Autumn is probably one of my favourite times of year for getting out and about as a family because you really don’t need to spend much to have a good day.
Give me a chilly day, a big jumper and somewhere with lots of crunchy leaves and I’m happy. 😂
Over the years we’ve done loads of little Autumn days out that have cost us next to nothing, so I thought I’d share a few of our favourites. Most of these are completely free and even the ones that do cost something should easily come in at under £10 if you take your own drinks and snacks with you.
1. Go for a leaf collecting walk
This was always such an easy one when mine were younger because you don’t need to plan anything or spend anything, you can literally just head out for a walk and turn it into a bit of a challenge as you go.
We’d look for the biggest leaves, the brightest ones and the crunchiest ones and usually come home with a little pile that had been carefully carried all the way back. Then they could use them for leaf rubbings or pictures afterwards, so it was basically two activities for the price of none. 😂
2. Go conker hunting
Conker hunting is one of those really simple Autumn things that I always loved doing with the kids because there’s something quite satisfying about finding a big shiny one hiding under all the leaves.
You can make a bit of a competition out of finding the biggest one or just collect a few to take home, and if you want to go properly old school then you can thread them onto string and have a conker battle afterwards.
Just be careful making the hole because conkers are very good at moving at exactly the wrong moment. 😂
3. Have an Autumn picnic
I know picnics are usually more of a Summer thing but I actually really like them in Autumn when everyone is wrapped up warm and you’ve got something hot in a flask.
We’d take sandwiches, snacks and hot chocolate and just find somewhere nice to sit for a while, usually after a walk so everyone had actually earned the snacks. 😂 It doesn’t need to be anywhere fancy either, a local park or bit of woodland works perfectly and if you take a ball or frisbee with you then you’ve easily got a couple of hours out for next to nothing.
4. Visit a pumpkin patch
Pumpkin patches are everywhere now and they’re such a nice Autumn day out, especially if you’ve got younger kids. Lots of them let you wander around and take photos for free and you just pay for whatever pumpkins you decide to bring home.
You definitely don’t need to come away with a car full either. One or two pumpkins is plenty and then you’ve got the fun of carving them when you get home too, so it stretches the day out a bit and gives you something else to do without spending much more.
5. Visit a free museum
When the weather isn’t playing nicely then a museum is always worth a look.
There are still plenty of museums that are completely free to visit or just ask for a donation, which makes them brilliant for a cheap afternoon out.
Have a look at what’s near you because you might be surprised at what you’ve got practically on your doorstep that you’ve never actually visited.
6. Find a local Bonfire Night display
Keep an eye on local Facebook groups and community pages as you get towards the end of October because there are often smaller Bonfire Night events that are free or really cheap.
If you take your own flask of hot chocolate and a few snacks then you can avoid spending a small fortune at the food stalls too.
And honestly, hot chocolate from a flask while you’re standing outside wrapped up in about six layers is all part of Bonfire Night for me. 😂
7. Make your own woodland adventure trail
You definitely don’t need an organised trail for this one.
Head to a local woodland and make your own little scavenger hunt as you go. You could look for pinecones, mushrooms, acorns, colourful leaves, feathers and animal tracks.
If you’re more organised than me then you could even write a little list before you leave and give everyone a copy to tick off.
Take some snacks and a flask and you’ve got another almost-free afternoon out.
8. Go apple or blackberry picking
Depending on where you live, you might have places nearby where you’re allowed to pick fruit growing wild.
We’ve got a little woodland near us where you can pick blackberries and I only found out about it from a local Facebook group, so it’s definitely worth checking yours to see what people recommend.
You can also look for pick-your-own farms although obviously these will cost a little more depending on what you pick.
And if you manage to come home with a decent blackberry haul then you could make my homemade blackberry infused vinegar.
9. Have an Autumn craft afternoon
This one works really well alongside a walk because you can collect everything you need while you’re out.
Bring home some conkers, pinecones and pretty leaves and see what you can make with them.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy either. Leaf pictures, little pinecone creatures and simple Autumn collages are all easy and you probably already have everything else you need at home.
10. Have a family film afternoon
I’m definitely counting this as an Autumn day out even though you’re technically staying in. 😂
Choose a cosy film, close the curtains, make some hot chocolate and do a big bowl of homemade popcorn.
You could even make little cinema tickets if you’ve got younger children and let them choose their sweets before the film starts.
You really don’t need to spend a fortune to make the most of Autumn and some of the days I remember most from when mine were younger were the really simple ones where we’d just wrapped up warm and gone somewhere local.
And I think that’s one of the things I love most about this time of year. There always seems to be something you can do, even if you’ve got absolutely no budget for a big day out.
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