5 fun outdoor family activities to try this fall

For many people, back to school signifies the end of summer. And while some view fall with a certain melancholy, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy this cool, crisp season of change. Here are five great outdoor activities to help celebrate this invigorating time of year.

[Image credit: iStock.com/Feverpitched]

Even if you don’t have many (or any) trees on your property, chances are you’ll always have fallen leaves on your lawn. Why not take the opportunity to turn cleaning them up into a fun game instead of a chore? How?

• Invite your friends and children from the neighbourhood to help rake up the leaves into huge piles.
• Have everyone (or just the children) jump and play in the mountains of colourful leaves.
• While you’re at it, you can even include your pets.

The best part is you'll be killing two birds with one stone: getting your yard raked and having a good time with friends and neighbours.

• Don't forget to be a good neighbour by offering to help your neighbours when the time comes to collect their leaves!

Fall is the best season of the year for apples, so consider visiting a nearby orchard and picking apples yourself. You'll be able to take home a bag-load of apples, which means you'll have plenty left over for making pie and cider.

What's more, few things are more pleasurable than biting into a just-picked apple still warm from the sun.

• The sweetness and crispness of fresh apples is unbeatable! Plus, they last for a much longer time unrefrigerated.

Corn mazes are typically located on farms and are large, human-size mazes cut into corn fields or created using bales of hay as "walls."

• There's nothing more fun than getting "lost" with your friends and family trying to find the centre of the maze, and then navigating your way back out again.

Many mazes have exciting extras, such as Hallowe'en frights that pop out to scare you.

• Some even have scavenger hunt elements, so you're sure to find one to please the whole family.

Rather than buying a pumpkin at a grocery store, why not visit a pumpkin patch with your family and pick one yourself.

• Many farmers will usher customers into their pumpkin fields to pick out and harvest the perfect pumpkin to take home. Often, the prices are also cheaper than in the grocery store.

A trip to the local pumpkin patch allows your kids to run around in the fresh air and pick a pumpkin to their liking. Moreover, many farmers also offer hayrides as part of the fun, plus a chance to meet farm animals.

As the weather gets colder, one of the best ways to keep warm and get into the season is by having a bonfire.

• To celebrate fall, sometimes certain municipalities host a local bonfire event. If you can get a permit to have one in a designated spot, consider organizing a community bonfire to bring neighbours together.

Bonfires will not only help warm you up, but they're also a great opportunity for roasting marshmallows for s'mores and getting to know the people in your neighbourhood.

While fall and back-to-school season certainly mark the start of cooler weather, it's also one of the most pleasant seasons to spend time outdoors: there will still be days when the sun is warm enough for you to wear short sleeves, but that are cooler at night for a sound night's sleep. If you love the autumn and want to celebrate it by spending time outside, there are loads of things you and your family can do to take advantage of the sunshine and comfortable temperatures.