Fall Family Frolics

It's autumn! Fall for a family frolic outdoors before cold weather tempts you to stay inside. Crisp cooler days are great for donning a sweater, and then increasing your heart rate to encourage you to slip off that sweater again.

Here are ten ideas for a fall family frolic:

Sign up for a 5K run or walk with your family. Or create your own family tradition by using a phone app to map out a course in your community. As a family, start practicing along that route. Time yourselves at each practice to see if you improve. Check out this Family Fun on the Run Newsletter to learn more about running with your children.
Take a walk through a local college campus with young children. Point out each building and talk about the subjects that students learn while attending classes in that building. This is a good chance to talk about careers that one might do using the subjects learned.
Volunteer with your family to clean gutters, rake leaves, or wash windows for a neighbor. These outdoor activities are a good way to exercise. Better yet, organize several families to assist all the elderly on your block and then celebrate with a late season picnic or potluck for a block party. It might even lead to a tag football game!
Go hiking on a favorite trail or at a nearby park. You might even plan a long weekend trip to a nearby national or state park and pitch a tent to camp overnight. Remember to bring healthy foods to cook on the campfire. Check out this Campfire Apple Pie recipe.
Go canoeing or kayaking at a nearby pond. This encourages balance and arm strength, as well as some fun exploring nature. If you don't own a kayak, look into options for local rentals or ask to borrow one.
Learn about geocaching and find the closest caches. It's a way to get outside and move while treasure hunting. Remember to take small items that you can put in the geocache as a replacement for the treasure you take.
"Cruise" around the neighborhood by pulling toddlers in a wagon. Or use a cart behind your bike. You can encourage their creativity by suggesting they decorate their "car" with pictures. They could draw headlights, taillights, a racecar number, etc.
Fly a kite in an open park or field. Check out this newsletter on Kite Flying Fun.
Attend your local museum's living history day celebration. Most museums have an old school room and other historical activities that children can enjoy while learning a bit of history.
Celebrate fall with a trip to a farm. It's fun to pick apples or a special pumpkin from a pumpkin patch. Being out in the fresh air is good for the body and relaxing.

Super Spaghetti Squash Bites

Download Handout

Yield: About 20 Bites

Ingredients:

1 small spaghetti squash, scrubbed with a clean vegetable brush under running water
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs*
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Wash hands with soap and water. Preheat oven to 400 ºF.
Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down.
Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until tender.**
The squash is done when a fork easily pierces the skin and goes into the flesh. Let cool and scoop out the flesh.
Break egg into a medium-sized bowl. Wash hands with soap and water after cracking raw egg. Add 1½ cups of the cooked squash, bread crumbs, and cheese. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Line a baking dish or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1 tablespoon squash batter to form bite-size nuggets. Place squash nuggets on prepared dish. Wash hands with soap and water.
Bake 15-20 minutes until bottoms are golden brown. Flip and bake another 3 minutes until golden.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Notes:

*Regular bread crumbs, or crushed cracker crumbs can be used instead of panko bread crumbs.

**For a quicker option, you can cook the squash in a microwave. Place it cut side down in a microwave-safe dish with ½ cup of water. Cover with a lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap and cook on high for 8-12 minutes, or until tender.

Nutrition Information: