20 Fun Outdoor Fall Activities for Toddlers

Check out these super fun outdoor fall activities for toddlers to enjoy! These are perfect activities for the entire family to enjoy during the Autumn season.

As the pumpkin spice lattes start flowing and the leaves begin their dramatic exit from the trees, it’s time to drag the kids outside before they hibernate with their tablets.

If you’re on the hunt for outdoor fall activities for families that don’t require a Pinterest-level crafting degree, look no further. 

We’ve got 20 unique ideas that are easy, fun, and perfect for burning off that extra energy (theirs, not yours). Time to embrace the chaos and make the most of this season’s crisp, crunchy goodness!

1. Leaf Scavenger Hunt

Turn the kids into tiny explorers by creating a list of different types of leaves or colors to find. It’s like Pokémon Go, but with leaves—and no screen time! Bonus points if you spot that rare purple leaf. 

2. Nature Art

Time to unleash their inner Bob Ross! Gather leaves, acorns, and pinecones, and let the kids create their masterpiece. If nothing else, it’s a solid way to justify that giant roll of paper you bought “just in case.” 

kids making a hedgehog out of nature stuff

3. Pumpkin Rolling Race

Find a small hill and let the chaos ensue. Small pumpkins make the perfect racers. Who needs a fancy derby when you have gravity and gourds? 

4. DIY Obstacle Course

Use whatever you’ve got lying around the house—jump over small pumpkins, dodge around the rake you should’ve put away, and balance on logs. It’s like boot camp but with more giggles and fewer drill sergeants.

5. Fall-Themed Sensory Bin

Fill a bin with corn kernels, leaves, and mini pumpkins. Hide small toys inside like a treasure hunt. Warning: This may lead to a miniature excavation project when they decide they need to find ALL the treasures. 

fall themed popcorn sensory bin

Check out this fun DIY fall themed sensory bin, a fall harvest sensory bin, or a pumpkin patch sensory bin!

6. Apple Picking and Tasting

Head to a local orchard for apple picking. Once home, set up a taste test with different apple varieties. It’s a great way to introduce them to the concept that apples can come in other forms besides “sauce.” 

7. Outdoor Storytime

Grab a blanket and some fall-themed books, and set up an alfresco reading session. Pair it with some warm apple cider and pretend you’re at a cozy, kid-friendly café with an excellent view. 

fall activities for toddlers pin image

8. Shadow Drawing

On a sunny day, let the kids place leaves or small toys on paper and trace their shadows. It’s art class meets science experiment, minus the grading and lab coats. 

9. Nature Bingo

Create bingo cards with fall items like acorns, squirrels, and red leaves. Take a walk and see who gets bingo first. Yes, it’s totally okay to get competitive over squirrels.

10. Mini Pumpkin Hunt

An Easter egg hunt but with mini pumpkins! Hide them around the yard. Just be prepared for that one pumpkin that will mysteriously reappear next spring. 

mini pumpkins in a pile

11. DIY Bird Feeders

Make bird feeders using pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed. Hang them in the yard and watch the kids wait patiently… for about five minutes until they decide the birds are “taking too long.”

12. Fall Picnic

Pack a cozy picnic with treats like apple slices and pumpkin bread. Set up in the backyard or park. Pro tip: Bring extra napkins for inevitable apple slice face-smearing.

13. Leaf Pile Jumping

The classic fall activity where raking becomes worth it. Let them jump, roll, and get lost in the leaf pile while you momentarily relax—until you realize you’ll have to rake again. 

two boys jumping up and down in pile of leaves

14. Outdoor Chalk Maze

Draw a maze on the driveway with chalk. Challenge them to find their way through it, or better yet, let them create their own maze that you’ll probably have to navigate later. 

15. Pumpkin Bowling

Set up a bowling game with small pumpkins as bowling balls and water bottles or cans as pins. It’s a strike if the pumpkin doesn’t split open! 

16. Create a Nature Journal

Give each child a notebook to decorate and take on walks. They can draw or tape in leaves and flowers. It’s like scrapbooking, but with less glitter and more dirt. 

17. DIY Fall Scented Playdough

Make playdough and add fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Let the kids use leaves and acorns to create imprints. Just ensure they don’t try to eat it—no matter how good it smells. 

pumpkin colored playdough with pumpkin shape cutters

We recently made this pumpkin spice playdough and loved it!

18. Tree Bark Rubbings

Bring paper and crayons on your next walk. Find different trees and do bark rubbings. Who knew tree bark could be this fascinating?

19. Stargazing and Storytelling

On a clear fall night, grab some blankets and lie on the ground to stargaze. Make up stories about the stars, or just enjoy the moment before they start asking about planets you can’t identify. 

20. Outdoor Yoga

Try simple yoga poses in the fresh air. Teach them poses like “tree” and “leaf.” It’s a great way to sneak in some zen moments between all the leaf pile jumping.

Final Thoughts

These fall activities for toddlers offer a wonderful way to enjoy the magic of fall while spending quality time with your kids.

Most of these require little to no preparation, making them perfect for those spontaneous moments when you need to burn off some kid energy.

So grab your jackets, head outside, and let the autumn fun (and mild chaos) begin!

These activities in this article come from Lingokids!

Lingokids is an educational platform designed for children aged 2 to 8. It offers interactive learning experiences through games, videos, and activities, covering essential subjects like math, reading, and life skills.

It focuses on blending education and play, encouraging kids to develop critical thinking, language skills, and creativity. The app has won multiple awards and includes content for both parents and educators to support children’s development.

The Lingokids universe provides original, award-winning, interactive content for kids, transforming how kids can learn.

Lingokids creates games, songs, podcasts, videos, and activities that blend educational subjects with modern life skills to spark curiosity, imagination, and success in school—and beyond!

Interested in learning more about how Lingokids helps families raise amazing kids? Download the app and check out more content on our YouTube channels!

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