For a family looking to save money, fall offers many options. The following free resources offer ways for the whole family to enjoy life this autumn season.
Fall Outdoor Activities
Fall’s mild weather and beautiful colors make it a perfect time to be outdoors.
A nearby city park offers an afternoon of playing, picnicking, and enjoying fall colors. For a change of scenery, a family may seek out different parks in the same city or region.
Many cities sponsor a nature center, a special park with accessible trails where anyone can get outside and breathe in crisp autumn air.
State parks, free in some states, provide longer trails for a weekend hike or camping expedition through vibrant red, yellow, and orange woods. Many parks include educational exhibits and programming where the family can view local animals and learn more about the environment in their region.
Planning a visit to a pumpkin stand or farm can also provide a unique fall experience. Often, church groups or other community centers will offer such trips or outings for free. Take a tour, enjoy a hayride, pick produce, and pose for pictures with the colorful gourds and corn.
Most people have backyards but spend little time in them. A family can enjoy an afternoon or evening in the backyard raking and jumping in leaves, making a scarecrow, or decorating the porch with fall produce.
Enjoy Fall at the LibraryPublic libraries offer many resources for the family on the budget, this fall or any season. Libraries provide a quiet, educational evening outside the home free of charge.
Movies and educational computer games are but a few of the activities a library can offer for chilly autumn nights.
Many libraries include their own internet cafes with public computer terminals where the family can enjoy surfing or type a paper for school.
Nature books offer lush images of fall colors, and craft and cooking books can inspire a low-budget project at home.
Perhaps a library’s greatest gift is free programs for the whole family. Activities may include book clubs, tutoring, story times, or reading programs on a fall theme. A local library offers more information inside or through the internet.
Enjoy Fall in the Community
Spending money by eating out and traveling are not necessary to enjoy fall. Many communities offer a variety of ways to celebrate fall that the whole family can enjoy.
Many local businesses such as gift shops and florists decorate for fall. A hour or a day can be spent window shopping or browsing the fall selection.
Many communities have fall festivals or celebrations to commemorate the harvest, Halloween, or other autumn occasions. A local chamber of commerce or state tourism office is a goldmine of information about local events and activities in the community.
This autumn, take advantage of local resources and nature to make, rather than buy, fun for the whole family.
For other ways to enjoy fall, one may enjoy How to Walk More Every Day. or Autumn Leaf Meditation: Relax and Enjoy Fall with a Nature Walk.
Melissa Roberts - A trained hospital chaplain, Melissa is a freelance writer, teacher, retreat leader, and spiritual director.
