Are you looking for some fun fall activities for teens and families in your life? When you have big kids, sometimes it can be a challenge to find things to do together when they just want to spend time with their own friends. But, fall is a great time to bring your family and friends together to celebrate all things harvest time! Whether it is apple picking, pumpkin festival going, or Halloween party throwing, here is an ultimate fall bucket list to do with your teens!
1. Visit a pumpkin patch
Do you think pumpkin patch visiting is just for little kids? Think again! My big kids still love to visit our local pumpkin patch and it’s a great way for our older kids to connect with our young ones. It’s a perfect time to spend some quality time together. Try some of these pumpkin spice muffins when you get home to bring back memories of the patch!
Our favorite local pumpkin patch in the Indy area is Dull’s Tree Farm in Thorntown, IN. The entire family has a great time visiting all the favorite fall activities. We pick pumpkins for pumpkin carving, take a spin through the corn maze, slide down the huge slides, and watch the pumpkin country air cannons fly. It’s a wonderful way to spend a Saturday in the fall and kids of all ages love it.
2. Pick apples at the apple orchard
Visiting the local apple orchard is a great time for teens and the whole family. Our teens love the apple cider doughnuts while we explore the orchard. We love to grab enough apples from our apple picking to make an apple pie and apple bread. Often, the orchards offer free admission. Check out your local farms for more info.
The whole family can also make these awesome apple cookies when you get back home! Many apple orchards also offer other fun activities like pumpkin patches, corn mazes, kids’ play areas, and farm stores. Our personal favorites in the Indy area are Stuckey’s and Tuttle’s.
3. Corn Maze
If you have a large group of big kids like a youth group, think about taking them to a corn maze. It’s a perfect way to spend a crisp fall night or weekend afternoon. It’s a creative way to problem solve together and build some teamwork skills.
Think about combining it with a campfire where the kids can roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories! Here is a great list of corn mazes in the Central Indiana area.
4. Escape Rooms
Escape rooms are another on the list of fun fall activities for teens and families. It’s another great team-building exercise and teens will enjoy working on a scavenger hunt-style activity. They win bonus points for not giving up! Celebrate with a pumpkin spice latte on the way home.
5. Football Games
Of course, spending time at a football game is a classic fun fall activity. I remember going to plenty of these during my teenage years! Consider planning a small tailgate for the teens in your life before a high school or college game.
Run to the local grocery store and grab kid-friendly drinks and snacks. Throw some cornhole boards in the car, along with card games. You can keep younger kids entertained with face paint, bubbles, or simple fun fall crafts. Cheering on your favorite team is a wonderful way to spend to spend a fall weekend.
6. Camping Trip
Whether it’s in your own backyard or in one of our country’s national parks, consider a camping trip for your teens. The fall foliage is beautiful and you can take a scenic drive along the way! Pack some tents, great snacks, and your hiking boots and have some old fashioned outdoor fun this fall.
If you are in the Indy area, here is a list of some of the best places for an outdoor adventure with your teens. Getting off the grid may be the best way to reconnect with them and it’s so much fun!
7. Watch a movie
This time of year, there are so many fun movies to watch! Whether it’s Hocus Pocus, The Goonies, or Harry Potter, invite your favorite teens in for a movie watching party. You can also have a great time hooking up a projector in the backyard and watching under the stars. Do you love scary movies? Halloween is probably your favorite time of year!
Whether they are outside or in the living room watching their favorite movies, be sure to prep some great snacks. Chips, popcorn, cookies and cupcakes, along with their favorite drinks guarantee a good time. If they want to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes, even better!
8. Take a bike ride
Another on the list of great ideas for teens and fall is a scenic bike ride. Take in the beautiful scenery during the best autumn weather. I find that a good time to have conversations with my teens usually come when we are active, so a fall bike ride is a perfect time to reconnect.
9. Pumpkin Carving at a Local Park
One of the fun ways to spend time with a group of teens is a pumpkin carving party. I find a park is the perfect place to host it. I like to pack disposable tablecloths, pumpkin carving tools, garbage bags, and large spoons for carving. Print some stencils or purchase a book of patterns and let the kids just have a good time. Form groups into teen couples or groups of three and have a competition!
10. Do a service activity
Consider doing a service activity with your teens during this season of Thanksgiving. Check into a local soup kitchen or food bank to see what your kids can do. Our teens enjoy sorting cans at the food bank with friends or helping supervise little kids at a local shelter. Need some fun ways to connect with others? Consider packing a simple craft kid, a pack of cards, or an easy game to get the conversations flowing.
11. Take a drive
Sometimes we just need to take a scenic drive! One of our favorite outdoor fall activities is just taking a Sunday drive. Our personal favorites are in Brown County, wandering the back roads from September to November. Here is a list of the best places for scenic drives in Indiana.
12. Host a Halloween party
A Halloween party has to make the list of fun fall activities. Go to the dollar store or Target for some great Halloween decor. Purchase some fabulous fall crafts, make a simple fall wreath for the front door, and plan some outdoor party games.
Surprisingly, one of my kids’ favorite things is making a leaf pile with friends and jumping into it! If your teen has a younger sibling, they may want to join in too.
13. Visit a haunted house
If your teens love a good scare, try out a spooky haunted house in your area. This is a great opportunity for your older kids to invite their friends along to enjoy together. There are plenty of options in the Indy area, including the Indy Scream Park, Piney Acres Scream Farm, and the Headless Horseman event at Conner Prairie. Find more info here!
I hope this list helps you find plenty of great ideas for fun fall activities for teens and families in your life! Sign up below for my free family packing newsletter and read more for more celebrating and travel ideas.
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