Have you enjoyed the hint of cool weather recently? A nice treat of what’s to come, hopefully sooner rather than later. Because after all, it really is fall on the calendar and in the ‘Boro.
Take part in seasonal activities with the family to celebrate the month of October. Purchase a pumpkin or two for the front porch. Look for farmers’ fields to change, watch for reds and yellows and oranges to peek out in hardwoods and admire scarecrow decorations. Ignore the thermometer when it climbs higher than it should and make quality, fall memories with the ones you love.
Celebrate with the odd but real holidays below or create unique family ones of your own.
Apple Month – Have fun creating a pumpkin paint craft with the family. After an adult cuts an apple in half, use a paper towel to dry the cut side of the apple. Then dip the apple, cut side down into a shallow container of orange washable paint. Make prints onto construction paper to resemble pumpkin shapes. Use fingertips dipped in green paint to embellish the pumpkins with stems, vines, and leaves. Turn each page into a fun pumpkin patch!
National Knock Knock Joke Day – Check out a book of Knock Knock jokes from the library, pick up one from the bookstore, or order one online. Take turns reading jokes aloud and enjoy the laughter. Try your hand at making up some of your own jokes, too. Don’t worry if they’re silly! In fact, the sillier the better!
National Plush Animal Lovers Day – Collect stuffies and plushies from the kids’ rooms, toy room, or attic. Use the stuffed animals to create a play or re-enact a favorite movie. Watch a favorite movie with the accompaniment of your stuffed friends, too. Then on another day this month, take the family on an outing to purchase a couple of new plush animals to donate to an organization that collects stuffies.
Howl at the Moon Day – If you live in a neighborhood, I don’t suggest celebrating this one in a traditional way. Instead, check out the moon throughout the month and watch for different phases and shapes of the moon. Maybe take a moonlit walk around the yard when the moon is especially bright. Stargaze with just the light of the moon shining. Or go for a late-night drive in pajamas. Then be sure to incorporate these books into family reading time throughout the month, too. Read: The Moon and Me by Nielle P. Marques, Moon! Earth’s Best Friend by Stacy McAnulty, I Took the Moon for a Walk by Carolyn Curtis, Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book by Britta Teckentrup, The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons, Max and the Tag-Along Moon by Floyd Cooper, The Moon Sees You & Me by Caleb Buroughs, Papa Please Get the Moon For Me by Eric Carle and Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.
Bandana Day – Find an afternoon to shop for bandanas – one for each member of the family. Let each person choose their own bandana or draw names and purchase bandanas for another family member. Then decide on a day to wear them on an adventure together, like an outside hike, an afternoon at the park or movie night with pizza and snacks.
Make cool memories with the family and enjoy the fickle days of fall in the Boro. Stay cool on the really warm days and warm up on the few-and-far-between brisk ones this month. Get outside often and enjoy the beauty of the season. Happy Fall, y’all!
Statesboro native Julie Lavender is the author of books for children and adults and enjoys looking for signs of autumn with her husband, kids, and grandkids.