8 Ways to Get the Kids Outside in Autumn

Struggling to get your kids outside in the cool Autumn weather? We've come up with this simple guide for inspiring the family to not just get outside, but also have fun doing it.

Scavenger Hunt

Feel free to use ours or create your own. Either way, before you go out for your walk, set yourselves a list of fun things to find or observe. By giving your outing an activity, you're making it more engaging for the little ones.

Enjoy a Hot Chocolate Walk

There's nothing better than warming your hands on a nice hot drink as you stroll through your neighbourhood. If the children are feeling a little reluctant about going outside in the cold, then a lovely hot chocolate can be the perfect persuasion to get the whole family enjoying a cosy walk.

Play Walking Games

Make walks more interesting by occupying their minds! Some our favourite walking games include:

- I Spy (we think you'll know how to play this one)

- Twenty Questions (Someone comes up with something and you have 20 questions to figure out what it is)

- The A to Z game (Pick a topic and then take it in turn naming something relating to the topic beginning with each letter of the alphabet)

- Spot the Colour (Pick a colour each and see how many things of that colour you can find)

Fill a Tiny Box

Take a small box or container with you and give your children the opportunity to fill it with whatever they want (within reason). They could collect anything including flowers, leaves, twigs and conkers.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

If you can find one in your local area, pumpkin patches are a wonderful wholesome activity for the whole family. Wrap up in your cosiest clothes and go explore the open field. If you choose to take home a pumpkin you could then choose to carve it or eat it! Some of our favourite pumpkin recipes are Pumpkin Cupcakes or Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry.

Build a Bonfire

You might think this one sounds a little unorthodox as the weather grows colder, but hear us out. Assuming you've found yourself a dry evening, you can have yourself a lovely Autumn bonfire with the right preparation. The key things you need to consider are making sure you have dry wood, cosy clothes, blankets and ideally a nice big bag of marshmallows.

Enjoy some Stargazing

Another evening activity, but something really quite special if you can get it right. Depending on your location you may need to travel to enjoy stargazing to it's full potential. Take a look at this Dark Sky Calendar to see which dates are best to enjoy your magical stargazing.

Autumnal Arts

Autumn is a great time to get crafty and there's nothing better than incorporating the outdoors right onto the page. Some of our favourite autumnal crafts include leaf printing, making autumnal wind chimes and making pine cone bird feeders. If you're feeling especially crafty you could even try making your very own scarecrow for the garden.