Fall family fun around Dayton

By Jamie Kaun

The fall is one of my favorite seasons in the Midwest. The weather is cooling down, leaves are changing color and there are so many fun activities in our area.

Here’s a list of family-friendly ideas to do at home and around the Dayton area.

• Visit local events – there are numerous festivals and attractions to visit in the fall, such as The Renaissance Festival, Young’s Dairy Farm, Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival, Yellow Springs Street Fair, and so many more! The Dayton YMCA has several fall events too.
   
• Make yummy goodies – cooler weather calls for yummy treats! Bake apple cinnamon bread, pumpkin cookies or pies. Save the pumpkin seeds from your pumpkin carving to roast. Be sure to drink some hot cocoa or apple cider with your goodies. You can also use some of those treats to “boo” your neighbors. Another fun idea for fall cooking – can nutritious foods to enjoy all year-round! Read this Dayton YMCA blog on canning for tips.
   
• Pick apples and visit pumpkin patches – you can pick your own apples for those baked good treats and select your pumpkin too. Here’s a list of local places from Dayton Parent Magazine to pick apples and pumpkins. You can even take a hayride or visit a corn maze in some of these locations. Save some of the apples you pick to bob for apples! 
   
• Get outdoors – Hike a nature trail, go for a family bike ride or have a picnic. There are so many amazing parks and trails to explore in our area, including Five Rivers Metro Parks, Centerville-Washington Park District, Springboro Parks, Kettering Parks, and Beavercreek Parks, just to name a few. 
   
• Get crafty – carve jack-o-lanterns, make a scarecrow to put on your porch or in the front yard, collect some leaves (after you jump in the pile!) for leaf rubbings, or make a homemade Halloween costume.

• Snuggle up – turn on the fireplace or use your outdoor firepit. Grab a blanket and enjoy the cooler weather while supporting a local high school football team. 

The fall is a great time to slow down before the busyness of the upcoming holidays. Take advantage of the beautiful weather outdoors or spend quality time with loved ones indoors.