You don’t have to travel far to explore the outdoors in autumn. Here are a few fall activities your family can do in your neighborhood.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Patch.
Invite your neighbors to carve pumpkins together. You can create your own design or coordinate your jack-o-lanterns. To learn how to carve a pumpkin like a pro, read this blog.
Play in the Leaves.
Encourage your kids to rake the leaves in your front yard. Then, as a reward, let them play in the leaves. This activity is fun and free!
Make Apple Cider.
Nothing says fall like a warm cup of cider. Gather your neighbors and try this recipe.
Warm Mulled Cider Recipe from Real Simple
Ingredients
1 navel orange
½ gallon apple cider
2 tablespoons honey
5 whole allspice berries
6 whole cloves Pinch ground nutmeg
1 1/2-inch piece ginger, thinly sliced
8 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the orange to create long strips.
In a medium pot, bring the cider, honey, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and orange zest to a simmer. Do not boil. Heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Ladle into cups and serve warm with the cinnamon sticks.
Host Your Own Costume Party.
Fill your house with these spooky decorations . Then make your own costumes by following these simple steps . Make a few sweet treats to serve. Here are a few recipes.
Sweet and Salty Halloween Snack Mix Recipe from HGTV
Ingredients
1 box Chex cereal
5-6 cups popped plain popcorn
1 bag of small pretzel knots
1 bag of green and brown M&Ms
1 bag of chocolate-covered raisins
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 package almond bark
Instructions
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth.
Remove from heat and add cereal and mix until cereal is coated. Meanwhile, pour powdered sugar into a plastic bag. Pour coated cereal into bag and shake until cereal is covered in powdered sugar.
Melt the almond bark and pour over popcorn, then mix until popcorn is well coated with white chocolate. Add M&Ms and about half a bag of pretzels and toss together. Add chocolate-covered raisins and mix gently, then pour onto a large sheet of wax paper. Break into pieces and mix with the chocolate/peanut butter cereal mix.
Candy Bar Cookies Recipe from HGTV
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Halloween candy, chopped (for example: M&Ms and candy corn)
Instructions
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set bowl aside.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low. Slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend. Fold in candy with a spatula.
Spoon rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 1 inch apart. Stick a few Reese's Pieces or M&M's into the top of each cookie for extra decoration.
Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, for about 12 minutes.