Fall Theme Walks To Explore Your Neighborhood 

Fall is the perfect time of year to get outside for a walk and experience all the season has to offer. Going on a walk with your kids lets them notice new things and meet new people along the way. When you set out with a plan — whether it’s walking in a new neighborhood or focusing on one specific part of the walk — it adds a whole new dimension to the journey. These seven neighborhood walks are designed to get the most fun out of a fall day.

Use your senses

On this walk, everyone focuses on their senses. Describe all the colors and touch the leaves that have fallen. Smell the air — is it a different smell from the summer air? Is the light different this time of year? Listen to the birds or squirrels. If you pass by a farmer’s market or stop in a coffee shop, get a taste of the seasonal goodies.

Go on a Scavenger hunt

There are many printable scavenger hunts available online or you can get creative and make your own. Have your kids look for distinctly autumnal items like fallen leaves, acorns, or pumpkins and come up with “prizes” for finding items on the list.

Talk the walk

As you go along,use descriptive words to engage your children in talking about fall. Ask them why they like the season and tell them why you like it. This could be a great addition to the Senses walk. I used to tell my kids that I liked fall because the weather is cooler and it feels good to wear sweaters.

Watch for wildlife

Talk about the birds you saw this summer and imagine where they live now. Notice which birds fly in V-shaped formations as they prepare to head south. Are you seeing lots of busy squirrels or other animals on your walk? Bring a little notebook and keep track of how many different birds and other animals you see.

Get ready for art

Collect fallen leaves, sticks, and acorns, then take them home and start creating. You can glue twigs and leaves together to make forest creatures or try your hand at making leaf prints. One of the easiest projects my children enjoyed when they were younger was sticking fallen leaves of all colors, shapes and sizes onto contact paper. To preserve the shapes and colors of leaves, press them between sheets of paper weighed down by books for a few days.

Enjoy the nighttime

Just because the days are getting shorter doesn’t mean you have to stay inside when it gets dark. On your nighttime walk, see if you can find constellations like the Big Dipper. Watch for the blinking lights of planes as they cross the sky. Take flashlights or headlamps and look for critters in your neighborhood.

Walk with a buddy

Sometimes all that is needed to make a walk more exciting is a friend. Invite one or two buddies to traverse the neighborhood with you or pick a new location for your walk. Simply traveling through a novel area can be an exciting change of pace for most kids. Go for a walk around the block or take a friend on any of these walks.