10 Fall Equinox Activities for Kids

The Autumn Equinox is almost here. Do you want to do something special with your kids to welcome the fall season? If you are searching for inspiration, check out the following fall equinox activities that kids might enjoy.

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  1. Nature Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of fall-themed items for kids to find outdoors. Remember to only collect items in allowed areas. Use small brown paper lunch sacks or recyclable bags to collect your nature items including acorns, pinecones, and brightly colored leaves.
  2. Leaf Art: Collect colorful fall leaves and use them to create crafts. (If you did the nature scavenger hunt first, use your findings for leaf art). Ideas for leaf art include rubbings, collages, or pressing the leaves for decorations.
  3. Apple Picking Your Local Orchard: Visit an apple orchard or cider mill for a fun day of picking apples. Most orchards or cider mills host a variety of family-friendly activities during the autumn season. Later use your apples to bake homemade treats.
  4. Pumpkin Decorating: Visit a pumpkin patch to find the perfect one to decorate. Use paints, markers, and other craft supplies to decorate pumpkins.
  5. Fall-Themed Baking: Spend an afternoon in the kitchen. Bake seasonal treats for the whole family to enjoy. Pumpkin muffins, apple pies, or cinnamon-spiced cookies are great choices.
  6. Read: Visit your local library or bookstore to find fall-themed books. Read your fall-themed books aloud. Many books contain stories about changing leaves, harvest, or animals preparing for winter.
  7. Go for a Nature Walk: Take a leisurely walk at your local park or nature preserve to observe the changes in the environment during the fall season. For extra fun, pack a picnic. Enjoy a meal in the outdoors.
  8. Autumn Crafts: Create autumn-themed crafts. Pinterest is an excellent resource for finding kid-friendly crafts such as paper plate scarecrows, pinecone animals, or paper pumpkins.
  9. Star Gazing: Get outdoors and look up at the stars. If needed, drive away from the city lights to find the best area for star gazing. Pack a thermos full of hot cocoa. And enjoy an evening under the stars.
  10. Bonfire: Host a bonfire night. Sit outdoors and enjoy the warmth of a cozy bonfire on a cool autumn evening.

Remember to adjust the autumn-themed activities based on the age of your child. Try to do activities that interest your kids. Have fun and enjoy celebrating the fall equinox as a family event.

Self-Care Ideas for September 2023

September is here! Are you ready to head into autumn? The next few months usually bring busier schedules with school schedules, work, and the upcoming holidays. Starting a self-care routine is essential for your overall health and well-being. If you are searching for inspiration, check out the following self-care ideas for September.

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  1. Commit or recommitment to a self-care routine.
  2. Set goals for the month and the rest of 2023.
  3. Create a vision board.
  4. Detox from social media.
  5. Get enough sleep.
  6. Cook your favorite meal or dessert.
  7. Get crafty.
  8. Make a fruit smoothie.
  9. Read inspirational quotes or sayings.
  10. Write in a journal.
  11. Volunteer or do Random Acts of Kindness
  12. Call an old friend.
  13. Dress up for no reason.
  14. Take a long bubble bath or hot shower.
  15. Watch your favorite movie.
  16. Try something new. Get out of your comfort zone.
  17. Try a new restaurant or café.
  18. Read all afternoon.
  19. Buy yourself something. (Yes, purchasing a new outfit at the local thrift store counts.)
  20. Watch TED Talk or other inspirational videos.
  21. Declutter.
  22. Do a in-home spa day.
  23. First day of Autumn. Create a fall bucket list.
  24. Go for a nature walk.
  25. Burn your favorite scented candle.
  26. Try a new workout routine.
  27. Plan your next vacation or your dream vacation.
  28. Create a new playlist.
  29. Watch the sunrise.
  30. If needed, reach out to a health professional for guidance.

Have a fantastic month!

24 Quotes for September 2023

September is almost here. Are you ready for a new month? If are searching for inspirational words to add to your social media posts, check out the following quotes for September.

