Bump and Baby-Friendly Fall Activities

Whether you're expecting, or have a little bundle to entertain, fall is a wonderful season for moms-to-be and young families to enjoy. Read on for our fall and spooky activity ideas to suit both bump and baby.

Baby-friendly fall activities

When baby starts to sit up, usually around 6 months, they can really start to enjoy some sensory playtime. Here are some easy ways to make cheap and seasonal fall sensory activities for babies:

• Fall themed playdough: beneficial for sensorial exploration, creativity and imagination. All you need to do is, mix 1 cup plain flour, ½ cup salt, 2tsp cream of tartar, 1tbsp oil, 3tsp cinnamon, 1 cup boiled water, then add 1 more cup of flour, knead until it makes a soft dough. Keep for longer by wrapping in cling film and storing in a sealed container.  

• Fall themed sensory bottles: take a used plastic bottle and fill with water, glitter, leaves and anything else fall-inspired that you find on a fall walk. Hot glue or securely tape the lid and supervise children at all times. They’ll be captivated by the colors and sparkly water.
• Apple painting: a delicious way for children to get crafty. Cut apples into halves, you can also use potatoes, and lay out orange, yellow and red paints. Always buy non-toxic, baby safe paints and supervise children at all times. 
• Fall sensory tray: collect a mixture of leaves (plastic ones are best for little ones), buckeyes, acorns, cinnamon sticks, forest animal toys, soft pumpkin toys etc. Allow baby to explore the colors and textures of fall. Always supervise.

Fall-themed photo shoots

Capturing a special moment with bump or baby are photos you’ll treasure for years to come. Head out to your local nature trail or forest to get the best fall-themed photos. Tips on how to get the best photos:

• The best time to capture the beautiful fall colors for most of the northern states is the end of October. This is when the leaves on the trees have turned all shades of orange, yellow and brown and you’ll capture the most impactful photos. 
• Go the extra mile and dress up in a fall theme as well, opt for creamy, orange and brown coloured knits or accessories.
• The golden colors of the leaves are your perfect prop for your photo-shoot. Aim to capture some candid moments as well as some staged photos.

Here are some of our favorite photo shoot ideas.

Taste of fall flavors

It’s pumpkin season and with this comes a whole host of pumpkin fun for little fingers and mouths. Pumpkin is a nutrient rich, seasonal vegetable to give weaning babies and can be an excellent way to give baby their first taste of fall flavours. Cook until soft (mash if you like) and give to baby with a spoon. They can play with the rind but won’t be able to bite through it. Pumpkin is full of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber. It's a real fall superfood, so definitely one for moms-to-be to enjoy as well. 

Other seasonal fruits and vegetables that pregnant women and weaning babies can enjoy include: turnips, winter squash, pears, apples, carrots and cauliflower. Cinnamon is a deliciously comforting spice that weaning babies and mums-to-be can both enjoy - we love a sprinkle on our porridge. Head to your local farm shop to pick seasonal fruits and veggies.

Outdoor fall activities for babies and moms

Other ways to enjoy pumpkin season would be to take baby to your local pick your own pumpkin patch. There are many up and down the US, they’ll love the fall colors and find a trip to the local farm very stimulating. It isn’t advised to take newborns to farms as farm animals can carry infections. Pregnant women visiting a pumpkin patch should also avoid contact with any farm animals for this same reason.

Nature trail walks for moms-to-be are a great form of gentle exercise, it can be very calming to be deep in nature and allow you time to collect your thoughts while stretching your legs. Be careful of slippery banks or fallen branches. For young babies, as soon as mom is fit enough, a nature trail walk is a brilliant way to stimulate their senses and is a perfect outdoor activity to help relax mom. Lay them in their stroller with the hood back so they can stare up at the trees, the sounds and sights of nature will be a sensory delight.

Bump and baby-friendly Halloween ideas

If you’re getting in the mood for things that go bump in the night, then there’s lots of fun ideas for baby’s first Halloween celebration. Here are a few ideas:

• Halloween themed sensory bottles: fill them with glitter and Halloween confetti. 
• Halloween themed sensory bin: fill a basket with toys that remind you of Halloween; pumpkins, black cats, spiders etc. 
• Halloween storytime: there are many beautiful Halloween books for baby to enjoy.
• Halloween dress-up: it’s hard to resist those adorable pumpkin baby costumes.

When it comes to Halloween sweet treats, it’s recommended that children under 2 years old avoid food with added sugar completely. Opt for treats flavored naturally with pumpkin, cinnamon, sweet potato and apple to get them in the seasonal spirit.

Looking for Halloween costume ideas for pregnant women?

A few simple ideas that won’t break the bank are:

• Avocado: wear a green T-shirt and color the middle part brown where the large seed usually is. Or cut out a green avocado shape in cardboard and paint it green, cutting out the middle where your bump will poke out to look like a large seed.
• Pumpkin: wear an orange T-shirt and paint a pumpkin face onto your bump.
• Road work theme: wear a high visibility jacket and work boots, but paint a ‘bump ahead’ traffic sign in yellow onto your bump.
• Winnie the Pooh: a popular idea and super cute, wear a red top and brown skirt/ pants, add some bear ears and a black bear nose.
• Spooky baby: if you’re looking for something gory, cut up doll legs and arms and glue onto a white T-Shirt so it looks like baby is poking out of your tummy.

With all the ideas and safety tips we’ve shared, there are many ways for moms-to-be and babies under 12 months to enjoy the changing season.