15 Activities For Your Family's Fall Bucket List

Now that fall is officially here, it's time to start enjoying the cooler weather and spend as much time outside before it gets cold. It's also a fun time to spend those rainy days inside making delicious food and trying new projects with the kids. If you get stuck in the same routine each fall, here are 15 ways to spice things up with a fun new tradition. 

• Make your own Halloween costumes instead of going store-bought. Children's Halloween costumes range from $30 to $50 each, but they can cost even more. You can save a lot of money and make good memories by piecing together your own costumes. Many thrift stores even have ready-made costumes that people have donated. It's also fun to get creative and start your own costume from scratch.  
• Buy a set of fall-themed cookie cutters and make festive treats. Rather than just limiting yourself to cookies, use them to make pumpkin-shaped biscuits or leaf-shaped rice krispies.
• Collect a few of the best leaves you can find and press them in a book to preserve them. You can make wreaths, garlands and other decorations that will keep your home festive all the way through Thanksgiving.
• Go on a fall picnic. Pack up a basket with sandwiches, cheese and crackers, veggies and of course thermoses of hot chocolate or cider. Even if you just head to the back yard, fall is the perfect time to enjoy cooler weather outside with no bugs!
• Save the pumpkin seeds after you carve your jack-o-lanterns. Pumpkin seeds can be baked with just about any flavor for a crunchy, healthy snack.
• Have a fall bonfire and tell ghost stories. Check out a few ghost story books from the library and head to the back yard for a spooky evening.
• Go to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard that has a corn maze. Kids will love getting lost in the maze and working together to find the way out. Pick up some apples or pumpkins on your way out to make your fall recipes complete.
• Make spiced apple cider at home. Whether you make your own cider from scratch or just pick up a jug at the store, you can make it more special by mulling it with spices. Most recipes call for allspice, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.
• Decorate the front door with a classic fall wreath or spooky Halloween decorations. If you want more trick-or-treaters, a festive front door is a great way to show you're in the spirit!
• Plant bulbs for the spring. For spring blooms, fall is the time to start planting bulb flowers such as tulips, daffodils and irises. Involve the kids as well and use this as a time to teach them about growing seasons.
• Try a new soup recipe each week. Nothing tastes better than a warm bowl of soup on chilly evenings. With the abundance of produce this time of year, it's also fun to switch up an old recipe by adding squash or pumpkin.
• Donate food to a local pantry. Thanksgiving is a popular time to make food bank donations, but why not donate all year? Donating seasonal holiday foods now is helpful for people who want to stock up on Thanksgiving foods early. Canned vegetables, nuts, dried goods, baby food and personal hygiene products are always good staples to donate as well.
• Take up a new craft project that you can do all winter to stay busy indoors. If you've always wanted to spend your winters knitting, crocheting or quilting, start learning now. If you start during the fall, you may even have time to complete a few hand-made presents in time for the holidays.
• Head to a state park for a hike during the peak of the fall colors. If you live in the northern parts of the U.S., you already know which areas have the best fall foliage. If you live elsewhere, plan a road trip or vacation to see the colors.
• Do some fall cleaning to make things less cluttered for winter. Spring is a popular time to declutter, but fall is another great time. Since you'll be spending more time indoors, getting rid of items you no longer want can make your house and garage feel more organized and comfortable all winter long.

Make Car Donations A Fall Tradition

If you get on a cleaning kick, you can even declutter your garage by donating an unwanted vehicle that's taking up space. Wheels For Wishes will come to you with free towing and you'll get a great tax deduction in return. If you were planning on making a tax deductible donation this year, don't wait until the end of December. Call Wheels For Wishes now and get it checked off your list early! You'll also feel great knowing your donation helps your local Make-A-Wish.

If you have a car, boat, RV, motorcycle or other vehicle to donate, call us at 1-855-278-9474 or fill out an online car donation form today!