Are you done with the heat of summer and have traded in the days of water and sun for binge watching cartoons with the kids?
Well, get back out there! Because summer has officially ended and it’s time to experience the fresh air of fall.
Wondering where to start with the fall fun? Keep these fit family activities at the top of your list to get the most out of this favorite season.
1. View Fall Foliage
You may be wondering why anyone would go out to look at leaves when you have more than you can manage right in your own backyard.
Taking a walk through the red, yellow, green, and orange leaves falling all around you is actually boosting your mental health.
Just one of the many reasons fall is the best!
Michelle Harris, Professor of Psychology at William James College in Massachusetts, said to Parents:
“When you’re walking and focusing on the changing leaves, you’re no longer signaling your brain to run or fight. Instead, you’re signaling your brain to pay attention to something beautiful. Leaf peeping is a fun fall activity.”
2. Go on a Family Hike
It’s no secret that walking is good for the body and mind, and we have science to confirm it!
In a peer-reviewed study published in Emotion, walking was found to have positive psychological effects such as eliminating “boredom and dread.”
So now we have a proven remedy for our kids boredom – go on a family hike!
And there is no better time to do that than in the brisk, windy weather of fall.
Just don’t let your fun be cut short by nature’s pest, the tick – be sure to equip the whole family with long pants and long socks for the journey.
3. Pick Apples and Pumpkins
If you are like me, you wait all year just for fall to come back around so you can buy pumpkin flavored everything.
While you should not forgo the occasional pumpkin latte, a healthy way to indulge in the unique flavors of the season is to take the kids to an orchard or pumpkin patch to pick their own bounty.
Not only do you get the benefits of walking, but you get to teach your kids healthy eating habits (and math!) while you bake homemade pumpkin pie and purée your own applesauce.
4. Fly Kites
Investing in a kite that doesn’t crumple into a heap after its first wind may be a good idea this fall.
Kites get the kids moving and gives them a sense of accomplishment and wonder watching their colorful butterflies and superhero kites soar.
Just make sure to wear tennis shoes and go to a big open area such as a park.
Chances are you will be doing a bit of running yourself to encourage your kids to get their kites in the air, and you won’t want to spend more time trying to untangle string than watching their kite take flight.
There is so much to do and see among the changing leaves that you and your family should never tire of finding endless opportunities.
However, using these fun, fall family favorites will help you get started in savoring all that the fall season has to offer while keeping a fit-family mindset.
(h/t Mommy Underground)