Fall Ideas and Activities for all Five Senses

The first signs of fall bring new activities, cooler temperatures, and cozy feelings. Fall is about all of the senses! Join me as we take a look at fall ideas and activities for all five senses.

The fall season has to be one of my favorite times of the year! After the heat of the summer, the cooler temperatures are one of my favorite parts of fall.

There is so much more to fall than just cooler temperatures though! When you think about it, it looks different, smells different, the food tastes different, and there are many different activities to enjoy in the fall. It is the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the warmth of the sun as well as cool breezes. This year, let’s do just that and have an awesome autumn!

Here are some highlights for fall, categorized by the senses.

Fall colors – Although I am not a huge fan of the color orange, I love fall colors – even when orange is included! You would only have to walk into my house to see that I love burgundy and olive green as well. These are great year round, but they are great fall colors as well.  

What about you? What are your favorite fall colors? 

Outdoor Colors

Colorful leaves – If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with lots of trees, you get to witness God’s handiwork about this time. Whether you are driving down the highway or taking a nature walk, I encourage you to purposely pay attention to the beautiful colorful leaves.

Mums – Mums are one of the first things to appear at almost any grocery store when fall starts approaching. They are definitely great signs of fall. These flowers are an easy and inexpensive way to decorate a porch or patio for fall. Just keep them watered, and they will last several months.

Pumpkins – Growing up, I only knew about regular orange pumpkins. I like those just fine, but oh my, what varieties we have to choose from now! I love the different shaped pumpkins and the ones that are different colors – green, white, and pale orange. They are beautiful! 

Indoor Color

Table settings – There are so many options where table settings are concerned. The first things to think about are which colors you want to use. There are your traditional fall colors, or you can use non-traditional fall colors.

A few years ago I fell in love with a set of fall dishes that were blue, green, and orange. They were a great match to my green dining room set, and they were pretty inexpensive. I love these non-traditional colors.

Here are a few sites with gorgeous ideas for fall table settings:

Easy Fall Tablescape Ideas from CoCo at The Crowned Goat
How to Create a Stunning Fall Tablescape from Wendy at WM Design House

A friend of mine, Cathy, saw an arrangement made with a pool noodle, and she made this one. It turned out beautiful! It looks like something you would buy at a fancy boutique.

What about you, are you decorating for fall? If so, what colors are you using?

Playground swings – This may not sound like a fall sound to anyone else, but the sound of a playground swing that needs a little WD-40 on it screams fall to me!

Isn’t it funny how sounds and smells evoke certain memories? I can remember being really young, lying in my bed with the windows open, and trying to take my afternoon nap. When the weather became cooler, my mom would open the windows during the day. Since the elementary school was practically in our backyard, I could hear just about every move the playground swings made. I love that sound!

Crunchy leaves – Think back to when we were young kids. Do you remember jumping in a pile of leaves? Do you remember the crackling crunch of the leaves? What fun that was. You might provide that fun memory for a kid or grandkid this year. 

Rain – Obviously, rain is an all year thing, but rain on a fall morning is the best! To sit on a porch and just listen to the sound of the rain makes for a perfect time.

Music – Fall music has a sense of calmness to it. Have you ever thought about certain songs being “fallish?” Here are some favorites – click the links to listen:

• “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones or almost any of her songs
• “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire
• “Autumn in New York” by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
• “California Dreamin'” by The Mamas & Papas

What are your favorite fall songs? What other sounds make you think of fall?

The fall season definitely has a distinct taste to it. I realize not everyone likes pumpkin – I’m actually married to one of those people. 😊 There are many other tastes of fall though. You can almost make anything taste more like fall by adding a dash of brown sugar, cinnamon, or maple syrup. 

Think about all of the harvest foods coming out of a cornucopia or the traditional Thanksgiving meal. When you think of turkey and dressing, you automatically think of fall.

Here are a few other fall treats with a couple links to the recipes:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Apple Cider
• Pumpkin Pie
• Pineapple Chess Pie
• Pumpkin Delight Cobbler Recipe 
• S’mores by the fire pit or at a bonfire – They now have Tabletop S’mores Makers (affiliate link included here.)
• Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• Caramel Apples
• Popcorn – This popcorn maker is our favorite way to make popcorn now. We control what goes into it (butter and salt), and it is so fresh!

