Fall is my absolute favorite season and I’m so excited that it is just around the corner. In the Carolinas, Fall is simply magical. The leaves turn shades of gold, copper, and red, the air is crisp, and the humidity finally lets up.

Even better, Fall is the perfect time for outdoor adventures. It’s still warm and the summer crowds have thinned. It is the perfect time to explore the outdoors with your friends and family. From backyard activities to guided programs, these 10 ideas are designed to spark curiosity and connection. I’ve included some links not only to MyOutdoorJoy but also some you can do on your own or at parks.

Leaf Art Exploration

A simple walk in the woods or local park can become an art adventure. Find leaves of all colors, shapes and sizes and then create art together. Press leaves into journals, make leaf rubbings or create colorful mandalas. This hands-on family activity is a great way to learn different plants and practice plant identification all while making memories and keepsakes. Many North Carolina State Parks offer leaf rubbing programs to celebrate the start of Fall.

Stargazing

Autumn is an excellent time for stargazing since it has some of the clearest night skies of the year. If you live far enough away from a city you can do this activity right in your backyard. However, if you live near or in a city you might need to get away from the city nights to truly enjoy the night sky. Just think, you now have a reason to go camping!

If your headed out to stargaze, pack your blankets, binoculars, a hot beverage of your choice, and a comfy chair. Then spend the evening finding constellations such as Andromeda, Pegasus, and Cassiopeia. Don’t know your constellations? Don’t worry there’s an app for that. Check out SkyView Lite. It is one of my favorites. You simply hold up your phone and it shows you the constellation. Here’s an example of what it looks like.

Pro Tip: It’s fun to learn the mythology of these constellations too. The three constellations I named above have a story involving a sea monster, a damsel in distress, and a mother’s betrayal.

Go On a Mushroom Hunt

Often overlooked, mushrooms and other fungi are essential to ecosystems’ health. After the Fall rains, mushrooms pop up everywhere! A guided walk is the best way to learn about these organisms. You can learn about their role in the ecosystem, learn how to identify them, learn the ones that are safe, and the ones that are harmful to humans while seeing the variety available in nature. There are so many shapes and colors in these little noticed organisms.

Be aware that many parks prohibit fungi harvesting. This activity is best done as a look but don’t touch activity.

Bird Migration Watch

Fall is an exciting time for bird watchers. Raptors, waterfowl and songbirds are on the move. Check out this month’s blog for more information or visit Caesars Head State Park in South Carolina to participate in Hawk Watch at the end of September. Learn how the geography of South Carolina helps migrating raptors reach their destination.

Nature Sound Walk

Take a quiet walk into the woods and take a moment to listen to Fall’s sounds. The wind whistling through the trees, geese honking overhead, the sound of leaves crunching under your feet, and so much more. Take a moment to enjoy the silence. Then for 5 minutes listen to everything around you. Map in your head where each sound came from and then take a few minutes to reflect on what you heard. You can journal about your experience or create a sound map. This will help encourage mindfulness and observation skills. If you are doing this with children, I would suggest lowering the time to 3 minutes or less.

Autumn Scavenger Hunt

Create a scavenger hunt using seasonal items for your friends and kids to find. Items such as acorns and pine cones are easy to include but to make it a bit more difficult add items such as:

• A spiderweb covered in morning dew or just have them find a spiderweb (don’t hurt the spider!)
• An animal track
• Leaves in all the fall colors
• A flower that is still blooming

This list can be whatever you want it to be and it can be as easy or hard as you can imagine. Have your kids create one for you or for their siblings. You can even turn it into a competition if you want by seeing who can find the most. Or if you prefer, turn it into a family activity where everyone contributes to the finding something on the list. For such a simple activity, there are so many ways of having fun with it.

Campfire Storytelling Night

Gather around a firepit in your backyard and spend a night telling ghost stories and legends. Reward yourself and your kids with a fun night of camping, stories, hot drinks, and s’mores without a lot of effort. Can’t do this at home? Many state parks offer fall campfire programs with rangers sharing tales from the region.

Don’t know any ghost stories? Don’t worry. You can join a ranger program or if you want to do your own there are a ton of books, videos, etc. out there with stories you can read or memorize. I like to make them up and see who I can keep awake that night.

Autumn Photography

Challenge yourself and your family to capture the beauty of Fall with a camera or smartphone. Look for textures, patterns or contrasts such as veins in a leaf, moss on rocks or reflections on water. Visit the Blue Ridge Parkway and/or the Great Smoky Mountains for stunning fall scenery and excellent photo opportunities. Or if that is too far away, walk outside and see what’s in your backyard.

Nighttime Insect Safari

Discover the hidden nocturnal world by setting out a white sheet and shine a light on it. This will attract moths and beetles to the sheet. See who shows up and observe their behavior. You can also use a field guide to identify the various moths. You will help your kids learn observatonal skills, identification skills and see how cool these forgotten nighttime creatures are.

Leaf Viewing Roller Coaster Ride, Anyone?

Believe it or not you can take a roller coaster ride through the mountains of North Carolina to view the leaves as they are changing color. These alpine coasters are built into the terrain offering a more intimate view of the trees and landscape. There are two located in North Carolina that I am aware of–the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster and the Blue Ridge Mountain Coaster. I’ve not done either of these but if you decide to try them let me know what you think!

Fall is the Season of Discovery and Change

The CArolinas in Fall offer endless ways for families to connect with nature. Guided programs offer expert insights and learning opportunities while backyard and lcoal park activities allow for flexible, spontaneous adventures. Grab your boots, a thermos of cider and your sense of wonder and head outside for some fun.