or dad’s help of course. These are adorable and can hang anywhere around the house. Also, a super simple and budget friendly craft to make with the whole family.

porch scape with decorated pumpkins– Get creative with your porch and outdoor decor. You can paint, color, sticker or carve pumpkins and use colored mums to decorate. You can always visit a local farm or farmer’s market and get a few hay bales or bushels of corn stalks to complete the look. Make your own scarecrow out of straw and old clothes! The possibilities are endless and how fun to include the kids in decorating!

little girl decorating for halloween
Photo by Mike Jones on Pexels.com

Have a backyard fire

Complete with hot dogs and smores of course! Make your outdoor family fall night even better with a projector movie!

A cheap way to do this is hang a plain, flat white sheet on the house, purchase a movie projector from amazon (they have a few for under $100 with great reviews you plug into your phone!) and complete your perfect fall night outside. And unlike the summer- no bugs!

Host a “Friendsgiving”

Just like it sounds, make your home the gathering place for a Thanksgiving with friends. Have everyone bring a dish and celebrate the holiday with your friends!

Attend a football game in your town

This is a great way to support your local home team, spend time with families in your community and have a cheap, fun fall night with your family! Nothing says fall like football!

momcozy washcloths 1

Check out your town’s events

Fall is such a popular time for festivals, block parties, farmer’s markets, parades and so much more. With Halloween and then the holidays coming up a lot of towns will host community events.

We tend to have a lot of craft and vendor fairs during the fall months where I live. This is the perfect opportunity to get ideas for Christmas shopping and spend a fall day outdoors!

Other budget friendly fall ideas

  • Go for a hike
  • Make a thankful turkey (like this example, here!)
  • Go to a haunted house
  • Take a train ride to see the fall colors
  • Take fall family photos in a beautiful location (perfect to use for a Christmas card!)
  • Bike ride
girl in red jacket riding bicycle
Photo by Yan Krukov on Pexels.com

No matter what activities you are doing this fall, everything is better with the ones you love! Follow me on pinterest at The Mallard Mama for more holiday and seasonal family fun ideas.

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