Throwing a fall party for kids can be a fun way to embrace the season. Whether it’s a sleepover or a birthday bash, there are plenty of fun themes to choose from and activities to set up.
A fall party for kids is perfect to enjoy the outdoors, with plenty of location options like your backyard, the park, a forest, or even at a pumpkin patch, the farm, or an orchard. (I’ve also included indoor options!)
Consider setting up a scavenger hunt where kids can find colorful leaves, acorns, and other fall treasures. You could also organize a pumpkin decorating station or a friendly game of charades inspired by fall.
These easy ideas can transform your fall party into an unforgettable experience for kids and their families.
Kids’ Fall Party Theme Ideas
Outdoor Movie Night
Transform your backyard into a cozy outdoor theater. Set up a projector and a big screen, arrange a seating area with blankets and pillows, and provide plenty of popcorn and hot cocoa.
Choose family-friendly fall movies such as Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Book of Life, or Harry Potter.
Add fairy lights or lanterns to decorate the space.
Make sure you can take things indoors in case the weather turns chilly or rainy.
Halloween Costume Party
Celebrate the spooky season with a Halloween costume party.
Have kids come in their favorite costumes and decorate the venue with cobwebs, pumpkins, and spooky props.
Include games like a costume parade, monster mash dance-off, and trick-or-treat stations.
Offer Halloween-themed treats like witch finger cookies, ghost cupcakes, and candy corn.
Harvest Party
A Harvest Party centers around the bounty of the season.
Decorate the space with bales of hay, corn stalks, and autumn leaves.
Provide a hearty menu with foods like apple pie, caramel apples, and roasted corn. You can also have a cooking class focusing on seasonal produce.
Consider having a small farmer’s market where kids can enjoy and learn about fresh produce. Set up a pumpkin carving station and a couple of fall-themed activities listed below.
Camping
Bring the adventure of camping to your backyard.
Set up tents and a fire pit, and plan activities such as storytelling, stargazing, and roasting marshmallows.
Prepare camping snacks like trail mix, hot dogs, and s’mores.
Create a checklist of camping essentials and involve the kids in setting up the campsite.
If it’s too cold to camp outside, you can also camp in the living room. Use bed sheets to create a huge tent where all the kids can sleep under.
Football Party
For sports enthusiasts, a Football Party is the perfect theme.
Set up a mini football field with goalposts and organize a friendly game for the kids.
Decorate with your favorite team’s colors and provide football-themed snacks like nachos, sliders, and pretzels.
Host a halftime show with fun competitions, such as a punt, pass, and kick contest.
Harry Potter Party
Immerse the kids in the magical world of Harry Potter.
Create Hogwarts-inspired decorations with house banners, floating candles, and a sorting hat ceremony.
Plan activities like potion-making, wand decorating, and Quidditch matches.
Offer a magical menu featuring butterbeer, pumpkin pasties, and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.
Don’t forget to set up a photo booth with themed props.
Lumberjack Party
Channel a rugged, outdoorsy vibe with a Lumberjack Party.
Incorporate rustic decorations such as plaid tablecloths, wooden logs, and axes (fake ones, of course).
Organize lumberjack-themed games like log rolling, hatchet toss, and tug-of-war.
Serve hearty foods like flapjacks, maple bacon, and chili.
Hand out beards and flannel shirts for a fun dress code.
Friendsgiving
Celebrate friendship and gratitude with a Friendsgiving event.
Set a cozy table with autumn-themed centerpieces and involve the kids in making festive crafts.
Plan a potluck where everyone brings a dish to share, focusing on kid-friendly options.
Highlight gratitude with activities like a “thankful tree” where kids can write and hang what they’re thankful for.
Fall Party Activities
No matter what theme you pick, make sure to set up some activities like pumpkin carving, crafts, painting pumpkins, scavenger hunts… to keep the kids entertained.
Pumpkin Carving
Pumpkin carving is a timeless fall activity. Kids can choose their pumpkins and use safe tools to carve out fun or spooky designs.
Setting up stations with printable stencils helps those who need a bit of guidance. Consider providing tools specifically designed for kids.
You can also have a friendly competition with categories like the scariest or most creative pumpkin.
Make sure to have plenty of newspapers or plastic covers to catch all the mess and help with easy cleanup.
Fall Crafts
Get the kids creating with fall-themed crafts.
Options like leaf rubbings, pine cone animals, and pumpkin spice playdough are always a hit.
Gather natural materials like leaves, acorns, and pine cones beforehand. Simple and accessible materials such as crayons, glue, and construction paper are used for these crafts.
Providing a variety of examples can help spark the kids’ creativity. Set up designated craft stations, so that each activity has its space and kids can move around freely.
Pumpkin Painting Party
Pumpkin painting is a great activity for younger kids as there’s no need for sharp tools. Supply different sizes of pumpkins and an array of non-toxic paints. Make sure to have brushes, sponges, and even stickers for decorating.
Cover tables with plastic tablecloths for quick cleanup. Let the kids come up with their own designs or provide theme ideas like animals, monsters, or abstract art.