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  1. “By all these lovely tokens, September days are here. With summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.” – Helen Hunt Jackson
  2. “Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” –  J.K. Rowling
  3. “I used to love September, but now it just rhymes with remember.” ― Dominic Riccitello
  4. “Let’s strive to be better in September!” ― Charmaine J. Forde
  5. “Making your Christmas cake in September is perfect, as too fresh a cake crumbles when cut.” – Mary Berry
  6. “September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.” – Rowland E. Robinson
  7. “Happily we bask in this warm September sun, Which illuminates all creatures…”- Henry David Thoreau
  8. “All the months are crude experiments, out of which the perfect September is made.” –  Virginia Woolf
  9. “Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul… but I must confess that I love you only because you are a prelude to my beloved October.” – Peggy Toney Horton
  10. “Autumn is the antidote to stifling summer.” – Terri Guillemets
  11. “There is a time in late September when the leaves are still green, and the days are still warm, but somehow you know that it is all about to end, as if summer was holding its breath, and when it let it out again, it would be autumn.” -Sharyn McCrumb
  12. “We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer’s wreckage. We will welcome summer’s ghost.” – Henry Rollins
  13. “Outside the leaves on the trees constricted slightly; they were the deep done green of the beginning of autumn. It was a Sunday in September.” – Ali Smith
  14. “But when fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed.” – Stephen King
  15. September was a thirty-days long goodbye to summer, to the season that left everybody both happy and weary of the warm, humid weather and the exhausting but thrilling adventures.” – Lea Malot
  16. “I love September especially when we’re in it.” – Willie Stargell
  17. “Let’s all be nice to September.” – Nitya Prakash
  18. “September showed up right on schedule and lasted a whole month.” –  Jenny Wingfield
  19. “Wine is the divine juice of September.” -Voltaire
  20. September tries its best to have us forget summer.” – Bernard Williams
  21. “I guess I’m just feeling all September-ish…All the trees change color, the days get very clear—with little smoke on the horizon from burning leaves. Pumpkins begin to come out.” – George Selden
  22. “September is dressing herself in showy dahlias and splendid marigolds and starry zinnias.” – Olive Wendell Holmes
  23. “The windows are open, admitting the September breeze: a month that smells like notepaper and pencil shavings, autumn leaves, and car oil. A moth that smells like progress, like moving on.” – Lauren Oliver
  24. “September is the other January.” Gretchen Rubin

Have a great September!

Drawing Prompts for September

September is almost here. Are you ready to get creative? Notebooks, pens, markers, pencils, and other materials are on sale right now for back-to-school supplies. The basics are all you need to start drawing. If you are searching for inspiration, check out the following drawing prompts for September.

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  1. September Self-Portrait
  2. On a Shelf
  3. Alternate Reality
  4. Landscape
  5. Nature
  6. Home
  7. Weather
  8. Favorite Place
  9. Hobby
  10. Favorite Colors
  11. Remember 9-11
  12. Clouds
  13. Curvy Lines
  14. Patterns
  15. Shapes
  16. Historic
  17. Bold Colors
  18. Keys
  19. Food & Beverage
  20. Inspirational
  21. Colorful Leaves
  22. Trees
  23. Happy First Day of Autumn!
  24. Mushroom
  25. Pinecones & Acorns
  26. Travel
  27. Fantasy World
  28. Family & Friends
  29. Magic
  30. Artist’s Choice

Have a great September! Happy Drawing!

Photo Prompts for September

Who is ready for September? Cooler weather is a fantastic time to get outdoors and explore the world around you. Don’t forget to take your camera. Documenting your month through photos is a beautiful way to make memories. If you are searching for inspiration, check out the following photo prompts for September.

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  1. September Selfie
  2. Reflection
  3. Movement
  4. Happy Labor Day!
  5. On a Shelf
  6. Favorite Color
  7. Inspirational
  8. Clouds
  9. Signs
  10. Shadows
  11. Remember 9-11
  12. Sun Flare
  13. Sunrise or Sunset
  14. Black and White
  15. Excitement
  16. Patterns
  17. Balance
  18. Landscape
  19. Laughter
  20. Weather
  21. Vintage
  22. Leaves & Trees
  23. First Day of Autumn
  24. Acorns & Pinecones
  25. Nature
  26. ‘Home
  27. Food or Beverage
  28. Insects
  29. Travel
  30. Photographer’s Choice

Have a fantastic September!

54 Quotes for Spooky Halloween Fun

Who is ready for Halloween? Are you searching for the perfect quote to add to your social media posts? Check out the following quotes for Halloween to get you into the spooky spirit.

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  1. “Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows’ Eve.” – Ray Bradbury
  2. “There is something haunting in the light of the moon.” –  Joseph Conrad
  3. “During the day, I don’t believe in ghosts. At night, I’m a little more open-minded.” -Unknown
  4. “‘Tis the night—the night of the grave’s delight, and the warlocks are at their play; Ye think that without the wild winds shout, but no, it is they—it is they.” – Cleveland Coxe
  5. “I’m a witch every day. Not just for Halloween.” – Unknown
  6. “Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it’s about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves.” – Elvis Duran
  7. “Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.” – Tim Burton
  8. “On Halloween, the parents sent their kids out looking like me.” – Rodney Dangerfield
  9. “Dear Great Pumpkin, Halloween is now only a few days away. Children all over the world await you coming. When you rise out of the pumpkin patch that night, please remember I am your most loyal follower. Have a nice trip. Don’t forget to take out flight insurance.” – Linus
  10. “Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?” – Linus (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)
  11. “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” – William Shakespeare
  12. “Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere.” –  Charles M. Schulz
  13. “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” William Shakespeare
  14. “Where there is no imagination there is no horror.” –  Arthur Conan Doyle
  15. “Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.” -J.K Rowling
  16. “When the witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ’tis near Halloween.” –  Unknown
  17. “Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.” – Steve Almond
  18. “The witches fly, Across the sky, The owls go, ‘Who? Who? Who?’ The black cats yowl, And green ghosts howl, ‘Scary Halloween to you!’” – Nina Willis Walter
  19. “Halloween was confusing. All my life my parents said, ‘Never take candy from strangers.’ And then they dressed me up and said, ‘Go beg for it.’ I didn’t know what to do! I’d knock on people’s doors and go, ‘Trick or treat…No, thank you.’” —Rita Rudner
  20. “On Halloween, witches come true; wild ghosts escape from dreams. Each monster dances in the park.” – Nicholas Gordan
  21. “There is a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly-lit front porch.” – Robert Brault
  22. “Halloween is huge in my house, and we really get into the ‘spirits’ of things.” – Dee Snider
  23. “If human beings had genuine courage, they’d wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween.” – Douglas Coupland
  24. “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” –  Stephen King
  25. “Halloween wraps fear in innocence, as though it were a slightly sour sweet. Let terror, then, be turned into a treat …” – Nicholas Gordon
  26. “Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.” – A Nightmare on Elm Street
  27. “Shadows mutter, mist replies; darkness purrs as midnight sighs.” – Rusty Fischer
  28. “A mask tells us more than a face.” – Oscar Wilde
  29. “Be afraid…be very afraid.” – The Fly
  30. “Listen to them—the children of the night. What music they make!” – Bram Stoker
  31. “It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night.” – Edgar Allan Poe
  32. “Sticky fingers, tired feet; one last house, trick or treat!” –  Rusty Fischer
  33. “There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand.” – Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
  34. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself… and spiders.” – Unknown
  35. “Werewolves howl. Phantoms prowl. Halloween’s upon us now.” – Richelle E. Goodrich
  36. “Magic is really very simple, all you’ve got to do is want something and then let yourself have it.” – Aggie Cromwell (Halloweentown)
  37. “The moon has awoken with the sleep of the sun, the light has been broken; the spell has begun.” – Midgard Morningstar
  38. “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.” – Wednesday Addams, “The Addams Family”
  39.  “October was always the least dependable of months … full of ghosts and shadows.”  – Joy Fielding
  40. “On Halloween, you get to become anything that you want to be.” – Ava Dellaira
  41. “Shadows of a thousands years rise again unseen, voices whisper in the trees, ‘Tonight is Halloween!'” – Dexter Kozen
  42. “Darkness falls across the land, The Midnight Hour is close at hand.” –  Rodney Lynn Temperton
  43. “The farther we’ve gotten from the magic and mystery of our past, the more we’ve come to need Halloween.” – Paula Guran
  44. “The dead rise again, bats fly, terror strikes and screams echo, for tonight it’s Halloween.” – Unknown
  45. “Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen, windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked.” – Ray Bradbury
  46. “It’s as much fun to scare as to be scared.” – Vincent Price
  47. “Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October days.” – Unknown
  48. “Hocus pocus. Time to focus.” – Unknown
  49. “Just because I cannot see it, doesn’t mean I can’t believe it!” – Jack Skellington in “Nightmare Before Christmas”
  50. “That’s the problem. He was dead to begin with.” – Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow
  51. “Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.” – Bill Waterson
  52. “Being normal is vastly overrated.” – Aggie Cromwell
  53. “When the witches went waltzing.” – Linda Williams
  54. “Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.” – Mason Cooley

