Autumn is here, and with it, so many fall family fun activities! We’ve rounded up the best ideas online and in the East Bay and divided them by age: preschoolers and littles (1.5 to 4 years), the K-6 crew (4-12 years old), and all ages. Check it out below!
For Preschoolers and Littles
- STEAM: Go for a nature walk and collect fallen leaves. Talk about color, shape, and size. Then read Leaf Man, by Lois Ehlert, with your little one and make some Leaf Man art of your own! Bonus: the inside covers can help you identify different plant species.
- Art: If your preschooler loves process art, as so many of them do– you’ll love this Paper Plate Bat Craft. Help your little one hang it from the ceiling after it dries!
- Early Literacy: The Alameda County Library shared this amazing PDF with a month full of literacy ideas, rhymes, and reading lists especially for little ones. We love a good boredom-buster!
For the K-6 Crew
- Writing and Literacy: Check out these 20 Spooky Writing Prompts! Can your elementary schooler write their own ghost story? Enjoy creative writing as a family, then share your results in the dark, with flashlights and glowsticks!
- STEAM: Ready to do some magical-looking science? Try Floating Rice, a friction experiment that will make budding scientists feel magical!
- Movement: When the sun goes down early, or the rain starts to fall, it can be hard for kids to get their wiggles out inside! We love Go Noodle, a video platform with dance and movement activities for elementary-aged kids. Their Halloween videos are great to dance along to, and the perfect cure for after-sunset wiggles.
- Game: Use birdseed for a fun, eco-friendly relay race at home! Set up a container of birdseed at the starting line and an empty container across the lawn. Kids (and parents) use a paper cup, scoop, or soup ladle to run a portion of birdseed across to the other side one at a time. The winning team is the first to empty their starting containers! Best of all, this activity requires very little clean up– your local birds will be thrilled to help you find the extra seeds. For an added challenge, add cones or hula hoops for an obstacle course component!
For the Whole Family
Halloween isn’t the only fall holiday on our calendar! With Diwali and Día de los Muertos ahead, we have so much to celebrate in our community. Read on for fall family fun ideas that have no age limit!
- Fun Foods: We love these healthy snack bats! They’re great for a pack-lunch surprise or for bringing to the office for your lunch break.
- Family Game: Try this web obstacle course with kids (and adults) of all ages! For extra fun: Play a Halloween party playlist, use a light show projector, or dress in costumes as you try to climb through the webs!
- Celebrating Diwali: Check out this post from 510 Families to see a comprehensive index of Diwali and Navratri events in the East Bay Area, as well as activities and crafts!
- Celebrating Día de los Muertos: Check out this post from 510 Families for Día de los Muertos events in the East Bay. Most are centered in Oakland or San Jose.
- Pumpkin Patch and More: Visit Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont for a pumpkin patch and seasonal fun for all ages! Their events are updated frequently on their Facebook page.
- Walk on the Wild Side: A number of different Bay Area zoos are running “Boo at the Zoo” events. Check out the San Francisco Zoo, the Oakland Zoo, and Happy Hollow (in San Jose). Most require advance tickets, so read the websites carefully
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