If you have never had popcorn this way, I encourage you to try it!

Sensory play is not just for kids! I would say that we all love the way different fabrics or other items feel to us. I feel like the sense of touch brings about the coziness of fall. Here are a few items to help get those cozy feelings. (Affiliate links to the items are included for your convenience.)

• Throw Pillows or Pillow Covers
• Plush Cozy Blankets
• Comfy Pajamas
• Warm House Shoes
• Outdoor Cool Breezes
• Sitting by a Fire Pit (Read the post here about the blessings in the mess of the fire pit.)

What is your favorite way to feel comfy?

Get ready to take a deep breath! Fall scents are amazing!!

There are many different scents that make me think about fall – Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Apple. There are so many more.

What are your favorite fall scents?

There are also so many ways to create those scents around your home:

• Candles
• Candle Warmers (This is a much safer option than burning candles.)
• Wax warmers
• Wax melts
• Things baking in the oven (cookies, fresh baked bread, pies, cakes, etc.)

• Simmer pots – You can make a simmer pot with almost any fruit, spices, and/or essential oils you have in the house. I love using cranberries, oranges, vanilla, and cinnamon. Use what you have and experiment to see what you like best. Here are other ideas:
  • Apples or a splash of apple cider
  • Lemons
  • Limes
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Lavender
  • Mint
  • Cloves

The options are almost endless when it comes to simmer pots.

It seems like there are so many opportunities and things to do in the fall. Getting families actively doing things together is a great way to connect and make memories. Young children will remember the family time spent together.  

Ideas for fall fun – Some of our favorite things:

Outdoor Activities

• Visit a pumpkin patch. 
• Purchase a small pumpkin for each child or grandchild to paint. This is a creative way for the kids to get involved with the decorating.
• Carve a pumpkin together. Season and bake the pumpkin seeds for delicious fall treats. Baked pumpkin seeds are not only delicious, but they are nutritious as well.
• Go on a nature walk. This is a great way to explore nature, see the fall colors, and get some exercise.
• If there is an apple orchard in your area, go apple picking.
• Visit a local farmers’ market and get fresh produce.
• Have an outdoor fall party and set up a booth for bobbing for apples. (This is always fun!)
• Add hay bales onto a trailer and have a hayride. Add some cozy blankets to the hay bales to make the ride a little more comfortable.
• Many elementary schools and churches have fall carnivals to attend.
• Go to your state fair. I am not sure about all states, but Texas has their state fair in the fall.

• Football games and tailgating parties are fun memory makers, especially if you have children involved in the games.

Indoor Activities

• Bake an apple or pumpkin pie and take it to a new neighbor.
• Experiment with recipes using harvest foods.

• Have a Themed Movie Night – Movies with a fall sense
  • You’ve Got Mail (My ultimate favorite!)
  • When Harry Met Sally
  • Dead Poets’ Society
  • Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
  • Good Will Hunting
  • The Green Mile
  • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (As a child, I never knew how much this show put an emphasis on the Lord.)
  • The Village
  • Sweet Home Alabama
  • Love Story (My favorite from childhood!)
  • Baby Boom
  • Legends of the Fall 
  • All teacher/school movies have a fall sense to them.

Below are a couple of movies that I have not seen. I know, it is shocking that I have never seen the last one!

• Halloweentown – Suggested by Rebecca at Headed for a Homestead
• The Goonies – I have heard so many people talk about it and make references to it, so I guess I need to watch it.

What movies make you think of fall?  What are your favorite fall activities?

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I love the fact that fall fully encompasses all of our senses! Our sense of sight is opened to all the vibrant fall colors. We hear fall in nature and in songs. Our sense of taste is awakened with all of the distinct flavors of fall. Cooler weather and cozy blankets satisfy our sense of touch, and the smell of the fall season is everywhere! 

A pumpkin spice latte may be all we hear about at the beginning of the fall season, but fall is definitely more than that! Go enjoy the great outdoors and make some memories before the crisp air starts to announce the coming winter.

I hope these fall ideas and activities for all five senses have encouraged you to take advantage of this perfect time of year. The signs of fall are upon us now. Go enjoy your favorite parts of fall.

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Have an awesome autumn!

Until next week…

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“Let the whole earth shout to the Lord; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.” Psalms 98:4