They can take their painted pumpkins home as festive decorations.
Scavenger Hunt
A fall-themed scavenger hunt can be great fun. Prepare a list of items for the kids to find, such as acorns, different colored leaves, small pumpkins, and pine cones. You can split them into teams or let them hunt individually.
Provide each child with a bag and a checklist. Hide the items around the party area beforehand. You can offer small prizes for those who find the most items or complete the hunt the fastest.
Bonfire
End the party with a cozy bonfire. It’s a perfect way for the kids to wind down after all the activities. Roasting marshmallows and making s’mores can be the highlight. Always prioritize safety by keeping the area supervised and providing safety measures.
Set up seating around the bonfire with blankets and pillows for added comfort. If you want to add a bit of storytelling, gather the kids around the fire and share some fun, spooky stories appropriate for their age group.
Fall Party Decoration Ideas
Go for classic fall colors like orange, red, and gold. Mix in a splash of blue for contrast. These colors can be used in tablecloths, napkins, and even the food displays.
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Hay Bales: These are fantastic for creating a cozy, rustic vibe. Use them as seating or stack them to create a fun photo backdrop. You can even decorate the bales with plaid blankets and throw pillows.
Pumpkins: Nothing says fall like pumpkins. Scatter them around your party area. Carve a few with fun designs or paint them in bright colors.
Sunflowers: Add a touch of natural beauty with sunflower arrangements. Place them in mason jars or rustic vases. They make great centerpieces for your tables.
Lighting: String lights and candles will add a warm, inviting glow to your event. Lanterns and fairy lights work well outdoors.
Pumpkin Tic Tac Toe: Set up a pumpkin-themed tic tac toe game. Use mini pumpkins as game pieces and draw the board on a large piece of wood or cardboard. It’s a fun and interactive decoration that kids will love.
Get crafty with some DIY decorations. Make scarecrows out of old clothes, use leaves for garlands, and create handmade signs welcoming your guests.
Fall Party Food Ideas
Get ready for your fall party with some fantastic food ideas that will make everyone, especially the kids, excited. Here are some suggestions that will bring the flavors of the season right to your table.
Apple Cider
Start with a warm or chilled glass of apple cider. It’s easy to make and gives everyone that cozy fall feeling. You can even set up an apple cider station with fun add-ins like cinnamon sticks and whipped cream.
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Serve it in small slices or as mini pies for easy handling by little hands. You could also try pumpkin bread, which is great for breakfast or as a dessert.
Finger Food
Prepare sandwiches, some soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, and maybe gluten-free banana pumpkin muffins.
Caramel Apple Bar
Set up a caramel apple bar with apple slices, caramel sauce, nuts, and sprinkles. This allows the kids to dip and decorate their own apple treats. It’s interactive and perfect for a fall-themed party.
Apple Picking After-Party
If you’ve gone apple picking, use those fresh apples for a variety of snacks. Think apple slices with peanut butter, apple crisps, or even homemade applesauce.
Fall Party Games
Whether you’re hosting a fall birthday party or just looking for some autumn-themed activities, these games will keep your young guests entertained and engaged.
Bean Bag Toss
Bean Bag Toss is a classic game that can be easily adapted for a fall theme. Create targets using large cardboard cutouts shaped like pumpkins, leaves, or apples.
Paint the cutouts with bright, autumn colors and give each cutout a point value based on difficulty. Kids take turns tossing bean bags, aiming for the targets to score points. You can even turn this into a team competition.
Materials needed:
- Cardboard cutouts
- Paint/markers
- Bean bags
Set up the targets at varying distances based on the age and skill level of the players.
Pumpkin Bowling
Use small pumpkins as bowling balls and set up pins made from empty plastic bottles.
Paint or decorate the bottles with spooky faces or autumn designs to add an extra layer of fun. Clear a space in your backyard or large indoor area for the bowling lane. Each child gets a turn to roll the pumpkin and knock over the pins.
Materials needed:
- Small pumpkins
- Plastic bottles
- Paint/markers
To add a competitive edge, keep a score sheet to track how many pins each player knocks down.
Pumpkin Ring Toss
Place several pumpkins on the ground, each with a wooden stake or stick in the center.
Children take turns trying to toss rings (which can be made from rope or purchased) over the stakes. Vary the distances to accommodate different age groups. To make it more exciting, assign point values to each pumpkin based on difficulty.
Materials needed:
- Pumpkins
- Wooden stakes
- Rings (rope or plastic)
The player or team with the most points at the end wins a small prize.
Pumpkin Race
A Pumpkin Race requires kids to race while rolling pumpkins. Choose small to medium-sized pumpkins that are easy for kids to handle.
Designate a start and finish line, and have the children line up at the start. The goal is to roll the pumpkin to the finish line as fast as possible without lifting or kicking it. This game can be played individually or in teams.
Materials needed:
- Small/medium pumpkins
To make things more interesting, set up obstacles or slalom courses for the kids to navigate during the race.
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