After a lovely long, surprisingly sunny, summer - there’s no denying it now, it’s officially autumn.
If you’re anything like us, you’ve been secretly wishing away the latter half of the summer season so that you can feel the crisp air on your face, crunchy leaves beneath your boots, and wrap up in cosy layers wherever you go.
Now that it’s finally here, you might be wondering how to keep the family entertained on those wetter October afternoons, without venturing far or breaking the bank.
Thankfully, we’ve got you covered. Keep on reading to discover five family-friendly activities to enjoy at home this autumn.
Pyjama Party
Nothing beats the feeling of getting in from a cold, wet day and changing into cosy, warm pyjamas for an evening of pure relaxation. Instead of venturing out into the cold and wet, spend the entire day in your pyjamas having family fun whilst getting cosy as can be.
Your pyjama party only requires 3 things: to be in your pyjamas all day, to make sure your pyjamas are the warmest pyjamas you can find, and to plan pyjama party activities that’ll keep you all entertained throughout a rainy day.
Steal our suggestions for pyjama party fun:
- Build a blanket fort
- Have a movie marathon with lots of popcorn and sweets
- Take it in turns to read out a chapter of a book
- Put on a short play
- Do some autumnal baking
Explore our full range of cosy pyjamas and loungewear.
Garden Scavenger Hunt
A little bit of rain never hurt, so if you have some outdoor space, your little ones are sure to love an autumnal garden treasure hunt! To make your scavenger hunt, all you need to do is write a list (complete with correlating images) of the things they need to find, hand them a pen or pencil to tick off as they go, and watch as they explore the garden searching high and low for your items.
To keep them warm and dry, ensure they’re layered up in thermal socks, wellington boots, hats and gloves and cosy jackets. Explore our full range of kids' thermal accessories.
To give you a headstart, here are some things you could get your little scavengers searching for:
- Watering can.
- Snail.
- Something yellow.
- Something tall.
- Worm.
- Trowel.
- Flower pots.
- Bird.
To keep them entertained even longer, ask them to write a short story about their scavenger hunt once they’re back in the warmth.
Autumn in the Kitchen
Is there anything more cosy than the sound of rain pitter-pattering down the window whilst the smell of cinnamon, sugar and chocolate chips fills the air? No, we didn’t think so.
Autumn is undoubtedly the season for crispy cookies and warm, soft bakes. It’s also a great time to test new, wholesome recipes that’ll see you through the colder months.
For those wet and wild afternoons that you absolutely won’t be venturing out into, cracking out the baking tins and slow-cooker is a great way to spend the day - especially with a cosy autumnal movie on in the background.
Below are some suggestions of fall bakes and dishes you should try your hand at this October:
Sweet Things
- Cinnamon swirls
- Pumpkin pie
- Cherry + chocolate muffins
- Apple and cinnamon crumble
- Ginger biscuits
Main Dishes
- Butternut squash soup
- Lentil stew
- Creamy pumpkin pasta
- Classic bangers and mash
- Pork with apple sauce
- Autumn roast vegetable salad
Halloween Crafting
It is Spooky Szn after all, so whilst you’re watching your favourite Tim Burton movie, a spot of Halloween crafting to get you truly in the mood is a spectacularly spooky way to spend an autumnal afternoon indoors.
We’re not just talking pumpkin carving here either, we’re talking full home decoration crafting in time for the trick or treaters to come knocking.
Below are our craft ideas to keep your little ghouls entertained and get the spooky juices flowing:
- Create your own Halloween masks: from Ghostface to Frankenstein, use up leftover cardboard, paints or markers and design your own spooky mask.
- Ghost family portrait: reimagine yourselves as ghosts and create a family portrait using card, sticks and pens.
-
Halloween shadow art: create eerie projections for the backdrop of spooky stories, shadow puppets or just as Halloween decorations.
Short Story Competition
October is the month of terrifying tales, so why not give it a go yourself and try your hand at writing a scary short story?
To make it extra fun, give each member of the family 30 minutes to write their short story and then take it in turns to put on your best performance and share the tale.
Remember to set the atmosphere with ambient lighting, cosy loungewear and blankets, hot chocolate, candles and pumpkins.
If we’re part of your at-home autumn plans, we’d love to see your spooky snaps 👻 Tag us on TikTok at @HeatHoldersUK and Instagram at @HeatHoldersUK and Facebook at @HeatHolders, we may even feature you on our page 🎃🕯️
