The Pumpkin Patch: It’s a Gourd Time

Let’s carve out some fall fun by visiting a pumpkin patch! Grab your pumpkin spice latte, put on your straw hat and fall colors, and head out with some friends to the pumpkin patch. Not only are pumpkin patches BOO-tiful picturesque places, they are usually full of family-fun activities and great for making memories and traditions with your kids. We go multiple times every fall - to multiple pumpkin patches! I’ve even driven 1.5 hours to get to one in order to have a unique experience in a Wizard of Oz corn maze!

Experiences

Usually pumpkin patches offer unique activities and experiences that vary depending on location. They could have any of these activities, such as a petting zoo, little ponies to ride, a tractor or hay ride, goats to feed, hay or corn maze, farm stand, corn cannon, rope swing, fudge and taffy store, apple pie and cider, live musicians, festivals on the weekends, and more. Each one is different in what it offers. Just search online, on Facebook groups, and among friends - you may find a nice long drive along tree-lined streets and country roads may be just what the doctor ordered in this Covid season of life.

Friend Fun

Every year we go to at least one pumpkin patch as a family, with friends, and with our Coop Group. We’ve visited locally and also one about 45 minutes away. Last year our Coop group had a blast at a patch in Ramona, CA. We had about eight homeschool Coop moms plus our kids. Yes, one of our littlest ones did get lost in the corn maze, but we banded together and went out on a kid hunt and found him. With friends, each activity feels like an event! The corn cannon alone probably lasted about 30 minutes, and it was fun to see how well our friends aimed at the various targets.

Activity Book

With having so many friends attending, we decided to create a little Pumpkin Patch Activity Book that helped our kids interact with each other and the pumpkin patch in a memorable way. The books’s scavenger hunt was a hit - our children teamed up and scoured the patch looking for the animals and other points of interest, getting to see all there was to do and observe. The activity book also offered other activities such as a word search, our own version of Mad Libs, a crossword puzzle, and coloring pages as well. There was something for everyone of every age, and it came in really handy while our kids waited for their turn at the corn cannon. The Mad Libs brought lots of laughs for our kids when we dined at a Mexican restaurant afterwards. It really brought joy to all of us moms.

What to Bring

Besides the activity book (plus clipboard and colored pencils), you may want to bring a wagon, snacks, water, a blanket to sit on, and cash (in case they don’t take cards). I also recommend bringing a tablecloth to snag your group’s picnic table and for a clean-feeling, festive table. Also, if driving into the country, make sure you have a full tank of gas.

When to Go

When you go on a weekday in most fall seasons, you will see maybe a few field trip groups, but will mostly have many patches to yourself. Traditional school field trip groups typically leave after lunch time so that they can arrive back home before the last bell of the day. So, typically, in the afternoon after 1 PM the patches are pretty vacant. Weekdays may not have the bounce houses, food trucks, or live musicians though, since a number of those activities cater to the crowds. On the weekends, patches can be way more crowded with parking fees, entry traffic, and long lines - but the weekends typically will offer the full fare of amusement and activities. If you arrive right before they open, you might have a better chance of less crowds.

Pumpkin patches can be a simple and delightful farm stand, a country experience, or they can be a fun-filled, fall amusement park - but either which way - it appeals to almost all the senses and makes for a great school day. Whenever you choose to go, it will be fab-BOO-lous. One more thing…don’t forget to get your pumpkin!