Autumn in Australia runs from March to May, but the spirit of it — crisp mornings, turning leaves in the parts of the country that get them, a sudden craving for soup — arrives in September in the southern states as winter loosens its grip and the world starts to look alive again.
Or maybe I’m just tired of winter and calling September “early autumn” to cope.
Either way, here are 101 things to do with your family this season. None of them require a budget, a Pinterest account, or any particular level of organisation. They just require showing up.
Go for a walk and collect 10 interesting leaves
Have a family movie night with homemade popcorn
Write a letter to a grandparent (an actual letter, with a stamp)
Make a big pot of soup for dinner
Visit a local park you’ve never been to before
Play a board game after dinner instead of watching TV
Bake ANZAC biscuits
Go to your local library and let each child pick five books
Have a picnic in the backyard
Plant some seedlings in the garden (tomatoes are good for spring) — and if the change of season has you itching to freshen up the house, a free printable spring cleaning checklist can help you tackle it room by room
Make your own playdough with the kids
Visit a local farmer’s market
Try a new recipe together
Have breakfast for dinner (eggs and toast at 6pm is underrated)
Go stargazing on a clear night
Draw portraits of each other
Build a cubby house from blankets and chairs
Go for a bike ride
Visit the beach — autumn beaches are less crowded and deeply underrated
Read a chapter book aloud together before bed
Look through old family photos and tell stories
Make homemade pizza and let the kids top their own
Have a no-screens afternoon
Visit a local farm or pick-your-own orchard
Teach a child to sew on a button
Write a family gratitude list
Make a bird feeder from a recycled bottle
Go to a local footy game (AFL, rugby, whichever is your code)
Have a garden scavenger hunt
Spend an afternoon at the art gallery
Make fairy bread for afternoon tea
Learn a card game you don’t already know
Rearrange your bookshelves
Go to a Sunday market
Make your own bookmarks
Start a family journal
Do a jigsaw puzzle together
Have a “yes day” (say yes to the first five things they ask)
Visit the botanical gardens
Make pancakes for Saturday morning breakfast
Write thank-you notes to teachers
Donate unused toys to an op shop — if the decluttering bug bites, these quick decluttering tips for overwhelmed mums will help you clear the rest of the house without losing momentum
Go on a nature walk and identify birds
Make a time capsule to open in five years
Have a colouring-in afternoon
Learn to make your grandmother’s recipe for something
Watch the sunrise
Have a family talent show
Create a family bucket list for the season
Make a scrapbook of a recent family event
Go to a community event or festival
Cook a meal from a different culture
Do something kind for a neighbour
Start a puzzle that lives on the coffee table all month
Have a hot chocolate night
Read a biography of someone interesting to your kids
Make a paper chain and add a link each day you do something kind
Go to an open garden if there’s one in your area
Visit a museum
Plant a herb garden
Have a family trivia night
Let the kids plan and cook dinner (with supervision)
Knit or crochet something small
Go to a live music event
Make a leaf print collage
Have a reading marathon — see how many chapters you can get through in a day — and if you need something for yourself while the kids read, this list of comfort reads worth picking up for mums has some excellent options
Sort through winter clothes and donate what no longer fits
Have friends over for dinner
Make your own granola
Go to an op shop and find something unexpected
Write a poem about your family
Have a no-sugar week
Explore a suburb you’ve never walked around before
Make origami animals
Go to the cinema for a morning session (cheaper!)
Have afternoon tea properly — with a pot and real cups
Do a random act of kindness every day for a week
Make jam if you can get your hands on cheap fruit
Build something out of cardboard boxes
Go camping in the backyard
Have a clean-out of your pantry and donate non-perishables to a food bank
Start a nature journal
Learn five new facts about Australian wildlife
Visit a historical site near you
Have a candlelit dinner at home
Make your own birthday cards for the next few months
Go to a different church or community group to see what you can learn
Start a pen pal correspondence with a cousin interstate
Have a family dance in the lounge room
Make a bird bath for the garden
Learn to meditate or try a quiet prayer practice
Have a screen-free morning every week
Make your own bread
Have a photography walk — everyone takes five photos of something beautiful
Plan a family day trip somewhere new
Make a wish list for Christmas (it’s not too early)
Invite an elderly neighbour for morning tea
Tell each person in your family one specific thing you love about them — and if you want to build more of these moments into your regular routine, here are 25 simple family traditions kids will remember
Sit in the garden with a book and just… be
That’s the list! Not all 101 will suit your family. Pick ten that feel doable and do those. That’s already a pretty excellent autumn.
Australian mum, blogger, and champion of ordinary days. I write about faith, family, homemaking, and the small joys that make life worth slowing down for.