64 Ideas for Your 2022 Halloween Bucket List

Do you love the spooky season? Are you looking to have more Halloween fun this October? Create a Halloween-themed bucket list with your family or friends. If you need inspiration, check out the following ideas for your 2022 Halloween bucket list.

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  1. Decorate for Halloween
  2. Make and send out Halloween cards.
  3. Visit your local pumpkin patch.
  4. Carve pumpkins.
  5. Bake pumpkin seeds.
  6. Try a new pumpkin recipe.
  7. Give out Boo gifts.
  8. Create a spooky playlist.
  9. Host or attend a Halloween party.
  10. Make your own Halloween costume.
  11. Try bobbing for apples.
  12. Read a thriller or horror novel.
  13. Go on a haunted hayride.
  14. Create and hang a spooky wreath.
  15. Hand out candy on Halloween night.
  16. Participate in Trunk-or-Treat
  17. Make Halloween slime.
  18. Make Halloween play dough.
  19. Purchase a Halloween mug for hot cocoa or mulled cider.
  20. Join or watch a zombie walk.
  21. Visit a haunted fun house.
  22. Attend a murder mystery dinner.
  23. Bake pumpkin bread.
  24. Hike a haunted trail.
  25. Navigate through a Halloween-themed corn maze.
  26. Create a Halloween tree.
  27. Go on a haunted tour.
  28. Look at local decorations.
  29. Eat a Halloween-themed meal by candlelight.
  30. Binge-watch the entire series of The Adams Family or the Munsters (or both)
  31. Host a bonfire and tell scary ghost stories.
  32. Create a Halloween-themed gingerbread house.
  33. Take an evening walk with flashlights. (Many local or state parks host events around Halloween)
  34. Watch: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
  35. Create a Halloween village.
  36. Paint a pumpkin.
  37. Wear Halloween colors: orange and black.
  38. Host a movie night with Halloween-themed snacks.
  39. Make Halloween masks.
  40. Visit an escape room.
  41. Do a Halloween-themed photoshoot.
  42. Host a Halloween crafting session.
  43. Make Soul Cakes.
  44. Write your own Halloween story.
  45. Go look at local Halloween decorations.
  46. Attend a Boo at the Zoo event.
  47. Host a Halloween scavenger hunt.
  48. Watch: “Hocus Pocus” 1 & 2
  49. Host a Halloween crafting session.
  50. Host a Witches’ Tea
  51. Attend a Pumpkin weigh-off competition.
  52. Dance to “Monster Mash” & “Thriller”
  53. Get your face painted at a local event.
  54. Wear Halloween pajamas.
  55. Eat candy corn.
  56. Make pumpkin pancakes.
  57. Bake Halloween cookies.
  58. Participate in a Halloween fun walk or Run 5K
  59. Make paper Mache pumpkins.
  60. Tie-dye a t-shirt orange and black.
  61. Go to a Halloween parade.
  62. Make popcorn balls.
  63. Make a costume for your pet.
  64. Paint Halloween-themed rocks to hide around the neighborhood.

Happy Halloween!

Drawing Prompts for Halloween

The spooky season is here! Are you ready to get creative? Drawing is a wonderful creative outlet for the entire family to enjoy. If you need inspiration on what to create, check out the following drawing prompts for Halloween.

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  1. Self-Portrait in a Halloween Costume
  2. Witch
  3. Witch’s Hat
  4. Cauldron
  5. Ghost
  6. Pumpkin Patch
  7. Jack O’Lantern
  8. Monsters or Creatures
  9. Magic
  10. Skeleton
  11. Halloween Scene
  12. Trick-or-Treaters
  13. Monster Party
  14. Mask
  15. Harvest
  16. Spooky Woods
  17. Haunted House
  18. Leaves (Colorful Foliage)
  19. Acorn
  20. Design a Trick-or-Treat Bag
  21. Scarecrow
  22. Mummy
  23. Webs with Spider
  24. Bat/Cat/Raven
  25. Vampire
  26. Graveyard
  27. Full Moon
  28. Owl
  29. Halloween Candy
  30. Artist’s Choice
  31. Happy Halloween!

