Fall is here and that means it’s time for pumpkin picking, hayrides, apple cider, and pumpkin spice everything. This fall is a little different, but that doesn’t mean your family can’t capture the fun of a harvest festival in your own backyard. We’ll show you how you can take your kids for a hayride on their Go Green!™ Tractor, go apple bobbing, create carnival games, and everything else you need to throw your own backyard harvest festival filled with fall activities.
Turn Your Water Table into an Apple Bobbing Station
Apple bobbing is a delightfully silly outdoor activity for kids to play that you can easily recreate in your own backyard. Grab your kids’ favorite water table (we recommend the 5 Little Ducks Water Table or the Fish ‘n Splash Water Table™) and remove any detachable accessories to clear a little extra space in the basin. Wash it off first (nobody wants to bob for apples in a grimy water table), then fill the table with water, add a few apples, and you’re all set for your kids to go apple bobbing. Pro tip: your kids will have more success pinning the apples to the sides of the water table.
Take Your Kids for a Hayride on Their Ride-Ons
If you have a big backyard or a park nearby, try taking your kids for an impromptu hayride. We recommend the Go Green!™ Tractor and a straw hat for the ultimate hayride experience, but of course a Cozy Coupe®, the Perfect Fit™ 4-in-1 Trike, or any other ride-on toy will do.
Go for a Pony Ride
If you’re lucky enough to have a pony (and a yard big enough to house a pony), then take your kids for a real pony ride! If you’re like most of us, try breaking out your kids Rocking Horse and taking them for an imaginary pony ride. Describe the tall trees, roaring river, and pleasant plains to them while they rock back and forth. Parenting hack: If you need a little help creating an imaginary world and haven’t yet checked out the Little Tikes Play Big! Alexa Skill, we highly recommend it. It’s a fun way to add a little storytelling to your kids favorite Little Tikes toys like the Rocking Horse, Cozy Coupe®, and more.
Play Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe
Before you carve your pumpkins (or you can always buy more mini pumpkins), try using them to play a game of Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe. You can make a simple gameboard on the floor using painter’s tape. Try using different colored pumpkins to represent x’s and o’s, or let your kids decorate the pumpkins to distinguish them. Winner gets a warm glass of apple cider!
Carve Pumpkins
No harvest festival would be complete without pumpkin carving. Lay out some newspaper or plastic sheeting to minimize the mess, grab your pumpkin carving tools, and let your kids run wild. We definitely recommend having your kids trace out their designs ahead of time using a pencil (there aren’t really do overs when it comes to pumpkin carving), but otherwise carving pumpkins is the perfect activity to let your kids be creative and silly. If your kids are a little young for carving pumpkins, try decorating them with markers or paint instead for a less messy way to create some festive fall decorations.
Set Up a Target Practice Carnival Game
If you have a couple of plastic cups around the house, try setting up a carnival game for your kids to play with their My First Mighty Blasters™. Have your kids build pyramids out of the plastic cups, step back six feet, and then blast away to their heart’s content. Give each of your kids three tries to knock down as many cups as they can.
Make Caramel Apples
After a long day of running around your backyard playing games, bobbing for apples, and riding around, some caramel apples are the perfect treat to reward your kids with. Check out this easy recipe from FoodNetwork.com for instructions to make your own caramel apples. Let your kids pick out some fun sprinkles, candy corn, or any other treat they want to decorate their caramel apples with!
We hope your family has a blast at your backyard harvest festival! We’d love to see pictures of your kids carving pumpkins going on hayrides, and doing any other fun harvest festival activities they think of. Don’t forget to tag us when you post (@OfficialLittleTikes on Instagram, @LittleTikes everywhere else on social media)!
At Little Tikes, we don’t just make toys, we make play. Looking for more great active play ideas? Check out www.LittleTikes.com for all our latest play tips & tricks!
