Fall Activities for Tired Moms

(For memory makers not Pinterest creators)

Total reading time about 5 minutes

This image was literally for a work photoshoot so do NOT assume I look this put together with a cute mug every day.

As a mother who knows what it is like to work and care for a child full-time (I have worn many hats), I have yet to have a year come by where I’ve had the energy to DIY anything for the holidays. Oh yes, the holiday season is coming! The temperatures have dropped in the Pacific Northwest corner of the United States this week, and I spent a good $40 on sweaters that wrap me up like a blanket.

Even if it wasn’t a chilly September morning, I see a similar trend happen at the end of the school year, where Pinterest-worthy ideas start to clutter our social media feeds and remind us, parents, that we can make a season to remember with a checklist of crafts and trips. Often, we forget to be kind to ourselves and end up finishing a season with unnecessary regret.

If you are the person who thrives in this activity-filled environment, I encourage you to keep at it. Seriously! Without you, we would lack the creativity and wonder this world needs. I have friends who are brilliant at planning activities and crafts for their children or even decorating the home for themselves. It brings them comfort and creative release. I truly love it! I’m just not there yet…or maybe I never will be there. In the meantime, I’ve created a list of seasonal things you can do this fall that might seem easier for you.

Fall Activities for Tired Moms

1. Buy mini pumpkins (real or at the dollar store) and paint them. Color on them. Or enjoy them as they are and have your kid find places they can go in the house. (Full disclosure: last year, I drew on a pumpkin and had my 18 month daughter paint it. This year, my two-year-old picked an already painted pumpkin from the store and tried to eat it before we agreed to display it in the living room.)

2. Create a fall sensory bin by grabbing a rectangular leftover container and having your child find natural things outside. What appeals to them? Rocks, colored leaves, sticks, dirt? They’re all winners in a kid’s eyes. Older kids might want to turn this activity into a scavenger hunt. Write them a list of items to search for and see how quickly they can gather them. Make them compete with their dad.

3. Bake something pumpkin. Have you guys seen box mixes? Stop looking for the perfect pumpkin recipe and grab something premade. They even carry gluten-free ones if you need them. Focus on baking together or even enjoying the treats in a special way, like packing them to eat at a park.
   
   »If you are someone who finds they have the time and desire to try a new recipe, you should be following

   Amy Palanjian
   for all her recipes. She has the best outlook on feeding your family without going crazy.«
   

4. Take fall photos of your family by giving your kid a disposable camera (or your phone) and letting them decide how to pose. Let this be about you letting go of control and letting them have some creative freedom.
   
   Take this a step further by printing the photos and buying a cheap album for them to put in themselves, or print them with Shutterfly (they always have the best sales) or Chatbooks (their monthly mini books are toddler-friendly.)
   

5. Paint your toenails fall colors. You can also buy water-based nail polish for kids that peels off easily. This is a great activity for those nights indoors when you just want to sit down so put a towel under your feet and let them go crazy with it.

6. Watch a not-scary movie night. We’ve started doing Friday Family nights at our house, where we make microwave popcorn and eat whatever frozen food we have on stock for dinner (usually dinosaur chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries). Adding the popcorn is the only thing we do differently, and our toddler gets hyped. (Guess what? If they don’t like the movie and request to watch Frozen for the thousandth time, it’s not a big deal. Still counts.)

7. Skip the expensive pumpkin patch day. We’ve had some good memories going to pumpkin patches with family, but I can also tell you that these trips exhausted my sensory-overloaded self. (Where do I change a diaper? Are we dressed warm enough?) Unless this is truly your kind of trip, you can also go to a new park you’ve never been to and take a mini pumpkin with you. Take funny photos of the pumpkin going down a playground slide or do this with a stuffed animal.

8. Take a scenic drive. Again, hay rides are not fun for me as someone with some sensory-overload issues! I don’t like being jostled and poked by pieces of hay that will stick into me long after the ride is done. Everybody can instead grab a special snack and drive through some wooded areas once the leaves change. If the kids fall asleep, enjoy the ride. No screens are allowed on this trip, including for you. I suggest bringing a book so you can pull over and read if they nap.

9. Gratitude is free, so ask your family what they are thankful for over a meal or on a car ride. Stick a post-it note to your car radio that says “thankful” as a reminder. We have a banner I bought in the dollar bin at Target one year that I hang up in this season.

10. Visit a local coffee shop. If you’re tired (who isn’t, right?), find a local coffee shop and pack the coloring books. If you have a baby, I often end up in a coffee drive-through and park my car to enjoy it while they nap. Older kids might want to get a muffin. The point of going is to get out of your typical space and treat yourself to something. If you need a nice drink to try, I like a 12 oz hot almond milk latte with ground cinnamon and a sprinkle of real brown sugar (not the syrup), or try honey.

I hope you enjoyed this break in your day and remember to give yourself a break every day, especially as a parent. This has been an ongoing lesson I have to learn myself. What would you add to this list?