5 Best Autumn Activities for Seniors
Fall in Houston isn’t like other parts of the U.S. (But then what about Texas is?) While this area might not get the colorful leaf changes like northern parts of the country, we don’t need a heavy coat and hat either. As the heat and mosquitos take a break, it’s a great time to get outside. Here are some enjoyable autumn activities for you and your family.
1. Harvest Fun
Traditionally fall has been the time of the harvest, which is why Thanksgiving is focused around food, but we’ll have more on that later. Fall, like retirement, is the time to enjoy all the effort and work you’ve done to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Here are some fall activities that celebrate work in some of the most refreshing ways.
- Wine-derful life: Enjoy the grape harvest with some fall wine varietals. Take advantage of the great weather and invite friends on an outdoor picnic or take in one of the area’s many wine and food festivals.
- Oktoberfest: Go to Houston’s Oktoberfest or just find a beer garden/patio of your own for some suds in the open air. There are a lot of great fall seasonal beers that will help you enjoy a flavorful fall. And a good, fresh pretzel always pairs nicely.
- Cider fest: If wine and beer aren’t your cup of tea, fall is also a great time to enjoy some apple cider at area cider festivals.
2. Football
Football is to Texas what fall is to football: you can’t have one without the other. During the fall, football is plentiful as high school, college and professional seasons kick off.
- Tailgating: You can enjoy a game almost any day of the week, but Friday, Saturday and Sunday still feature the most action. Go to a local game or plan a visit to your alma mater. If your plans don’t involve travel, invite friends over to cheer on your favorite teams.
- Backyard pigskin: Invite the grandkids over to play a fast-paced game of touch/flag football to pass on your love of the game.
3. Halloween
While summer may have fireworks and time at the beach or lake, fall has Halloween! Kick off the fall holiday season by getting ready for Halloween with these fun autumn activities for seniors.
- Mask-making: Invite the grandchildren over for a fun intergenerational project to make Halloween masks. For the project, pass out colorful markers for participants to fill in pre-printed masks.
- Trick-or-treater prep: Take the grandkids to a local pumpkin patch and paint your selections. Or, if they’re old enough, now might be a good time to introduce them to pumpkin carving. It’s also a great time to put out Halloween decorations and to do a candy taste test … for research purposes of course.
4. Thanksgiving
Getting together with family and friends makes Thanksgiving one of the very best holidays of the year. Not only is it a good time to pass on family traditions and recipes, it’s also a good time to reconnect with what matters most to you.
- Create a Gratitude Wall: Expressing gratitude has proven health benefits. Whether you’re hosting or attending a Thanksgiving celebration, try putting up a large sheet of paper for everyone to write down what they’re grateful for — even if it’s just a slice of pumpkin pie.
5. Great Outdoors
Fall is also the perfect time to enjoy what’s right outside your front door with one of these autumn activities for seniors.
- Naturally refreshing: With the cooler weather and lower humidity, one great autumn activity for seniors is taking a stroll through the neighborhood and relaxing in a local park. You can also just enjoy some time on your porch, patio or balcony.
- Fall planting: Believe it or not, fall is the best time to plant perennial flower bulbs, such as daffodils, tulips, allium and hyacinth, and you’ll have something to look forward to in the spring. The weather is also perfect for working in the resident vegetable garden.
A More Bountiful Life Awaits
At The Buckingham, fall is one of our favorite times of year. As Houston’s premier Life Care community, our culture is second to none — with top-notch services and amenities, and a world of opportunity for you to explore. Learn more about independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care.