I wanted to welcome you to our Interactive Fall Gift Guide which will be full of activities, recipes and events to do from now until the end of Fall. I wanted to remind you Fall doesn’t have to mean spending a bunch of money on decorations.

Sometimes the best fall decorations are the ones you find right outside your own front door. Or ones your friends and family may be getting rid of. Or ones in Free Groups you can join in on Facebook.

For my family one of out favorite things about Fall is getting outside and taking a walk around the neighborhood. You never know what you’re going to see when you slow down and actually pay attention.

So this year, instead of simply telling your children to go outside and play, why not turn your neighborhood walk into a Fall Scavenger Hunt? Grab the kids. Grab the dogs. Ask your friends and family to join you.

Grab a basket, bucket, bag, or whatever you have handy. And head outside. Turn Your Fall Walk Into an Adventure. The idea is simple and this activity can be both a #Homeschool Lesson and a #teachingmoment.

While taking the walk, you’re also looking for things you can use to bring a little bit of Fall home with you. Look for colorful leaves and acorns. Look for pinecones and interesting rocks.

Look for flowers that are still blooming. Look for fallen branches, seed pods, interesting textures, and anything else that makes you stop and say, “Hey, look at that!” Remember sharing is caring when finding things to use in your home.

And here’s the thing: you don’t have to buy anything. Nature has already been decorating for us. You just have to slow down long enough to notice. You could even make this a family competition.

Have one person looking for the prettiest leaf. Have another person looking for the most unusual rock. Have someone else watching for birds, butterflies, bees, or other little creatures.

And don’t forget the dogs! Our pets need some fresh air and adventure, too. Just make sure everyone stays safe and that your pets are comfortable walking with the family and your friends.

You can use things you find along the way to decorate your front porch, make a fall centerpiece, create a nature craft, or simply put your treasures in a basket and enjoy looking at them.

Some things you find won’t be something you should pick up. A butterfly is something you see. A bird is something you watch. A flower growing in someone’s yard is something you admire.

A bird’s nest is something you leave right where it is. That’s part of the fun, too. Not everything has to come home with you to count. Take a picture instead and turn that picture into a Fall decoration!

Don’t rush through your walk. Give your family at least 30 minutes for the walk. That gives everyone time to actually look around instead of racing through the neighborhood trying to check everything off a list.

Younger children can look for colors, shapes, leaves, rocks, and things that sparkle. Older children can look for specific items, take photographs, help younger siblings, or keep track of everyone’s discoveries.

You might be surprised at what your children notice when you give them permission to slow down and look. And parents? Put the phone down for a little while if you can. Walk. Talk. Look around. Let the kids show you what they found.

Sometimes those simple moments become the memories everybody remembers later. Before you leave, grab something to carry your safe-to-collect discoveries. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

A small basket works or a paper bag works. A reusable shopping bag works or a bucket works. Even an old container will do. Just remember that not everything belongs in the collection bag.

Leaves, acorns, pinecones, small fallen twigs, and interesting rocks can be fun things to collect when it is appropriate to do so. Flowers, living plants, nests, insects, and anything belonging to someone else’s property should be left where you found them.

Because this is part of our Interactive Fall Guide, we’re turning this little adventure into a challenge. When you complete the Fall Scavenger Hunt, you earn 1 ticket for your ticket jar. And there’s a bonus!

If you also complete today’s 10-Minute Reading Challenge, you earn 1 bonus ticket. That’s 2 tickets in one day if you complete both challenges! Save those tickets. At the end of the challenge, children can turn their tickets in for a special gift or reward from their parents.

GreatfulMoments.com isn’t furnishing the prizes. Mom and Dad get to decide what the reward will be. It could be a special treat, choosing the family movie, a small gift, extra game time, a special outing, or whatever works for your family.

The important part is that the children have something to work toward while they’re spending time outside, reading, exploring, and making memories. Come and join us this week and lets get outside Fall is waiting.

Your Fall Scavenger Hunt

Ready to go: Print the scavenger hunt below, grab something to carry your discoveries in, and head outside for at least 30 minutes.

See if you can find:

☐ A colorful fall leaf

☐ An acorn

☐ A pinecone

☐ A flower that is still blooming

☐ A rock with an unusual shape, color, or pattern

☐ A seed pod or something that carries seeds

☐ A fallen twig, small branch, or interesting piece of bark

☐ A bird or bird nest

☐ A butterfly, bee, or other small creature

☐ Something else interesting that nobody else in your family noticed

A Few Scavenger Hunt Tips

Bring the whole family. This activity is for children of all ages, so let everyone participate in a way that works for them.

Bring the pets. If your dog enjoys walks, let them come along for the adventure.

Bring something to gather your findings. A basket, bucket, paper bag, or reusable bag will work.

Give everyone a job. Have one person look for leaves. Have another person look for rocks. Have another person watch for birds and wildlife.

Take pictures. If you find something beautiful but shouldn’t pick it up, take a picture instead.

Don’t rush. The goal is to spend at least 30 minutes outside, not to finish the list in five minutes.

Leave nature where it belongs. Don’t disturb wildlife, nests, living plants, or flowers growing on someone else’s property.

And most importantly… Have fun.

When you get home, spread out your safe-to-collect treasures and see who found the most interesting thing. Then don’t forget to collect your ticket and add it to your ticket jar! Then grab something and read for 10 minutes.

Today’s Ticket Challenge

🍂 Fall Scavenger Hunt completed: 1 ticket

📖 10-Minute Reading Challenge completed: 1 bonus tickets

🎟️ Possible tickets earned today: 2

Keep those tickets somewhere safe because we’re just getting started! What did you find on your walk today? And here’s a question for the family: What was the most unique thing you found, and what could you use it for in your fall decorations?

Take a picture, tell us about it, and most importantly, enjoy the time together. Sometimes the best things in life really are right outside our front door.

GreatfulMoments.com

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates