Reconnect with nature as a family this fall

25 September 2025 - by Tia Chung

When you’re juggling work meetings, school routines, and everything in between, it is easy to forget to stop and breathe. Fall is nature’s invitation to slow down. With crisp air, colourful leaves, and farms offering pick-your-own pumpkins and apples, it is the perfect season for your family to reconnect with nature and each other.

Time outdoors is one of the simplest ways to support your child’s learning, well-being, and development. You do not need a big trip or a long checklist. All it takes is curiosity, fresh air, and a few shared moments together.

Here are five easy ways to reconnect with nature as a family this fall.

1. Go outside and explore together

A neighbourhood walk or a short trail hike can feel like an adventure to your child. The crunch of leaves, the sight of squirrels gathering food, and the wind moving through the trees are small discoveries that spark curiosity.

A smiling child wearing a grey top with truck designs holds a red hula hoop outdoors on a Y M C A child care playground in the fall. Yellow leaves cover the grass around them.

For you, these walks are a chance to slow down, move your body, and spend uninterrupted time with your child.

Outdoor play is a part of every day at YMCA child care, because educators see how it helps children relax, build resilience, and strengthen their imaginations — benefits you can enjoy at home, too.

2. Collect colourful leaves

One fall day, Tatiana, a YMCA educator, noticed her curious toddler class watching landscapers clear leaves.

Split image showing two autumn-themed scenes. On the left, a green felt mat is decorated with artificial fall leaves, acorns, pinecones, and a small pair of garden gloves, set on a patterned rug. On the right, the children's book Pumpkin Town! by Katie McKy and illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi is displayed upright, featuring an illustration of a giant pumpkin vine curling above houses and a cow.

She turned their curiosity into a hands-on learning activity, inviting them to collect and sort leaves.

You can do the same with your child. Collect leaves in your neighbourhood and sort them by shape or colour. Press them into a scrapbook, make art together, or create your own scavenger hunt. For your child, this builds fine motor skills, language, and focus. For you, it is a chance to share in their wonder and create keepsakes.

3. Pretend you are at the farmers market

After a child shared her family’s apple-picking experience with the class, YMCA educator Josie created a farmers market dramatic play area.

Classroom farmers' market play setup featuring a handmade "Farmers Market" sign above shelves with bins labelled grains, vegetables, and fruits. Nearby are children’s paper cutouts of fruits and vegetables, a tray of play coins, and laminated produce shapes used for imaginative play.

The children used pretend apples, baskets, and an apple tree matching game to share stories and practise problem-solving.

Fall-themed dramatic play area in a classroom with a cardboard barn, toy animals, and mini pumpkins. Nearby are toy shopping carts, a "Farmers Market" sign on shelves, and a plastic bin filled with play food labeled "Fruits."

At home, you can recreate this by setting up a mini farmers market with toy food, play money, or even fall vegetables from your fridge. Visiting a real farmers market together works, too. Your child gets to practise counting, sharing, and role-playing, while you enjoy a playful way to connect and spark conversations about food and community.

4. Pause for a mindful moment

You do not need to go far to benefit from nature. Simply sit outside with your child at a park, in your yard, or on your porch and notice what’s around you. How many sounds can you hear? What colours are in the trees? Is the air cool or warm?

Split image showing two autumn scenes. On the left, a forest path covered in fallen leaves at Y M C A Cedar Glen Camp. On the right, a smiling child with braids, wearing a pink long-sleeve sweater and blue patterned pants, holds two toys while playing outside at a Y M C A child care centre.

For your child, these quiet pauses build focus and calm. For you, they are an opportunity to reset, breathe deeply, and notice small joys in the middle of a busy day.

Educators use mindfulness in YMCA programs because it supports children’s emotional health, and you can bring that same sense of calm to your family life.

5. Have seasonal adventures

If you want to take your nature exploration further, head out of town for family adventures. YMCA family camps and outdoor centres offer opportunities to try activities such as canoeing, hiking, or pumpkin carving.

Whether it is a whole weekend away or a short family day program, these experiences give your child a chance to build confidence and independence. For you, it is time to connect with your family in a new setting, without the distractions of daily life.

Nature is a teacher and a playground

Reconnecting with nature as a family does not need to be complicated. With a bit of creativity and a few warm layers, you can enjoy the season together. Along the way, your child will build skills and confidence, and you will create memories, experience calm moments, and be able to slow down.