The leaves are already starting to fall so it's time to think about the cheap fun your kids can have with them. You may have to think back to when you were a kid, but do you remember:
- Making a house outline with leaves? This takes a little bit of time and is best when there isn't much wind to blow the house away. Kids can drop leaves to outline the different rooms of a house and let their imagination run wild.
- Stuffing a scarecrow? It's not too early to start decorating for Halloween. A stuffed scarecrow is easy to make and will last a lot longer than a carved pumpkin.
- Going on nature hikes? It's fun to enjoy the fall weather and try to get leaves from as many different kinds of trees and plants as possible. Then you can play "Name that Leaf" and figure out the correct tree or plant of origin.
- Making a leaf rubbing? It's simple. Put a piece of white paper on top of a leaf and rub over it with a crayon. The shape of the leaf will appear on the paper and can be used to decorate the house long after the leaf is dried up and gone.
- Raking up a big pile and jumping in? The best part of raking a big pile of leaves is jumping in and doing it all over. This is simple fall fun at its best.
So the next time you're outside looking at all the leaves you'll have to clean up, don't get frustrated. Instead hand your kids a rake and remind of all the fun they can have with leaves.
Jennifer Applin is a freelance writer, wife and mother of four. She spends her days cooking, cleaning and caring for little ones, and her nights writing about parenting, pregnancy, and the quest for peace (as in peace and quiet—there is such a thing, right?).