Fun Fall Educational Activities for Children (Provided by Marriott International)

Happy September and start of the school year!!! Depending on the area you live, the Fall season is just around the corner. Personally my children and myself love the cooler weather and pretty foliage that comes with the season. There are so many different activities you can do with your kids that can be both fun and educational. I had the honor of working with Marriott International, who provided three fun  and creative Fall activity ideas to do with your children this Fall below…         

Although children may spend the majority of his or her fall days in school, parents often find that they can be a child’s best teacher simply by helping them explore their surroundings. With autumn right around the corner, there is no better time to expand your child’s knowledge with fun, fall educational activities. Below are some ideas to take your child’s learning out of the classroom and into your own hands in an exciting and interactive way.

Fall Foliage Discovery Day
Unless you live in the tropics, chances are the trees around your house experience color change and lose their leaves in the fall. With all the beauty of the leaves dropping and changing color, your children are bound to ask you why it is happening or at the very least why they have to keep raking the yard.

Action Plan: Take this as an opportunity to walk around your backyard or a local park to explain the process of photosynthesis to your children. Have them pick up leaves of different sizes, shapes and colors and organize them into groups.

Ideal For: Any age

Bonus Points: If you feel like going the extra mile, bring along a book to identify different leaves and the types of trees they come from. Your children will think you are a fall foliage expert!

Get Up Close and Personal with Nature at a Local Farm or Nursery
Children love hands-on learning experiences with plants and animals. By taking them to a local farm, they can inquire about what happens at harvest time and how farmers prepare for the coming winter. At a local nursery, your children can admire beautiful flower varieties and learn gardening terms such as perennial and annual.

Action Plan: Do a bit of research on what farms and nurseries in your area have the best fall displays, programs and activities for children. Pick a nice day and take the kids on an outdoor adventure that will be fun for all ages.

Ideal for: Kindergarteners and elementary school children

Bonus Points: Call in advance and arrange a special tour of a farm or nursery so that your children can get their questions answered by an expert. Bring
the lesson home by purchasing potted plants or fruits and vegetables that your children can cultivate into a small garden.

Carve Your Way to Pumpkin Education
Nothing is a more quintessential fall activity than carving pumpkins. Although your children are probably dying to eat roasted pumpkin seeds, you easily can make this activity educational while the seeds are roasting.

Action Plan: Before hollowing out the pumpkin, ask your children to guess its weight and circumference. Use a scale and tape measure to give the correct measurements after they guess, and take the time to explain weight and circumference to your children. Then, have your children guess the number of seeds in each pumpkin, and teach them counting techniques once you have hollowed out the pumpkin and are sorting the seeds.

Ideal for: Toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners

Bonus Points: Give your children a geometry lesson while carving shapes for the pumpkin’s face!

*This blog post was provided by Marriott International, which operates more than 3,700 hotel properties representing 18 brands in 70 countries.