Happy Drawing! Have a great Halloween!

Fall Edition: How to Be a Tourist In Your Hometown

Autumn is a wonderful time of year. The changing leaves and cooler temperatures are a major part of the fall season in the Northern Hemisphere. Exploring your hometown is one of the best ways to enjoy fall. Attend local outdoor events or on rainy days revisit past favorites. If you need inspiration on how to be a tourist in your hometown, check out the following for ideas.

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Research

When was the last time you spent wandering around your hometown or the surrounding area?

  • Begin by researching your hometown.  
  • Look for anything new that interests you.
  • Join social media groups that focus on your hometown or county. The shared information is a great resource.
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Check Seasonal Events for Autumn

The changing seasons bring new community events. The autumn events are generally a yearly occurrence.

  • Farmers’ Markets
  • Pumpkin weighing contests
  • Corn mazes
  • Haunted houses
  • Homecoming parades
  • Fairs and festivals
  • Craft shows
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Write a Local Bucket List

Approach your hometown like any other travel destination. Begin by making a list of places you want to see. Are you traveling solo or with family and friends? Travel buddies are a great way to enjoy your hometown experience with a new perspective.

  • Check out new restaurants, revisit childhood favorites, and go to art galleries, historical sites, or other interesting events.
  • Consider taking a different mode of transportation to get around your hometown. Ride the bus, rent an e-bike, or walk around your neighborhood. The change in transportation is a great way to see everyday sights from a new perspective.
  • Go ahead and use coupons for discounts on meals, tours, or admission costs.  Many coupons use free items as an incentive for spending a certain amount of money. Businesses use self-promoting products as a way to draw tourists to their locations.
  • Check out the tours of your local hometown attractions. Follow the tour guide throughout the museum or local sites. Every tour is a learning experience.
  • Buy postcards.
  • Take business cards.
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Document Your Travels

Do not forget your camera. Or use your phone to document your travels around your hometown.

  • Eat or get a beverage at a local café. Try the hometown special. If you are traveling solo, bring a small journal with you. Use the time at the cafe to write notes about your day’s experiences.
  • Take photos of everything. Even if you pass the place every day going to work or running errands, stop and take a photo. Try different angles. The final results may surprise you.
  • After each hometown adventure, create a scrapbook with photos, postcards, and notes.

Have fun! Enjoy your day acting like a tourist in your hometown.

40 Movies to Watch This Autumn

Autumn is the perfect season to snuggle under your favorite blanket and watch movies. Grab your favorite mug filled with hot chocolate, make popcorn with lots of butter, and find a new fall favorite. If you need inspiration, check out the following films to watch in autumn.

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  1. Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
  2. Little Women (2019)
  3. Love Story (1970)
  4. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
  5. Mystic Pizza (1988)
  6. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
  7. Soul Food (1997)
  8. Runaway Bride (1999)
  9. Roman Holiday (1953)
  10. A Walk to Remember (2002)
  11. Under an Autumn Moon (2018)
  12. The Lake House (2006)
  13. Casablanca (1942)
  14. Save the Last Dance (2001)
  15. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
  16. Rudy (1993)
  17. The Notebook (2004)
  18. Friday Night Lights (2004)
  19. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
  20. A Star Is Born (2018)
  21. St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
  22. October Sky (1999)
  23. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
  24. Home for Harvest (2020)
  25. P.S. I Love You (2007)
  26. Hoosiers (1986)
  27. Autumn in New York (2000)
  28. Maid in Manhattan (2002)
  29. Dead Poets Society (1989)
  30. Falling for Vermont (2017)
  31. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
  32. Sweet November (2001)
  33. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
  34. Autumn Stables (2018)
  35. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
  36. Love and Basketball (2000)
  37. Titanic (1997)
  38. The Blind Side (2009)
  39. Sylvie’s Love (2020)
  40. Love Actually (2003)

Do you have a favorite autumn movie? Happy watching!