As the weather becomes cooler and the leaves change to their stunning autumn colors, we are reminded that it is that special time of year when pumpkins are plentiful and harvest celebrations occur in every community. Fall is undeniably a enchanting and stunning season.
However, with the excitement of pumpkin season, we often overlook another short, yet equally as tasty and beautiful season–apple season!
Apple season usually begins in August and lasts through October, just before pumpkin season can truly begin! This season brings yummy treats to your table and an opportunity to infuse your home with the cozy aromas and rustic charm of apple-inspired crafts.
In this article, we will explore a little more of how you can make the most of apple season with creative crafts and activities that you can do with your little ones to truly embrace the beautiful season.
Apple Season Activities
There are so many timeless experiences and memories that you can create for your little ones during apple season to make it a special time of year for them to look forward to.
Apple Picking
If you live near an apple orchard, taking your little ones apple picking would be such a fun and educational experience! Enjoy some time outdoors in the crisp fall air, enjoy some fresh apple cider and pick some apples to bring home to use for yummy treats or crafts.
Make Apple Treats
There is an enormous amount of recipes for delicious apple based treats, snacks or meals! Spend time in the kitchen with your little one making some of my favorite apple foods and drinks:
- Apple Cider
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Apple Rings
- Homemade Apple Pie
- Homemade Applesauce
- Apple Fritters
- Caramel Apples
- Cinnamon Apple Muffins
- Apple Butter
Bobbing For Apples
This could be a hit for young kids, especially ones that love to get wet! If it isn’t too cold outside, fill up a tub or kiddy pool with water, toss in some apples and let your little ones bob for apples!
Apple Tasting
Apple season brings a true cornucopia of apple varieties to enjoy! From the sweet and crisp Honeycrisp to the tart Granny Smith, there are so many different kinds of apples!
For older kids, consider setting up an apple tasting station in your home where they can taste and compare the different varieties of apples.Â
Apple-Inspired Crafts
Handmade crafts from your little ones can add such a special and warm touch to the fall decorations in your home. Here are a few of my favorites that you can do at home. Some require apples and others are simply apple-inspired!
Apple Stamps
While this fun craft may be a bit messy for your toddler, it is so worth it for the adorable product and fun they will have making it! All you need is a few apples, washable paint in autumn colors (yellow, red, green, orange, brown), a paintbrush and some paper! Slice your apple in half, paint it and let your little one make apple stamps on the paper.
Apple Pie Sensory Bin
While this won’t be a craft you can display on your wall or refrigerator, it will be a fun activity for your little one! Create an apple pie inspired sensory bin by filling a tub with rolled oats and throwing in some cinnamon sticks and dried apple slices!
Apple Puzzle
Create an apple puzzle by cutting an apple into slices and having your children put it back together in the correct order!
Play Dough Apples
Get creative and build your own apple orchard with your little one by building apples and apple trees out of play dough!Â
Paper Plate Apple Lacing Toy
Let your little one paint a paper plate red. While it is drying, help them cut out a brown stem and a green leaf from construction paper.
After it dries, glue the stem and leaf to the top of the plate and use a hole punch to put holes around the edge of the plate. Then, let your little one thread yarn through the holes–it’s a perfect, apple-lacing toy!
You can see step-by-step instructions, here.
Build An Apple Tree
Use tape, green and brown construction paper, and whatever else you have on hand to build an apple tree, either on the wall or on the floor. Then, use red pom-poms or red construction paper (cut in the shape of an apple, of course!) to tape on the tree.
Let your toddler pick the apples off the tree for their very own indoor apple picking experience.Â
You can get creative as you would like with this activity and even give your toddler a basket to put the apples in as they collect them!
Apple Season can be such a fun and memorable time, especially for little ones! Savor it and truly make the most of it this year. I hope you enjoy the sweetness of the season with fun apple-based activities and crafts that your kids will love!
Charlynn is an educator and mom to fraternal boy/girl twins. She loves learning through the experiences she has with her littles and using her knowledge to help other moms as they embark on the journey of motherhood.