Articlesofmotherhood

Fall walks are some of the coziest parts of the season. The crisp air, crunchy leaves, and colorful trees. But if you’re walking with a toddler, you already know… they don’t always enjoy just walking. That’s why I love having a few simple activities up my sleeve to keep little ones engaged (and moving forward!). Here are six easy, low-prep ideas you can try on your next fall walk!

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Activity #1 – Nature Animals

This one is always a hit with my 3-year-old. It’s such a simple, creative way to turn your fall walk into a little art project.

What You’ll Need:

• Scrap cardboard or cardstock paper
• A printed (or hand-drawn) outline of an animal (hedgehog, owl, squirrel. Anything with fur or feathers)
• Hole punch or scissors (a needle works as well)
• Tape (optional, for the alternative version)

How to Set It Up:

1. Print or draw your chosen animal on the cardstock or cardboard. A hedgehog is a great starter since its spiky back is perfect for adding texture.
2. Option A: Punch small holes along the hedgehog’s back so your child can poke leaves, petals, and other nature finds through the holes.
3. Option B: Cut out the hedgehog’s back out and cover the empty space with tape (sticky side up). Now your toddler can press leaves, flowers, and bits of nature right onto the sticky spot. *This is better for younger kids who don’t have the fine motor skills for the hole threading yet.
4. Head out on your fall walk and let your little one decorate their animal with the treasures they collect.

Notes:

• Laminate the animal or print on sturdier cardboard if you want to reuse it.
• Keep a small baggie or basket handy for collecting supplies along the way if they are more interested in the collecting than crafting.
• Works with any animal. Think owls with feather leaves, squirrels with leafy tails, or even a turkey for Thanksgiving season.
• If you want to do this one, no need to go out and buy cardboard. Just save scrap from packages and cut it to size or make bigger or smaller versions.

Why They’ll Love It:
Kids get to combine collecting nature treasures with hands on creativity. Toddlers especially love the instant gratification of sticking leaves and flowers onto something, and it helps them feel like they’re “building” or “decorating” their own animal friend. It’s part art project, part nature hunt, and a perfect way to keep little legs moving!

Activity #2 – Scavenger hunt

This is a tested favorite for toddlers (and older kids, too!). A scavenger hunt adds just enough adventure to your fall walk to keep little ones excited and moving forward. You can even pair it with the Nature Animals activity above by collecting items to decorate your animal. Honestly though, this one shines perfectly all on its own.

What You’ll Need:

• A simple list of nature items found in your area (leaves, acorns, pinecones, sticks, pumpkins, etc.)
• Optional: pictures for younger toddlers who aren’t reading yet
• Dry erase sleeves or clipboards for durability
• Optional: A clear bag or even better, one with holes so anything collected, the seeds can still drop.

How to Set It Up:

1. Before your walk, jot down or print a list of fall-themed nature items. For toddlers, keep it simple: a red leaf, a feather, a pinecone. For older kids, get more specific: “a leaf bigger than your hand” or “A 3 pointed leaf”
2. Slip the list into a dry erase sleeve (or page protector) and bring along a dry erase marker. This makes it reusable for future walks!
3. As you walk, let your toddler check off each item when they spot it an put it in their bag. Cheer them on to keep them motivated.

Notes:

• You can create themed hunts. “Colors of Fall” (find something red, yellow, orange, brown) or “Textures in Nature” (smooth rock, crunchy leaf, soft feather).
• Keep it low-pressure. Toddlers love the hunt itself, even if they don’t find everything on the list.
• For littles, pointing and saying “Look!” is just as fun as actually marking the list.
• You can make this an actual collection if you want, my 3-year-old loves to bring her treasures home with her and showcase them.

Why They’ll Love It:
Toddlers thrive on having a “job” to do, and a scavenger hunt turns a simple walk into a mini adventure. They’ll stay engaged because they’re actively searching for treasures, not just walking. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak in learning with them. They can focus on colors, counting, and observation skills without the fear of it feeling like schoolwork.

Activity #3 – Fall “I spy” board

If your toddler loves spotting things from the stroller or pointing out every dog on your walk, this one’s for you. An “I Spy” board is a fun twist on a fall scavenger hunt. Instead of collecting nature items, your little one gets to spot them along the way.

What You’ll Need:

• A simple list or board with “I Spy” prompts (words or pictures) – You can do it without the list but the list is more fun!
• Optional: dry erase sleeve to make it reusable

How to Set It Up:

1. Make a list of things your child can spot on a walk in your area. Try to think of things you frequently see so they don’t get frustrated. Squirrels, birds, leaves, pumpkins on porches, acorns, or even other people (man with a hat, another child in a stroller, etc)
2. Add in color specific prompts for extra learning: “a red leaf,” “a blue bird,” “a brown bunny,” “a yellow flower.”
3. Slip the list into a dry erase sleeve (or use a clipboard) so your toddler can check things off as they go.

Notes:

• Keep it age-appropriate. For toddlers, stick with big, noticeable items (dog, leaf, car, bird). For older kids, challenge them with details (a leaf with spots, two squirrels chasing one another, a patterned pumpkin, a bee on a flower).
• Works great in neighborhoods, parks, or nature trails. Anywhere your walk takes you.
• You can play this without a board too! Just call out prompts as you go: “I spy something red!”

