There is something wholesome about Fall fun that seems to allow teenagers to connect with friends in fun and safe ways. Many fall activities offer a great opportunity to allow your teenager some independence that will build life skills and mutual trust along the way.
You might have an older teenager who grabs the keys and heads out the door to events and activities. Or you might have a younger teenager where you still go to events and activities together, but you can give them some freedom once you get there… Either way, below are some fun ideas to suggest to your teenager and their friends for this Fall season:
This article is sponsored by Greenlight, the Debit Card for Kids
For more on this topic, check out the full Fall Fun and All About Teens collections
With Greenlight, your child gets a debit card that you can control at all times through a smartphone app! You can limit your child’s Greenlight card to specific stores, you can add money (or remove money) from your child’s Greenlight card right from your app, and you get notifications about your child’s spending. More info included below!
10 Fall Themed Activities for Teenagers
Fall Festivals or Fairs
In our area, there are a lot of town fairs that happen early in the Fall. These fairs are often packed with a mix of young families and teenagers. It is a great place to stroll around, grab some food, and hang out with friends.
Corn Maze
Some corn mazes are actually pretty difficult to complete, and they are always more fun with a whole group of friends! They could split up into teams and race to the end of the maze, or they could work together. Many corn mazes also offer an after dark option where you can bring your own flashlights and try to make it through the maze in the dark, which adds a whole new level of difficulty.
Amusement Parks
Some amusement parks do special Halloween themed events where they re-open the park for a few weekends in the Fall. It is one of those experiences where it works well to go as a whole family, and then let your teenagers break off and do their own thing for a bit before meeting back up with you.
Movie Theaters
Many movie theaters also offer Halloween themed movie nights where they will play old classics on certain nights or weekends. Check with your local theaters to see what they have to offer!
Fall Photoshoot
Many teenagers are great at taking pictures since they have grown up with a smartphone in their hand! Fall is the perfect time for them to take a photo walk, capture some beautiful scenery, and take pictures of their friends and themselves. Afterwards, be sure to print a few favorites out and frame them for their bedroom or for your house in general!
Haunted House
Haunted Houses are so not my thing, but I know that many people genuinely enjoy the rush of being scared. Check your local area to see which options might be a good fit for your teenager. You’ll want to do your research to make sure there isn’t anything too terrifying or inappropriate before you send them in there.
Hayrides
Check your local area to see what types of fall activities are being offered. Since we live in a small town, we have a lot of different hayrides and farm themed activities to choose from! There are also haunted hayrides, which can be a fun twist on the haunted house experience.
Football Games
I don’t know if there is a more classic teen experience that attending high school football games with your friends. You can add some festivity to the experience by telling them to invite their friends to come early and do some cute face-paint in the parking lot before the game starts.
Bike Riding or Hiking
Oftentimes it is so hot over the summer that going for a bike ride isn’t as enjoyable as it could be. Fall is a great time to have your teenager take out that bike (that they rarely ride) and find a nice trail close to where you live. However, hiking can also be an easier alternative to getting out the bike. And with a little research, you should be able to find scenic trails that are relatively close to your home.
Coffee Shop for Fall Drinks
We can’t forget the local coffee shops with their festive drinks. Who doesn’t want to throw on a comfy sweatshirt and go enjoy some warm drinks with friends?! It is a simple, yet classic fall activity for all ages 🙂
For additional ideas, check out 50 Fall Themed Activities for more inspiration!
Finding Teenage Independence
As our children grow up, we want them to learn to be more independent and responsible; but we want to be able to do it gradually. It is easier and safer to be able to give our children smaller responsibilities, and forms of independence, while still teaching them along the way; instead of having to just suddenly cut ties and hope for the best!
This is something that we need to be paying attention to early on in childhood so that when our children suddenly get a driver’s license and head out the front door, we can trust in them to be responsible and make good choices.
One of the ways that we can start to encourage independence from an early age is with the Greenlight debit card for kids, which is why we are so excited to be partnering with them for this article!
Favorite Greenlight Features
Below are some of my favorite Greenlight features:
- There is a smartphone app that gives you complete control over your child’s spending.
- You can choose to select where your child can use their card, or you can allow them to use their card anywhere.
- If they lose their card, you can simply remove the money from it right through your smartphone.
- If they need extra money for some reason, you can add it right to the card as-needed!
- You can set it up so that it will pay your child an allowance automatically.
- You get real-time notifications of how your child is using their card.
- And you can review spending habits with your child anytime. This allows them to learn about spending habits in a very practical and visual way.
Simply download the Greenlight app today to get started! And you can also view more details & FAQ’s here…
