Fall is my favorite season and I wish it lasted just a little longer! Anyone else with me? The colorful leaves, delicious food, sweater weather, and Thanksgiving are just a few reasons I love this time of year!
Today, I am sharing a compilation of treats, crafts, books, and keepsakes that we enjoy as a family! I hope these ideas inspire you to read, create, bake, and take time to enjoy the beautiful outdoors!
Pumpkin Pie Garland & Appetizer
One of the tastiest desserts during this time of year, undoubtedly, is PUMPKIN PIE! But, being a type 1 Diabetic, it’s often hard to resist the temptation of consuming all the sugar! So, here is a healthier option, a bite sized pumpkin “cheese” cake cracker combo. You can find the super simple recipe from The Decorated Cookie! These little snacks were gobbled up by our kids. It’s the perfect appetizer for all to enjoy!
To decorate for Thanksgiving, add this cute art activity for kids! We made this pumpkin pie garland (Get this printable on Dash and Roo blog) to hang in our school room at home. It’s the cutest banner!
Beaded Feathers Turkey
Need a fun way to keep your kiddos engaged so you can make dinner or get something done? This “bead the feather” Turkey is a great way for littles to practice their fine motor skills. My 2 1/2 year old daughter is trying to strengthen her pincer grasp and this is a helpful way!
This really is a simple activity, with all ages being able to participate! My 5 and 7 year old enjoyed the challenges I provided for them!
While your younger ones work on stacking the beads to the top, ask your older ones to create patterns using 2, 3, and 4 different colors! The combo potential is plenty! My boys spent 30 minutes creating a variety of patterns to complete each feather!
Thanksgiving Table Topics
Have you ever played the game Table Topics? It’s a great conversation starter/Ice Breaker activity. This family version is perfect for the kids table at Thanksgiving….or even the adult table!
It is very easy and quick to make. Grab an empty soup can, wrap it in brown paper of your choice, glue on some googly eyes, construction paper for the nose, and put some craft leaves or feathers inside! This now becomes your centerpiece and card container!
Have the kids go around the table, taking turns choosing a card from the turkey can at random! Ask the question and let everyone to answer. Some are more serious, while others will bring out some laughter! This helps you get to know one another a little better, while keeping kids entertained so the adults have a few uninterrupted minutes!
Click on the free Table Topics printable below and save to your computer! Download and print to start using with your own family!
Grow Grateful – Book & Keepsake
One of my most favorite ways to teach kids any concept is through the use of books! Helping youmgsters learn the importance of gratitude is very important. This book, Grow Grateful, was a great introduction into our Growing Grateful Family Tree.
Save the tree and leaves template below to your computer and print out! This can be completed in a few days, a week, a couple weeks, or as long as a month! You determine how many leaves you add each time!
Our family gave a leaf color to each of our 3 kids. My oldest chose red, my middle chose yellow, and my youngest was orange! Each night at dinner, we asked them to tell us 2 things/people they are grateful for. I wrote them down and they glued the leaves on the branches! This will be a keepsake that I keep each year and love looking back on in 10-20 years when they are grown!
Save/Download/Print the printable above and below for your family keepsakes!
Acorn sweets & treats
Another festive treat to add to your Fall snack board are these delicious peanut butter and chocolate acorns. All you need is a package of nutter butter cookies, melted chocolate bark, mini vanilla wafers, and chocolate chips!
Handprint Turkey
A keepsake that tops our Thanksgiving table scape each year is the handprints of my kids! This one is when my oldest was just a baby. To see his handprint, oh so little, just brings back sweet memories!
Awesome Autumn Pressed leaves
Another fantastic read, this non-fiction book provides tons of facts about Fall! After learning about the many different types of leaves in nature, we decided to talk a nature walk and start a collection. To preserve the beautiful ones we found, my kids and I did this pressed leaf activity! You can use many different ways to seal from modge podge, bees wax, or a nifty little laminator (like we did)!
Leaf Man Activity
If you haven’t had the chance to read this book, it is a must!! The collage like photographs are so creative and help kids to think outside the box of what can be made using leaves!
Following this book, we decided to do a “Leaf Man” extension activity, creating Lions, Butterflies, Turkeys, Acorns, and Peacocks! It’s pretty cool and amazing to see where kids’ creativity and imaginations will take them!
I sure hope these ideas will inspire your family to full embrace and ENJOY the season of Fall!
