Here are our top five fall fun activities for toddlers. No tricks, we promise!
Apple Taste-Off. Choose 3-4 different kinds of apples. Let your child look at each. Describe it together: the color (red, yellow, green, spotted), the texture (smooth, bumpy), the size (big or small), the taste (sweet or sour, yummy or not). Offer your child a slice of each and see which they prefer.
Ghost Painting. Get some unscented foam shaving cream. Spray a little “ghost foam” onto a cookie sheet and let your toddler spread it around with their fingers or a spoon. Talk about how it feels on their fingers. Describe what your child is drawing—circles, lines, scribbles. (Supervise carefully and put shaving cream away when you’re done.)
Fall Sensory Bin. Sandbox season may be over, but fall is perfect for sensory fun. Fill a cardboard box or plastic bin with fall leaves, a small pumpkin or two, pine cones, and other fall items like dried corn. Give your child scoops, spoons, and plastic cups and bowls to stir, pour, and transfer these materials. (Supervise carefully and put bin away when you are done playing.)
Seek-a-Treat. While many of us may not be hitting the streets on Halloween, your little one can still get in the spooky spirit. In different rooms of your house, place a small plastic bowl with a treat or two for your child to find. As you walk through together, help your child discover the treats and practice the “trick or treat” back-and-forth exchange.
Ghostbusters! Cut out 8-10 ghost shapes (about 6-12 inches long) from scrap paper. Place these outside at the park or even inside, all around the house. (For two-year-olds, make sure the ghosts are not completely hidden.) Give your toddler a bag and ask them to go find some ghosts! Make it a fun physical activity as the two of you chase down the ghosts and add them to the bag. When you’re done, count how many ghosts you found together.
