School is underway, the extreme temperatures are dropping a tad, and my house is halfway clean (the upstairs is complete). My reward when I finish cleaning will be to burn my pumpkin spice candle. Oh, what motivation! I love, love, LOVE autumn. The cooler temperatures, football season (Go Gators!), and outdoor fun with my family.

After the evening dinner together, my family enjoys spending time outdoors. If you stopped by, you might find us:

Hitting Baseballs

My son, older daughter, and husband enjoy hitting, missing, and/or slamming the baseballs into our neighbor’s yard. Though the balls are plastic, they sail through the air.

This automatic pitching machine was a great investment. My son has really improved in his performance, and my kids stay active chasing down the baseballs to start again.

Digging in the Sandbox

For dessert, my youngest daughter enjoys a mouthful of blue sand. 🙂 She loves to dig, scoop, pour, and eat. Keeping it out of her mouth is a battle, but the fun had in the sandbox has been worth it.

My son is a little big for the sandbox, but he plays well with the girls. Maybe someday the girls will play well with him. 🙂

Hunting Bugs, Frogs, and Snakes . . . oh, my!

Before mowing the yard, my husband moves the down spout splash blocks out of the way. Since critters are usually hiding, he takes the bug containers to capture frogs, katydids, and grasshoppers. One evening, this little guy surprised him.

At the announcement of a snake, the kids ran to see him. Knowing that he lived under the splash block, we were able to see him one or two more times before he found another home. Then we were off to find other interesting creatures for our next Show and Tell item at school. 🙂

Riding Bikes

Between the tricycle, big wheel, bike with training wheels, big boy bike, and the scooter, my kids can spend more time getting out an item and putting it away than they do riding their vehicle of choice.

Been there?

They drive me nuts!

I get out 3 bikes. They ride up and down the sidewalk once and come back to put that bike away and get another. I have found taking walks, away from the house, deters them (a little) from this strategy. Somehow, I get roped back into it every time. Though it can be frustrating, I am thankful for healthy kids who can run, jump, and ride their bikes.

Exploring the Tent

Before camping, Daddy airs out the tent in our backyard. The kids love to run around inside. This fascination is fun to watch. All of a sudden, they have a new clubhouse with a door and windows.

When the windows are unzipped, my youngest daughter hides in the coverings that hang on the floor. She is small enough to fit. Then comes the peek-a-boo game which gets her giggling, and sister and brother laughing, and then Daddy and I join the fun.

While enjoying the cooler weather this fall, our family will be using time wisely playing outside. These fun family activities burn off energy, offer lots of giggles, and give us time with each other. As you plan family outings, don’t forget about the great activities you can discover a step away in your own backyard.

Question: What fun activities does your family enjoy in the backyard?