Family Fun Inspiration for September 2019
These are some of our family’s favorite things to make, explore and learn about during the month of September. I hope it inspires your family as well.
Don’t forget Grandparent’s Day is 9/8/2019, Autumn Equinox/First Day of Fall is 9/23/2019, National Public Lands Day is 9/28/2019 (WA state parks are free)
MAKE
Autumn art
The possibilities are endless as the trees begin to let go of their golden canopies. We’ve made countless forms of leaf art — including leaf rubbings and prints, paintings, garland, wreaths and more. We also decorate our nature table for the season with found treasures like pine cones and acorns.
Back to school portraits
Take the kids to a local park during golden hour (the small window of time at sunrise or sunset when sunlight is softer and more golden). It’s the perfect time to capture beautiful photos of your family at a magical time of day.
Apple everything
After a fun afternoon of apple picking, we tend to go apple-crazy for the next week or so. We always make a big batch of apple butter, dried apple rings, apple pie and sometimes even a hard apple cider (for the grownups).
Fall-inspired comfort food
Some of our favorite comforting fall-inspired meals include:
- Sweet Potato, Kale and Bacon Chowder (pictured)
- Creamy Cashew Mac and Cheese
- Smoky Burgers with Rutabaga Fries
- Turkey Apple Breakfast Hash
EXPLORE
Fall foliage drive
Towards the end of the month, pack a picnic and head out on the road. Leaves on deciduous trees will be just starting to turn and will provide many picture opportunities. Bring art journals for the kids so they can document the trip with colorful drawings.
We like: Mountain Loop Highway, North Cascades Highway (SR-20) and Stevens Pass (SR-2). More: Best Places to See Fall Foliage in the Pacific Northwest.
Walk through a sunflower field
Depending on where you live, sunflowers may be at their peak at the beginning of September. You may even find a sunflower festival near you.
Pumpkin ice cream tasting
Enjoying a cup or cone of a hallmark flavor of the fall season has been a tradition for my family for many years.
Apple picking
Apple picking is a newish tradition for our family — walking through orchards and filling up baskets to the brim with shades of green and red. The following days are spent creating apple butter, dried apple slices and other various apple treats.
Nature walks
Even on a rainy day, kicking through autumn leaves and experiencing the changing season is a relaxing, educational and fun way to spend an afternoon.
LEARN
Moon Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival (aka the Moon Festival) happens September 13. We first learned about it on an episode of Luna Let’s Go on PBS KIDS. During this time of year, the moon tends to be more pronounced and if the weather cooperates — it’s a great time to study it.
Visit a local children’s garden
One of our very favorite outings involves visiting our local children’s garden. We love learning from Master Gardeners about harvest festivals, good bugs vs. bad bugs and seed saving this time of year. It’s also fun to see the fruits of the garden.