Fall Healthy Family To-Do List

Fall is a great time to get out and get active with your family. The weather begins to cool, but beautiful, warm fall days linger, too. The air feels crisp, and everything from the kitchen carries the scent of warmed spices. If you are looking for things to do with your family this fall, we’ve rounded up a great list to get you moving and help you celebrate the beauty of the season.

Central Indiana is full of places to find the perfect pumpkin. Tuttle Orchards and Piney Acres are located right here in Hancock County. Whether you have a traditional stop or you’re itching to go somewhere completely new, hiking through a pumpkin patch is fun and great exercise for the whole family. Score healthy bonus points if you carve your pumpkins into fun jack-o-lanterns and roast those nutritious pumpkin seeds for a snack! 

Zip-lining, corn mazes, animal encounters and other outdoor adventures await young explorers throughout Hancock County and neighboring cities. Lark Ranch is a great place for families and includes tons of activities in the admission price of one ticket. If you are in for something even more thrilling, head over to Go Ape! Treetop Adventures in Indianapolis for a zip-lining experience through Eagle Creek Park. 

If you have an outdoorsy family who loves s’mores, swimming and being among the trees, try out one of Hancock County’s campgrounds for a weekend getaway. Both S&H Campground and Heartland Resort offer RV spots as well as tent camping and many amenities to make happy campers out of everyone in your family. S&H even has themed weekends for those who like contests, parties and fun activities. 

Pennsy Trail and Riley Park are just two of the spots where you can see fall foliage in its full and colorful glory. You can even bike along Pennsy Trail as a family. Beckenholdt Park and Jacob Schramm Nature Preserve offer hiking if you want to slow your pace and get a good look at the reds, yellows and oranges that come with the fall season.

Does your family love a good (keep it friendly!) game of football, soccer, basketball or baseball? What about frisbee, bacchii ball or croquet? Games are even better when played with friends, so why not start a weekend pickup game in your neighborhood or at one of the local parks?

Want to get some exercise, learn more about your food and eat the healthy results of your hard work? Plant a fall garden! Root vegetables such as carrots, beets and radishes can go in the ground in October, as can leafy greens such as spinach and kale. Some can be grown from seeds and then transplanted for more abundant results. The best part? Vegetables grown during the first frost tend to be sweeter due to their sugar content, so it might not be as hard to get your kids to eat their veggies.

The best way to teach your children about living a healthy lifestyle is by being a great role model in the kitchen. Kids who understand how to make healthy food and assemble a meal are much more likely to grow into adults who choose healthier meal options. Head on over to the fall farmers’ market at the fairgrounds for some seasonal produce and then find a delicious and nutritious recipe to make together.

October 6th is National Walk to School Day. If your child’s school is too far for walking, why not take a morning or evening walk as a family around your neighborhood? Walking is a great form of exercise and, as a bonus, it helps decrease stress and increases your immune function, both of which can help you stay healthier into the colder months of the year.

Whether you decide to spend a day cooking up something delicious and healthy in the kitchen or you get out to play a pickup game in the sunshine, make sure you get active together as a family this fall and keep your healthy lifestyle in play during the colder months of the year.