Why They’ll Love It:
Toddlers love having a “mission” while walking, and this game gives them a chance to use their observation skills. It turns an ordinary walk into a playful challenge and sneaks in color recognition and vocabulary practice, too. Plus, it’s flexible. Sometimes you’ll finish your list, other times you’ll just enjoy the fun of spotting a few special things together.

Activity #4 – Leaf Caterpillar/bug

This is such a sweet and simple fall walk activity for toddlers, and it doubles as a nature craft. All you need is a little prep before you head outside, and the rest of the fun happens along the trail.

What You’ll Need:

• Scrap cardboard or cardstock
• Masking tape or painter’s tape
• Marker or crayon

How to Set It Up:

1. On your cardboard or paper, draw the head of a caterpillar (or any bug your toddler loves. Ladybugs, butterfly body, beetles).
2. Place strips of masking tape or painter’s tape sticky-side up where the bug’s body should go. Or easier if you just take the roll and tape it on when they find it.
3. While walking, encourage your toddler to collect leaves, petals, and other little treasures from the ground to build the bug’s body. Each leaf becomes a “segment” of the caterpillar! (Or a design on wings)

Notes:

• Painter’s tape works best because it peels off easily and doesn’t rip the paper.
• For sturdier play, mount or draw your bug drawing on cardboard instead of paper.
• You can keep the project as a cute fall keepsake or peel it apart and redo it next walk.

Why They’ll Love It:
Toddlers are natural collectors, and this activity gives them a hands-on way to use their treasures right away. Building a caterpillar from leaves makes the walk more interactive, encourages creativity, and sneaks in early science connections about bugs and nature. Plus, it’s low-prep, low-mess, and guaranteed to spark a little excitement when they see their bug with colorful fall leaves that they found themselves.

Activity #5 – Build a Sensory Jar

This is the perfect way to wrap up your walk. Turning your toddler’s treasures into a take-home keepsake they can keep exploring. A sensory jar makes the fun last long after the walk is over.

What You’ll Need:

• A plastic jar with a wide mouth like this one (safer and easier for toddlers than glass)
• Optional: water, rice, or beans to fill the jar once you’re home

How to Set It Up:

1. Bring a clean, empty plastic jar on your walk.
2. Encourage your toddler to collect items that would make a fun sensory jar. Think acorns, small pinecones, crunchy leaves, feathers, or tiny sticks.
3. Once you’re home, decide how you want to use it:
   • Leave the jar “as is” for a simple nature collection.
   • Add water for a floating effect.
   • Add rice, beans, or sand for a shaker-style sensory jar.

Notes:

• Wide mouth jars work best so little hands can easily drop treasures inside.
• For younger toddlers, you can guide them to find items that make interesting sounds or textures, pair this with the scavenger hunt above!
• Secure the lid with tape or glue when finished if your child likes to open and dump things.

Why They’ll Love It:
Toddlers adore filling, dumping, and shaking containers, so this activity taps right into their natural play style. A sensory jar also gives them a sense of ownership over their collection. It’s their jar, filled with treasures they found all by themselves. Plus, once you’re home, it doubles as a calming activity: shake it, roll it, or just look at all the beautiful colors and textures from your fall walk.

Activity #6: Stick Actions Game

This one is such a fun way to get toddlers moving on a fall walk and it’s perfect for burning off that endless kid energy. With just a few popsicle sticks and a bag, you’ve got yourself a portable movement game.

What You’ll Need:

• A handful of popsicle sticks
• Marker
• Small bag, cup, or bottle to hold the sticks

How to Set It Up:

1. Write a different action on each stick. Keep it simple and playful:
   • “Fly like an airplane”
   • “Hop like a bunny”
   • “Crawl like a crab”
   • “Run fast like a cheetah”
   • “Stomp like a dinosaur”
2. Place all the sticks in a bag or bottle.
3. While walking, let your toddler pull a stick and act out the movement until they’re ready for the next one. (If you want you can use a timer for the number of actions to make sure they don’t fly through every one like my 3 year old tries to do)

Notes:

• Great for siblings or playdates, kids can take turns choosing a stick.
• Works indoors, too! If the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can bring this activity inside.
• Adjust difficulty for age: toddlers love animal actions, while older kids might enjoy more challenging moves like “balance on one foot” “Walk the tightrope” or “walk backward.”

Why They’ll Love It:
This game turns a regular fall walk into a silly, active adventure. Toddlers love pretending to be animals, and the surprise of drawing a new stick keeps them engaged the whole way. It’s also a sneaky way to build coordination, gross motor skills, and imagination, all while getting fresh air and exercise.

Are you going to try these?

Toddlers are full of energy, curiosity, and let’s be honest, short attention spans. This is exactly why a little creativity goes a long way. With activities like scavenger hunts, sensory jars, and pretend play, your fall walks become more than just exercise… they turn into memory-making adventures. The best part? Most of these ideas are free or low cost, flexible, and can be enjoyed over and over again. So grab a sweater, step outside, and let your next fall walk be one your toddler looks forward to.

Here is a list of our favorite toddler activity items and supplies.

Which of these toddler walk activities will you try first?

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