10 family-friendly activities to kick off the fall season
From a corn maze to a 16th-century faire to toddler-friendly hiking.
Saying goodbye to summer is never easy, although knowing the magic of a New England autumn is just around the corner certainly helps. Wondering what to do with your kids as the leaves begin to change and fall settles in? From corn mazes to college football to harvest festivals, we’ve rounded up 10 family-friendly activities in the Boston area and beyond to help you celebrate the fall season.
Get lost in a corn maze
Nothing says family teamwork like trying to find your way out of the seven-acre maze at Connors Farm, a 112-year-old working, family-run farm in Danvers. Each year, the farm unveils a new maze theme, and parents will certainly recognize this year’s design from their own childhoods: Charlie Brown. General admission also includes plenty of other family-friendly activities, including hay rides, visits with barnyard animals, pumpkin bowling, a pipe slide, and more. (Connors Farm, 30 Valley Road, Danvers; open seven days a week from September 10 to October 31, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; general admission is $13.99 on weekends and holidays, $9.99 on weekdays)
Explore the Cape—without the crowds
As summer disappears, so do the crowds that can make the journey to Cape Cod a grueling event. And that’s good news, because fall is a spectacular time to visit the Cape and the Islands. The weather is still warm enough to spend the day outdoors, and there’s certainly no shortage of fall activities, whether it’s going for a bike ride along the Cape Cod Canal, exploring lighthouses, heading out on a cranberry bog tour, or going for a walk along mostly deserted seashores and dunes.
Light up a pumpkin on the pond
Get a head start on your Halloween celebrations at Pumpkin Fest over by the Boston Common’s Frog Pond. On October 23, families can bring a small, carved jack-o’-lantern (no larger than eight inches in diameter) to be lit, along with hundreds of others, and floated on the Frog Pond in an incredible illuminated display. After, your little ghosts and goblins can participate in a Halloween parade, enjoy music and stories, and join in on other spooky fun. (Boston Common Frog Pond; October 23 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; free)
The 2013 King Richard’s Faire.
Escape reality at King Richard’s Faire
Revel in the atmosphere of 16th-century England at King Richard’s Faire, New England’s oldest and largest Renaissance festival. From fire-breathers to knights battling on the jousting field, the day is full of interactive entertainment, games, and other activities for kids—and adults—of all ages. Because some of the humor can be adult-orientated at times, parents may be interested in the October 15 Fairies and Pirates Parade, when children will learn all about King Richard’s Pirate code and the fine art of blowing fairy dust. Two lucky kids will then be selected as the Faire’s official 2016 Pirate and Fairy. (King Richard’s Faire, 235 Main Street [Rt. 58], Carver; weekends and Monday holidays from September 3 through October, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; adults are $31, children 4 to 11 are $16, kids under 4 are free)
Cheer for fall football at Gillette Stadium
Watch the football stars of tomorrow as the UMass Minutemen battle their collegiate rivals under the storied lights of Gillette Stadium. This is a great opportunity for families wishing to experience the thrill and excitement of football at Gillette without the price tag—and rowdy crowds—of an NFL game. Remaining games include September 24 vs. Mississippi State and October 15 vs. Louisiana Tech. (Gillette Stadium, 1 Patriot Pl., Foxborough; times and ticket prices vary)
Pick your own
You probably make the annual fall pilgrimage to go apple and pumpkin picking. But several area pick-your-own farms offer so much more. Crops vary as the season progresses, but you can find Asian pears at Belkin’s Lookout Farm in Natick, cherry tomatoes at Ward’s Berry Farm, and raspberries at Nourse Farm. (Normally peaches and nectarines are options this time of year, as well, but the record cold back in February damaged the crop). When you get home, take out the cookbooks and ask your kids to pick out some new recipes to make with your bounty.
Join Oktoberfest and the HONK! Parade
Head down to Harvard Square on October 9 for this one-of-a-kind annual festival—now in its 38th year—featuring multiple stages of live performances, food from all over the world, arts and crafts activities, sidewalk vendors, and beer gardens for the grown-ups. But the highlight may be the legendary HONK! Parade: a raucous gathering of street bands that marches from Davis Square to Harvard Square (arriving around 1 p.m.), and that includes drums, brass bands, flag twirlers, gigantic puppets, and much more. Be prepared to dance in the streets or even join in the back of the parade and get in on the action. (Harvard Square; October 9 from noon to 6 p.m; free)
Harvard Square’s 34th Annual Oktoberfest and the 7th Annual Honk! Parade on Sunday, October 7, 2012.
Hit the trails with your toddler
Hiking with your little ones can sometimes be a challenge, but the Friends of the Blue Hills have found a way to make it fun. Peek a Blue Hills, a biweekly hiking series just for families with toddlers, meets at 11 a.m. at Houghton’s Pond for an easy yet scenic hike—it even includes juice, water, and healthy snacks. Along the way, gather pine cones, investigate rocks, collect colorful leaves, and maybe make a new friend or two. Everyone who attends is invited to bring a lunch and stay for a post-hike picnic at Houghton’s Pond. Stroller-friendly hikes are available upon request. (Peek a Blue Hikes; 840 Hillside St, Milton; upcoming fall dates are September 27, October 11, and October 25; 11 a.m. meet-up at Houghton’s Pond’s main parking lot; free)
Join the Arnold Arboretum’s Explorer Club
The crisp fall weather is the perfect time to go on an adventure in the peaceful, 281-acre Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. Stop by the Hunnewell Visitor Center and ask to borrow either a Living Museum or Science Lab backpack. Some activities include Tree Bingo, Beetle Busting, and Tic-Tac-Tree, a game to help children identify plants and tools being used at the Arboretum. Packs are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and a time limit may be imposed during busy times. (Hunnewell Visitor Center, Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston; open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; last backpack checkout is 2 p.m., and packs must be returned by 4 p.m.; free)
Collect candy at the zoo
Why trick-or-treat around the local neighborhood when you can trick-or-treat among the lions, zebras, and giraffes? At Stone Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo and Franklin Park Zoo’s Zoo Howl events, kids will also learn more about animal enrichment and how zoo staff encourage animals to interact with their environment—including some special pumpkin treats. Other spooky happenings at both zoo events include crafts and games, a haunted maze, and costume contests at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. (Stone Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham; October 22 and 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Rd., Boston; October 29 and 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; general admissions rates apply for both events)
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