Best Fall / Halloween Activities for Families

Greetings from the Captain Pumpkin Head Universe!

Now that September’s officially here, we thought we’d put together a shortlist of some of the best fall activities for families. Hopefully this gets you into the spirit of what is definitely our favorite season of the year!

Fall Festivals

What’s not to love about a fall festival? The weather, the autumn colors, and there’s always plenty of great local food and faire. Not to mention fun games for kids – and adults – of all ages. Oh, and how about hayrides, corn mazes, fresh apple pie, a good Oktoberfest libation (for the adults), and a ride down a huge slide on a burlap sack? Last, but not least, don’t forget the PUMPKINS! (more on that below)

If you’re thinking about hosting your own backyard gathering this fall, be sure to check out Pinterest for a million and one great ideas for games and activities.

Finally, Country Living has an article entitled 24 Halloween Celebrations Across America to Spook Your Socks Off. Click to see if your local area/city is playing host to one of these great fall celebrations!

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

This is a fan favorite and has to be one of the best things you can do with your kids around Halloween time! Look, I wrote a book about a rapping pumpkin, so you know I’m partial to these orange wonders. But I think most kids absolutely love going to the pumpkin patch and picking out just the right gourd.

If you can’t make it out to a bonafide pumpkin patch this year, check to see if there are any “pop-up” patches in your area. Of course, when all else fails, you can get awesome pumpkins at your local grocery store!

If you’re interested, Good Housekeeping has compiled a list of The Best Pumpkin Patch Near Me in Every State. Finally, be sure to visit captainpumpkinhead.com to see where each member of the Captain’s posse comes from!

Pumpkin Carving

Once you’ve paid your visit to the pumpkin patch, it’s naturally time to carve them into Jack-O-Lanterns.

I’m not a great artist, but I like to free-hand my own faces on the skin of the pumpkin. You can use a pencil to get your rough sketch down and then simply go from there. If you’re not into doing your own design, check out Zombie Pumpkins! They have incredible printable pumpkin patterns.