Tomorrow marks the first official day of fall, and although it doesn’t quite feel like it just yet, that means the cool weather and vibrant sunsets of autumn are just around the corner!

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I’ve gathered a few fun activities that you can do to usher in the new season in a special way.

• All-Fall Hikes. Plan to hike the same trail each week during fall so that your little ones can see just how much the landscape changes throughout the season.
• Fall Scavenger Hunts. Challenge your kids to find seasonal foods like squash, apples and cranberries, a leaf of every color from the neighborhood and fall flowers like Chrysanthemums or Golden Rod.
• Visiting the Pumpkin Patch. Medium-sized, fully orange pumpkins are the best for carving. We also recommend picking your carving pattern before you go shopping so you can find the right pumpkin for your intended design.
• Plan a Fall Feast. Get the kids in the kitchen to whip up some homemade applesauce, pumpkin cupcakes and toasted pumpkin seeds.
• Host an Old Fashioned Cider Party. Bundle up and head out around the fire pit or cozy up next to the fireplace for a cider party full of classic games and good times.
• Fall Crafts. Gather twigs, pine cones and leaves to make your own wild animals like these from Family Fun.

Most importantly, get outside and enjoy the beautiful sights that greet us every fall!

The weather is heating up and the kids are out of school and in need of entertainment!  What’s are busy parents to do?  In the current economic environment, taking lavish trips to amusements parks or constantly going on day outings can put a strain on the wallet.  Luckily, there are plenty of ways to have some summer fun without spending a dime!  Check out a few of my favorite ideas:

• Free Museum Days:  Most cities have a museum or two (or many!), and oftentimes, there is one day a month where various museums have free admission.  It’s a great way to keep your kids educated and entertained even when they’re not in school.  Visit your local museum website, or, if you’re a Bank of America customer, check out their list of free museum admission simply for having a BofA card!

• Stargazing:  As a child, the sky fascinated me.  My Dad would pull me outside to gaze up at the stars, or drive us out to somewhere with little artificial light (think countryside, 50 miles from any city), where we could enjoy all the natural light of the night sky.  I learned the constellations and even saw the tiny pinpricks of satellites moving across the sky.  Once, we even spotted the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights!) which was so incredible.  Print a free SkyMap from SkyMaps.com for your child and start wishing upon a star tonight!  Also, check out EarthSky Tonight for a simplified map of the constellations and planet visible tonight from your position on earth.

• Pitch a tent–in your backyard:  You don’t have to leave home to enjoy a fantastic camping trip.  Simply put up a tent in your backyard, toss in a few sleeping bags, some snacks and some evening ghost stories, and your kids will be giddy with excitement!

• Make your own water park:  You don’t have to have a pool to cool off on a hot summer’s day.  Set up a sprinkler and a hose, throw some bathing suits on the kids, and let them have the time of their life!

• Have a Scavenger Hunt:  The ones take a little more work, but it’s worth it to see your kids running around in anticipation searching for hidden treasure.  There are so many ways to do this, but the easiest is to hide different clues around the house, and even outside the house.  Each clue leads to the next.  Set your kids and their friends up in teams, or have each man fend for themselves.  Prizes can be anything you choose for the winner, from a plate of cookies to getting to stay up a half hour later than everyone else!

I was shocked this morning to see how many schools are closed across the country due to the recent outbreak of wild winter weather. If you and your family have been cooped up all week, don’t give in to the urge to just let your kids veg out in front of the TV all day! Energize your family with some of these great snow day ideas instead.

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• Feeling stressed over the snow? Don’t worry–the Omamas feel your pain! Read this smart, sweet and informative article on one mother’s take on this winter phenomenon.
• Parenting.com offers a variety of crafts and activities that are perfect for stormy weather, including instructions for homemade percussion instruments, a fun biology experiment and a family puppet show.
• Find out what parents from iVillage recommend for winter days when you are all stuck indoors. I love the idea of using leftover party supplies to throw a surprise party for your little ones for no reason at all!
• One of my favorite sites for crafts and cute recipes, FamilyFun also offers some fantastic ideas for snow days. Can you imagine how much your kids will love to paint a winter landscape directly on the kitchen window?
• For the ultimate in real-life inspiration, check out This Vintage Chica’s blog post about a recent snow day spent with her family. From playing outside to indoor crafts, hot chocolate and more, this snow day sounds like a dream come true!

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