An UPDATED for 2024 list of all the best fall things! Truth be told, in our house we move straight to Halloween after Labor Day...but we love all the scents and feels of fall so much (and need some manufactured help since moving to the west coast!) that I have enough content to pull out a list of items we love that are 100% fall (and 0% Halloween). So in case you're a September = Fall purist and want to jump right into feeling like you're in your boots and a sweater, drinking a PSL, while walking to a neighbors' bonfire... your mind swirling with oranges, yellows, reds, and browns... I've got you covered.
Fall Stuff for Kids
(1) Casita Sensory Table: is a local brand in Arizona, but they ship nationally. And boy does their owner (Emily) know how to get you in the MOOD for the seasons! For the sensory table, this year is all about apple pie! You should buy hers, but if you can't wait, I have a heavily influenced DIY version that I'll post this week.
(2) Fall Scents Playdough: If you're looking for a homemade playdough recipe with all the scents of fall, make your own! This recipe is super easy, and you can get as creative as you want!
(3) Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin Book: We like to store our seasonal books throughout the year so there is a lot of excitement when we bring them out for the holidays. We even have a special shelf right now for fall books. And this one is 100% a favorite. The littles love it, and our older kids love to read it to them... win, win. Will post more loved books in a few weeks.
(4) Kids' Fall Crafts: Did I mention I used to own a kids' cafe where I developed different craft classes... running different crafts four (!) times a week? That is a LOT of crafts to brainstorm and execute. And I loved it. You get to benefit from all that experience here.
The handprint leaf: uses minimal supplies and is super flexible. All you need is construction paper (or could even stretch and color some copy paper!), scissors, and glue. In terms of age... again, flexible! Have a 2 yr old? Pre-cut the leaves for them and just let them do all the gluing? A 4 yr old? May depend on their scissor skills (or their mood), but they can likely do most of this themselves (or at least until the 3rd leaf where they'll ask for help). And a 6 yr old? Take it and run my dear.
The tissue paper 'stained glass' leaf: was one of our most popular fall crafts at the cafe. One Saturday, we had 19 people sign up or this one. 19. And you know what? It was so simple and fun for the kids that it was actually possible to manage that level of chaos.
The apple owl: was a recent addition to our home craft rotation last year, thanks to my dad. The kids loved the first one so much that they refused to eat it, and we finally had to toss it when it was a deep, dark brown.
(5) Harry Potter: We know Harry Potter can be enjoyed all year, but there is something about the story during the fall/winter that is extra special! Of course, the most practical way to enjoy Harry Potter is by reading the full book with beautiful illustrations (good for reading out loud to my older kids) or watching the movies.... BUT if you are lucky enough to live near a Universal Studios (or 'close enough' for cheap flights), there is truly nothing in the world like drinking a butter beer while walking around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to transport you right into the fall season (and all the magic it brings). Use our perfect 24 Hours at Universal Studios LA itinerary here!
Fall Cleaning + Soaps
(6) Leaves Candles: I have been buying the 'Leaves' 3-wick candle for more than a decade (yeah....) from Bath + Body works. With my house basically being a zoo, I can't leave them lit all over the place like the 'old days', but one (strategically placed out of reach near the stove) is enough to fill the family room with that wonderful fall scent!
(7) Pumpkin Peanut Brittle Soap: Yes, I still use bar soap (in case anyone in Gen Z is reading this and thinks it's a typo). And I love to align the scents with the seasons... so here we are! A goat milk soap with a full on fall scent!
(8) Meyers Fall Leaves: So of course the hand soap must be in every bathroom. But the really unique part about this collection is actually the cleaning spray!! Even as you clean your counter you can immerse yourself in fall. The people at Target are nothing short of genius. I used to buy out the entire shelf when I owned a coffee shop + playspace. This year there are probably some left for you at Target since I'm mostly using them for my kitchen. :)
Fall Decor
(9) Mushroom Figures: Less practical but these new mushrooms go with so many different types of decor - which makes them great to keep or as a gift to spread the joy of fall!
