Fun Fall Activities For Families With Children

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

15 Sep 2007 11:52 PM

My 3-year-old daughter can't wait for Halloween. She is just now grasping the concept that on October 31st, knocking on someone's door yields candy. The day we picked out her costume she said to me: "Mommy, you come with me. I ding-dong the door and get M&Ms."

Pretty much.

When she's not thinking about all the free candy she plans to haul in, she's counting down the days until we make our annual trip(s) to various local pumpkin patches. I've decided to take her to more than one this year since we live in close proximity to some real winners.

If you live in the Midwest you might consider heading out to one of these exceptional sites that cater to families with children:

Richardson Corn Maze in Spring Grove, Illinois

Richardson's is home to the World's Largest Corn Maze. (Need I say more?) It is an incredible attraction made up of four gigantic mazes--all four create a massive portrait (the views from the sky are spectacular). There are 3 bridges and 24 checkpoints in the 28.5-acre maze, which is designed for adults and older children. There is also a smaller 5-acre maze for younger kids with 6 checkpoints. In addition, there are wagon rides, food booths, a great wooded picnic area (you are allowed to bring your own meals and snacks), pumpkins and a 50-foot giant slide. The maze is open from Wednesday-Sunday until the end of October.

Johansen Farms and Children's Zoo in Bolingbrook, Illinois

The reason I love Johansen's is that one price gives you access to all the activities. Your kids can participate in them once or a hundred times and you don't have to worry about buying tickets or getting change. What's more, the farm and children's zoo is legendary in these parts. It has been around for nearly 30 years and is perfect for families with younger children. The Johansen's tout their attraction as being "all fun and no fright." (Perfect for 3-year-olds.)

Their pumpkin patch boasts more than 25,000 pumpkins and the children's zoo is stocked with more than 500 animals. After you pick out the perfect pumpkin your child can play with a goat or cradle a baby chick, ride a pony, jump on a hayride or take a train ride of the property. For older kids there is a 2-story air slide and obstacle course. And for toddlers there is a special play area with bouncers and mini-obstacle courses.

The farm also has a bakery and gift shop where you can pick out homemade pies, fresh fudge, jams, jellies, taffy apples, fresh apple cider and more. You can also pick up a host of natural Halloween decorations including corn stalks, Indian corn, and straw bales.

County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana

This is the closest u-pick apple orchard and pumpkin patch to downtown Chicago. Wagons take you out to the orchard so you can pick apples and pumpkins, and once you are done you can stroll over to the 12-acre corn maze. There's also a small petting zoo, a storytelling area and a Country Store where you can purchase fresh donuts, cider, pies, and candy. Other popular features are the Friday and Saturday night campfire and haunted hayrides.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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