Pumpkin Patch Fun and Other Fall Harvest Sensory Experiences

Autumn is a unique season that’s ripe on the vine for serious family fun! With so many fun things to do on weekends in the fall, there's the chance for family bonding, creating or continuing a treasured tradition, and a wealth of sensory experiences at a pumpkin patch and at home. The fall harvest season is unrivaled for sights, smells, and making memories with your kids, memories that will become warm and comforting nostalgia as they get older and of course, there are also outdoor Halloween activities providing even more family fun during the fall harvest.

Pumpkin Patch Fun for the Whole Family

Spending a few hours at a pumpkin patch on a beautiful fall day is a tradition laced with nostalgia for many people. With are so many sights, smells, tastes, and photographic opportunities with kids of all ages, it’s no wonder a pumpkin patch is the site of much family bonding year after year. Here’s just some of the sensory experiences you may be able to do at a local farm and pumpkin patch this year:

• Take a Hayride

• Go Pumpkin Picking

• Outdoor Decorating at Home

• Taste Apple Cider Donuts, Warm Cider, and other Autumnal Treats

• Walk the Fields and go Apple Picking

• Feed Goats

• Pet Farm Animals

• Walk Through A Corn Maze

At Home Sensory Experiences for Kids

While time spent at a pumpkin patch is special, there are plenty of sensory experiences waiting for kids at home. Here are six ideas for family fun during the fall harvest season.

Make a Scarecrow

The feel of coarse hay, the stuffing of old jeans and flannel shirts, and of course, topping your scarecrow with a stray hat provides lots of family bonding while having sensory experiences with your kids of all ages. Making a scarecrow each year can easily become a family tradition kids look forward to each year.

Leaf Collecting (and Crunching)

Nature creates its own sensory play activity for us with fallen leaves in stunning autumn colors. Take a walk outside with your child to look at the different colors and shapes, feel the brittle texture, and listen to the crunching under feet. Bring a bucket to collect some leaves to make a pile for playing in at home.

Fall Sensory Box

With dry rice or uncooked oatmeal as the base for a sensory bin or box, go on to include a mix of fall-related items into a sensory box that will delight preschool-age children by giving them fun fall sensory experiences. Some of the design ideas for your box could be fake plastic spiders, artificial autumn leaves, cinnamon sticks, miniature apples, and other fall decorations you may already have at home.

Make Pinecone Bird Feeders

With the dawn of winter comes a tougher time for birds to find their daily meals, so this sensory experience is great for kids and our feathered friends. Simply find some pinecones and lather them with peanut butter. Then pour over bird seed, which will stick to the yummy peanut butter, and using string or twine, tie them to branches of trees in your yard. You and your kids will be able to watch as birds come to feast right outside your window all season long!

Create Pumpkin Boats for Bath Time

Using jack-be-little pumpkins, simply cut off the top third of the small pumpkins and using a knife, safely carve out the inside and then scoop the seeds with a spoon. What’s left is an adorable orange pumpkin boat your kids can load up with acorns, small toys, and other autumn treasures to play with during their baths in fall!

Pumpkin Carving

Search for fun design ideas, safety tips, and carving techniques, and get ready to carve a pumpkin! This is one of the classic sensory experiences in the fall because the feel of hollowing out a pumpkin is unique and unforgettable. Make this an annual tradition by investing in some pumpkin carving tools that will make the job easier and safer for everyone.

For more autumn family fun, check out these 5 Halloween activity ideas for kids!