Fall Bucket List for Families

October 18, 2021

Now that it’s October, we are officially in fall mode! It can be a bummer to say goodbye to summer, but fall has so much to offer that it’s easy to make the transition from shorts to sweaters. With its cooler temperatures and a variety of seasonal activities on offer, fall is the perfect time to plan some family fun. If you want to pack some excitement into the autumn and make lasting memories at the same time, see how many things you can check off of this fall family bucket list.

Visit a Farm

In North Carolina, we’re fortunate to live within day-trip distance of several farms that are open to the public. In the fall, these farms often offer apple picking, pumpkin patches, hayrides, or corn mazes. Bonus: if the farm grows apples, you will probably have the opportunity to try some homemade apple cider and apple donuts. 

While you’re making memories picking out a pumpkin or plucking an apple from a tree, you can also take the opportunity to get some nice candid pictures for the family album. The setting will be picturesque and seasonal (many places will even have spots for photo ops), but more importantly, you can capture your family while they are having fun together. You can look back on it in future years and recount your memories together. Just make sure your main focus is on being present and enjoying the moment as it happens, rather than trying to get the perfect pic.

Farms near Holly Springs, NC include:

• The Farm on Avent Ferry in Holly Springs: Pumpkin patch, pumpkin decoration, and great family photo opportunities
• Millstone Creek Orchards in Ramseur (about an hour away): Offers apple picking, homemade apple cider and other treats, and seasonal farm tours.
• Medlin Farm in Wake Forest (about 45 minutes away): Offers gem mining, a pumpkin patch, hayrides, and a corn maze.

Find a Fair or Fall Festival

While a lot of fairs take place in the spring and summer, fall is a great time to enjoy a fair. Alternatively, many places have fall festivals to celebrate the season and they provide a lot of family-friendly fun. You might be able to find a regional or smaller town fair or fall festival near where you live by checking local chambers of commerce and town calendars or doing a quick internet search.

Here in Holly Springs, NC, we have HollyFest every October. This fall festival includes live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, a variety of food options, kids’ activities (games, rides, and inflatables) and a display of police vehicles and fire trucks. 

Take in a Game

Fall is a great season for sports. Football is in full swing, hockey and basketball seasons are starting up, and the World Series marks the end of baseball season at the end of October. So, if you’re a fan of any of these sports, it’s the perfect time to share your passion with your family by seeing a live game. 

If professional sports aren’t your thing or out of budget, kids find going to high school and college games just as entertaining. You can even make an outing of going to a family member’s rec league games. A big part of what makes this fun is not the prestige of the team you go to see, but the experience of going out as a family and experiencing the excitement and energy of a live game.

Have a Bonfire

This fall family bucket list item is not only an opportunity to spend time with your family, but it can be an opportunity to get your neighbors and friends together for a night of wholesome entertainment. Roasting hot dogs or marshmallows while sitting around the fire catching up and telling stories will create lasting memories.

If you decide to have a bonfire, you need to go over fire safety precautions with children. Find a space you can safely and legally use for the fire and get everyone to help gather kindling beforehand and clean up afterward. Different people can contribute different things like food, drinks, and firewood so no one family is responsible for everything. It just takes a bit of organization and planning.

Take a Nature Walk

Fall means changing trees and falling leaves, so find somewhere nearby where you can explore nature. This may mean going down a trail at your local park or taking a little trip to a nearby forest or wildlife sanctuary. You can research the types of plants and wildlife native to your area and make a little checklist or scavenger hunt for your children to use during the walk. Just make sure you choose somewhere with marked trails and that you have access to a map so you don’t get lost if you’re visiting somewhere larger than the municipal park. Holly Springs is home to some great trails and greenways that are perfect for families. 

At Holly Springs Pediatrics, we know there is more to providing quality healthcare to children than just treating physical conditions. Emotional, mental, and social health are also important parts of the big picture. So, we are firmly in favor of all activities that can make a child feel happy and content in their life, including special family activities like this. If you have concerns about anything relating to your child’s health and wellbeing, call us at 919-249-4700 to make an appointment. You can also request an appointment online.