14 Easy Fall Activities To Do With Your Toddler
This summer has been slow and beautiful, with simple days spent outside playing with the hose, digging with sticks, swinging at the park, and going on long walks.
However, the evenings have already taken on a chill that hints at the start of fall.
I'm unapologetically basic and love all things autumn. There's something magical about the changing leaves, crisp air, pumpkins, sweaters... I love it all! Maybe it's because school always started in the fall, but as summer gives way to autumn, the world just feels fresh, new, and full of possibility.
I can't wait to see the season through my son's eyes now that he's out of the baby stage and is so curious and in awe of everything.
There are endless bucket lists of toddler activities for fall, which I think can be a great resource for ideas. However, I'm a slow-living convert, and even as a stay-at-home mom, I just don't desire doing all. the. things!
It's easy to see huge bucket lists and feel pressure to take endless trips to apple orchards, create elaborate crafts, or build themed sensory bins. If that's what you love, you do you, boo. However, a low-key autumn with a mom who is present, happy, and not overstimulated is another amazing path toward a memorable childhood that your kids will want to revisit over and over.
If you're looking for easy, low-cost autumn activities for toddlers, then you're in the right place. Everything on this list is either no or low-prep, and many include simple ways to integrate learning that's appropriate for 18 - 24-month-olds.
This list is 100% screen-free, and gets you outside to actually experience the magic of autumn. So, without further ado, here's what I've got planned for my toddler this fall:
All Things Leaves
This is the simplest one because all you have to do is walk outside. Let your little one jump in the leaves, smell them, crunch them up, rake them, sort them, etc.
If you want to include some learning, here are a few ideas:
Help your child figure out which tree the leaves fell from (assuming you have more than one tree species in your outdoor area).
Match and group leaves that came from the same tree.
Do a leaf scavenger hunt that builds their adjectives by trying to find the biggest, smallest, crunchiest, or roundest leaves. Your expectations for this activity will vary based on your child's age. Younger kids may not be able to identify which leaves fit an adjective on their own, but you can describe the leaves to expose them to rich vocabulary. Older toddlers should be able to do simple categories like big, small, shapes, and colors.
Toss leaves in the air and watch them fall to demonstrate gravity.
Bury one part of your body in leaves at a time and practice naming body parts.
2. Leaf Art
You can get as creative with this as you want, or you can keep it simple. Try gluing leaves to paper, threading them on a string to make a garland, tracing them, placing them under a piece of paper and rubbing a crayon over it. The opportunities are endless.
3. Digging with Sticks
This is one of my favorite free, zero-prep activities. My son really loves to hunt for sticks and dig with them. This activity is not exclusive to fall 😜
A learning opportunity you can take advantage of is talking about bugs you find in the dirt along the way or comparing the length and thickness of different sticks. You could also use leaves, sticks, and rocks to create patterns or shapes on the ground.
4. Digging with Shovels & Rakes
Disclaimer: This is dirt I dumped on the grass, not what he dug up. BUT, he's totally capable of this amount of digging, so choose your location wisely.
Take the fun up a notch and dig with handheld shovels and rakes. My son loves this his shovel and rake set, so we will for sure be raking leaves with it this fall.
Bonus that the shovels will be a lot of fun to use in the snow this winter, so it's a year-round activity for us.
5. Taste Test Apple Cider
We don't typically give our son juice because even the dye-free, 100% juice options are packed with way more sugar than eating the fruit whole. My son has plenty of energy on his own and doesn't need the boost! However, we will 100% be buying some real, unfiltered apple cider for him to try. We'll offer it both chilled and warmed and see which he likes.
6. Fall Baking
My son is 19 months old at the start of fall, so he's not able to help with baking a ton, BUT, he's super interested in what I'm up to while I cook, so I want to include him where I can.
He loves helping me stir things and examining eggs in the shell. I may go ahead and try to teach him how to crack eggs.Videos of other toddlers cracking eggs have, perhaps, given me an unrealistic belief in his ability to successfully crack one. 😜
My main goal with baking together is to show him what I'm doing, talk about the steps, let him explore the ingredients a little, and then do a taste test.
7. Outdoor Picnics
Personally, I think summer is an awful time to eat outdoors. Bugs are everywhere. It's hot and sweaty. It's just not a good time.
However, crisp, cool afternoons are IDEAL for bringing a blanket outside, basking in the sunshine, and enjoying a snack.
It also provides a great opportunity to talk about what you see happening with the leaves, notice birds flying around, discuss the changing temperatures, shorter days, etc.
8. Nature Bracelets
I've seen various form factors for this activity, but basically, you use tape to create nature artwork. Either wrap tape (sticky side out) around your child's wrist like a bracelet or use cardboard to make a frame and attach strips of tape to make the frame's "glass." Then, you find things like leaves, flowers, or grass, and stick it to the tape.
9. Long Walks
I'm a big fan of walking. It's my favorite form of exercise, and it's become even more fun lately (albeit slower) because my son can walk along with us.
Our family walks usually begin with our little dude walking beside us. When he gets tired, we swing back by our house to grab the stroller and keep going at a quicker pace so Mom and Dad can get some actual exercise. (And a break for our backs. Iykyk.)
The goal is just to be present, enjoy the weather, and observe the changing trees. Honestly, there are endless opportunities for learning about nature during walks, but also, it's a great time to just be peaceful and take it all in.
10. Painting Pumpkins
Painting pumpkins last year. DEFINITELY recommend using washable paint and setting up an area that can get messy. Also, plan for bath time immediately after.
Since carving pumpkins isn't age-appropriate yet, we're going to paint them instead. We tried this last year when my son was only 8 months old, and it was really fun but REALLY messy. I'm not sure the mess will be any better this year, but we're going to try it again anyway.
11. Ghost Handprints
Last year, we started what I hope to turn into a yearly tradition of making a ghost handprint out of salt dough. We all made a family of ghosts last year, so now we can just do a quick one for my son. I think it'll be an easy and special way to see his growth over the years.
The recipe is simple:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water
Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Gradually add water while stirring and mixing to form a dough with a Play-Doh-like consistency.
Form the dough into a ball and knead for 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and firm.
Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and press your child's hand in it.
Put on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees F for 2 - 3 hours until firm. It may take longer, depending on the thickness. They don't have to be rock hard, but should not be squishy. (If you want to be able to hang the ghost, make sure to poke a hole in it before baking.)
Once cool, paint the ghost with white paint and use a Sharpie to add eyes and a mouth.
12. Pumpkin Patches & Apple Orchards
I love the idea of taking my son to a pumpkin patch and/or apple orchard to pick fruit, buy baked goods and cider, and go for a hay ride. If you have the opportunity to do so, I highly recommend it. Patches and orchards were a highlight of my childhood, for sure.
Unfortunately, we don't live close to any so this one may not happen this year. If the opportunity comes up, we'll definitely take advantage, but I don't think we'll travel just for the sake of this activity this year.
13. Outdoor Storytime
Bugs become less of a thing as the weather cools, and my son loves books, so we'll be bringing out our blanket and reading books outside often.
14. Smelling Autumn
One of my favorite things about the fall is how everything smells. My son is a big fan of smelling flowers, candles, and anything else he can get his nose on, so I'm going to create an autumn sniffing activity. We'll smell leaves, pine needles, and even the dirt and talk about what we notice.
There are so many more things you could do this fall, but like I said, I'm keeping it low-key, zero stress, and 100% easy. Hopefully, this autumn bucket list gets you excited for fall with your little one!
Enjoy!