(10) Antique Owls: Alright so this may be a little unfair to post this because it's likely you can't find it for yourself. BUT this is my intro (and there will be more coming) on one of my favorite hobbies - checking Instagram for antiques instead of garage sales and antique stores for treasures! These ladies (there are many but my current favs are Udarbe Studio, pickinandthriftin, and m.goods.etc, and vintagebytaftinteriors) are dedicated to sourcing the most unique finds and curating them in drops to make it super easy to shop!
Fall Foods
(11) Trader Joes: Who doesn't love perusing (should-to-shoulder with the rest of the city) their local Trader Joes during the holidays to find some seasonal goodies? In the moment it's a lot, but honestly it's worth it to us. It seems like every week they add something... so we must keep going back. If we're really craving pain (through peak anxiety) we'll let our 3 and 4 yr olds navigate with a kids' cart... good news is that Emily fills it up with the cutest striped mini colored pumpkins... bad news...the glares from anyone who gets their ankle clipped by their carts. Anyway, we love the chips shaped like fall leaves (fun to bring to a party with a dip) and are actually obsessed with the pumpkin pancake mix (it's gluten-free too!)... they'll make a few appearances this season on the blog!
(12) Fall Dinner Recipes: We have so many favorite autumn foods that we've created a new separate post for the best fall dinner recipes! We have six pastas (I mean, it is fall...) plus one bean, one pork, and one fish dish!
(13) Pumpkin Bread: This bread is super easy to make, and it is SO GOOD. We even added them to our bakery case in the fall at the cafe (in little pumpkin shaped muffins). And they made it into our full list of all time favorite fall recipes too.
Fall Drinks
(14) Pumpkin Beer/Cider: We love a good cider to welcome fall (Whole Foods has a good cider collection if you want to make it easy!), and we also like to buy local beer when we can. So here is Arizona, we found this Pumpkin Porter from FourPeaks - and it definitely has a strong taste of fall! They suggest pairing it with brats and gruyere, and I'm definitely on board.
(15) Original Apple Cider: This apple cider from Target is priced right and delicious. We use it both for adult fall drinks and a treat for the kids. Stock up though, as last year they seemed to sell out a few times! (PS The Trader Joes cider is also amazing, but we all know going to Target is easier... see #11 for proof.)
(16) Pumpkin Pie Syrup + Pumpkin Pie Sauce We have a few coffee drink options for you this year, and this one is probably closest to what you'll get at your local coffee shop - but it's also slightly more work than just a creamer. You can mix this sauce/syrup with a few shots of espresso or a cold brew, and then add in milk. Last year I went through an entire bottle of the pumpkin sauce (more expensive but also better flavor than the syrup) and had no regrets.
(17) Pumpkin Pie Spice: This goes out of stock quickly, but it's worth a drive to the next Target over. :) For $2, you can sprinkle some fall on everything all season! I use it every day on my homemade PSLs and also on banana bread... and even last year in a butternut squash crock pot soup!
(18) Stumptown Coraline Cold Brew: This is more fall-themed than fall flavored, but it's good coffee (Stumptown!) and I love looking at my girl Coraline all morning long. Note that as I'm writing this, I'm realizing this is maybe more Halloween than fall... but I'm too lazy to reformat the entire image... so you'll get to enjoy this one on two lists. :)
(19) Non-Dairy PSL Creamer: This is the definitely the easiest way to make a PSL at home. Sabrina introduced me to this in August, and we've gone through two bottles already! You just add it to any coffee, and voila - you have a PSL! I'm not sure it's really very healthy... but it feels healthy-ish since it's dairy-free.
(20) Apple Pie Chai: This is caffeine-free and amazingly delicious. I drink it almost every afternoon (when I've overdone it on all the coffee drinks above), and if I'm feeling decadent, I'll add a little spice and honey!
And that's a wrap on the pure fall goodies! If you were disappointed not to see any fall sweaters or boots... well, it's not just because I'm not a fashionista (which is also true). But it's also that, even on a cloudy/cold day in September, it still hits 90 degrees in Arizona... so that's just not my reality. Hence all the fall inside!
Let me know if we missed anything! We'll be posting about Halloween next... so stay tuned!!
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