Living in Arizona means September and even October don’t always cooperate with the season. When it’s still hot outside, it can be hard to get into the fall spirit. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make fall feel festive without waiting for cooler weather. This year, since I’m still figuring out how to manage both a baby and a preschooler, I’m planning to lean into more at-home activities that can still ignite some fall fun. Here are some easy things we plan to do:
Make a Fall Water Table: For an easy outdoor activity, I plan to set up our water table with floating mini pumpkins, scoops and apple-themed toys. It’s a simple way to bring in fall colors and themes while keeping cool.
Create a Harvest Sensory Bin: I love a good sensory bin and a harvest theme is easy and fun to do. I’ll fill ours with dried corn, oats, cinnamon sticks, scoops and toy tractors. It’s an inexpensive setup that encourages imaginative play and sensory exploration.
Paint Fall Rocks: This makes for a great at-home cozy date night. We can collect rocks from around the yard or use ones we already have and turn them into little works of fall art. Pumpkins, candy corn, apples, leaves and other seasonal designs are easy to paint. Once they’re dry, we can use them as decorations around the house or hide them for others to find.
Bake Together: Nothing makes a house smell like fall quite like pumpkin muffins or apple cinnamon bread. Baking is an activity my preschooler can help with, and I love that it gives us something delicious to enjoy afterward.
Make Pumpkin Spice Playdough: Homemade pumpkin spice playdough is another easy indoor activity. Adding cinnamon and pumpkin spice gives it that unmistakable fall scent while turning a simple playdough session into a seasonal activity.
Have a Fall Movie Night: When the heat makes outdoor activities less appealing, we can pile onto the couch with cozy blankets, popcorn and a family-friendly fall movie or show. Sometimes a little artificial coziness is all it takes to get into the seasonal spirit.
Host a Family Soup Night: We can also make dinner feel like an event with a family soup night or chili bar. Everyone can customize their bowl with favorite toppings, and it’s an easy tradition to repeat throughout the fall.
For me, this fall is going to be less about doing everything perfectly and more about finding simple ways to make everyday family time feel special. Even if it’s still 90 degrees outside, a little creativity can bring plenty of fall magic home.
