Enjoy Some Unplugged Family Time this Fall in Des Moines

Unplugged family time can be fun, rewarding, and memorable.  Spending time outdoors, cooking as a family, creating simple crafts are the moments your kids will cherish and remember.  Think about scheduling a family day this autumn, with limited or no screen time (gasp!).  To help you out with your planning, dsm4kids has put together some simple, accessible ideas for engaging, offline family fun.

Looking for even more ideas for family time fun? Check out our Event Calendar and Fall Fun Guide.

Here’s a few unplugged fall family time activity ideas:

Unplugged Fall Outdoor Activity – Create an Autumn Rainbow

On a sunny, low-wind autumn day, head out around your neighborhood, to a local park or trail to collect colorful fallen leaves.  Bring along a basket, bucket, or bags to collect the leaves while you walk.  Once you’ve collected the leaves, find a flat spot to serve as your canvas.  Arrange leaves by color and assemble them into a rainbow pattern.  Don’t forget to stand back and admire your work and take a few photos or selfies.

Fall Recipe to Make as a Family – Homemade Applesauce

Whether you pick your apples off a backyard tree, at the grocery store, local orchard or farmers’ market, fresh autumn apples beg to be cooked into applesauce.  Choose crisp, tart apples for the best flavor.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 ¾ cups water, divided
6 medium-size apples (about 2 lbs)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 to 4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine lemon juice and 6 cups of water in a large bowl.
2. Wash, peel and core apples.  Roughly chop them into 1-inch pieces and place them in the lemon juice bath to prevent browning. Once all apples are peeled and chopped, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a medium-sized cooking pot.
3. Add the remaining ¾ cup of water and place the pot, uncovered, over medium heat.  Cook until the water begins to simmer.
4. Stir in cinnamon.  Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low.
5. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the apples every few minutes.  Add more water ¼ cup at a time, as needed, if the water in the pot has evaporated.
6. Once the apples are soft, remove the pot from the heat.  Cool a spoonful of the sauce and taste it, adding honey or maple syrup as desired to sweeten the sauce.  Enjoy warm or cold.
7. Refrigerate leftover in an airtight container and enjoy within 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Family Friendly Fall Craft Idea – Scented Play Dough

Who doesn’t remember playing with playdough as a child?  Kids (and adults) can spend hours at the kitchen table sculpting and playing with it.  By making your own, you can add another sensory level beyond just the tactile, with scent. 

Ingredients:

½ cup water
¼ cup white whole-wheat flour, plus more for kneading
2 tablespoons table salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon olive oil or other liquid cooking oil
4 drops essential oil of your choice, try lavender, orange, lemon, lime (optional)

Natural Colorants:

1 ½ teaspoons dry hibiscus tea (for burgundy)
1 ¼ teaspoons matcha powder (for green)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder (for yellow)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, bring water to a boil.  Add natural colorant as desired (if using).  Cover the pan and let steep for 20 minutes. (Will need to do this separately for each color.)
2. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, stir together flour, salt and cream of tartar to combine.
3. Add the tinted water and olive oil to dry mixture and stir to combine.  (If using loose tea as a colorant, strain the tea leaves, before adding to mixture.)
4. Place the pan over medium heat and cook the dough mixture, stirring constantly.
5. As the mixture cooks, it will become a thick paste.  When it starts to stick to the pan, reduce the heat to low and keep stirring.  As the mixture thickens it will come together in a smooth ball of dough with no remaining liquid.  Total cooking time will be 2 to 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and let the dough cool for 5 to 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle comfortably.
7. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it.  Knead until smooth.
8. If scenting your dough, divide the dough, form it into a ball and make a dent in it,  add 4 drops of essential oil.  Fold the dough around the essential oil and carefully knead and fold to work the scent throughout. 
9. Refrigerate your finished play dough in a tightly lidded container for up to 12 months.  Let come to room temperature, as needed, for easier shaping.

What unplugged activities does your family enjoy doing together during the fall season?