Published on September 10th, 2015 Updated on January 10th, 2023 By Linda McGurk
The fall equinox, or autumnal equinox, is an astrological event that occurs every September and means that the northern and southern hemispheres are equally illuminated when the sun is in zenith over the equator. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the days and nights are equally long (this depends on where you live), but in the northern hemisphere it’s obvious that the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting cooler. In North America the equinox, which falls on September 22 or 23, marks the official start of fall. Here are a few ideas for how to celebrate the fall equinox outdoors as a family.
Have a campfire
Where we live fall temperatures are perfect for camping and sitting around the fire. Plus, the campgrounds tend to be less busy after Labor Day. Cooking over a fire is fun even if you choose not to camp overnight, just bring some hot dogs and make bread on a stick – my kids’ favorite along with grilling marshmallows. This complete guide to campfires will help you get started.
Visit a corn maze
Nothing says fall like a corn maze and there are plenty to choose from across the U.S. You can search for corn mazes in your area at MazePlay or Corn Mazes America. Many of the places that have corn mazes also have a pumpkin patch and other fun fall activities.
Go on a nature walk
Fall is my favorite season for nature walks and hikes, not just because the temperatures are cooler but also because there are so many fascinating changes taking place in nature. One way to keep it fun for the kids is to look for signs of fall while you’re walking. Fall is a great time to look at leaves and identify different types of trees – we use this handy field guide
Make a fall craft
I’m not a natural when it comes to crafts, but these fall-themed ones are all easy to make and are based on natural materials:
Make a nature collage or a simple leaf crown using colorful fall leaves and other found nature items.
Use leaves to create these cute lanterns!
Try stamping with acorn caps or gourds.
Read books about fall
We love reading outside, weather permitting! Grab a blanket and check out these fall-themed books for children:
Check out these posts from some of my fellow bloggers for more inspiration for the autumnal equinox:
11 Ways to Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox from Rhythms of Play
7 Ways to Restore Balance for the Autumnal Equinox from Om Livin
Ways to Celebrate the Fall Autumnal Equinox from HEN Family
Are you planning to celebrate the fall equinox? If so, tell me how in the comments!
I love the leaf crown idea!
Thank you, Sarah! My kids loved them too:o)
We’ve just bought some beautiful fall books for our little ones bookshelf too. I’ve not heard of these titles before, they look really good!!! What a great list, I wish we had corn mazes near where I live. But we’ll definitely be doing the rest. I love autumn! x #countrykids
We just did some reading outdoors in our hammock yesterday and it was lovely! The temperatures here are just perfect for outdoor play and adventures right now. Thanks for reading!
I love the look of the leaf lanterns and campfires and crowns are popular activities here. A lovely list of autumn outdoor activities, thank you for sharing with me on Country Kids.
I think campfires are my personal favorite:o) Thanks for stopping by!
Nice to know we all love the same things about Autumn (Fall) whichever side of the pond we are from! #CountryKids
Absolutely:o) And since I’m from the other side originally (Sweden) I’ve brought some of my traditions here as well:o)
I like the nature collage idea! Simple but very fun. Not sure I’ll find a place where I’m allowed to light a bonfire where I live and unfortunately no corn mazes which sound amazing. I’m always sad to see summer end but I do enjoy the colours of autumn so will be doing lots of nature walks. #countrykids
Yes, the nature collage can be done almost anywhere! Corn mazes were new to me too when I moved to Indiana, but they are a ton of fun:o)