5 easy ways to create family moments of joy this fall

There's something special about fall: The refreshing coolness in the air, changing colors and cozy nights with your family all create wonderful opportunities to share moments of carefree joy together. Whether it's a beautiful day to get outside or a chilly day you'd rather spend indoors, you can find plenty of ways to enjoy the season with your family.

Here are some tips to get you started on your fall adventures and experiences this year.

1. Warm up the evening

Now’s the perfect time to get your fireplace ready for those chilly nights ahead so you can all sit around the fire enjoying hot cocoa or catching up on the day. A homey fire adds warmth and a special touch to family evenings, turning ordinary nights into memorable moments.

Enhance the warmth of these cozy nights by the fire with delicious treats the whole family will enjoy. Try warming up a few soft and fluffy Hostess^® Meltamors^™ cakes that feature a melting center of chocolate or caramel that flows like 'lava' after just a few seconds in the microwave. Inspired by warm restaurant desserts, these snacks help create unforgettable special moments with your family.

2. Embrace family game night

Shorter days with more time spent indoors offer the perfect opportunity to start a game night tradition or restore a previous tradition that may have fallen by the wayside over the summer. You can include board games, card games or jigsaw puzzles in the mix. Rotate which family member chooses the activity each week, so everyone gets a say in what you play, and choose a night that doesn't conflict with kids' sports or other activities.

3. Find kid-friendly fall experiences near you

Wherever you live, explore local family-friendly events and venues like apple orchards where you can pick your own apples, select fall pumpkins at a pumpkin patch, navigate a corn maze or go on a hayride. The season goes by in a flash, so make sure to put at least one of these fun activities on your calendar right away for a memorable experience together.

Bring along some individually wrapped Hostess Meltamors chocolate cakes to make your autumn adventure even more special. Visit HostessCakes.com/where-to-buy to find out where to buy Meltamors and other Hostess snacks near you.

4. Turn nature walks into crafting opportunities

Go on nature walks with your kids to look for beautiful leaves, bringing along bags to collect them. You can get a flower press to dry and flatten the leaves or place them inside a large book between sheets of wax paper (and pile on more books to help them flatten better).

After a couple of days, get out the art supplies and let your kids get creative, using the leaves to make pictures and decorations. Kids can glue or paste leaves to tissue paper or wax paper in a pattern to hang in the window, trace or create rubbings or prints using paints, chalk or crayons, or glue them on paper and draw a scene around them — let their imaginations go wild!

Tip: To dry out leaves quickly without a flower press, put them between paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds. Check the leaves and heat again if they aren't as dry as you'd like.

4. Get creative with pumpkin decorating

Trade in the carving knives for paintbrushes and try decorating your pumpkins with paint, glitter or other fun craft supplies. This is a great family activity and is a lot less messy than carving. Display your decorated pumpkins on the porch or around the house to add some seasonal joy to your home.

5. Make the most of outdoor play

Fall isn't fall until you've raked up a giant pile of leaves in the yard. Let your kids help out, and make sure they have a chance to jump in the pile and/or build a "fort" with the leaves.

After the leaves are cleared, you'll have open space on the lawn so you can all play a game of flag football, tag — or whatever yard games they enjoy most.

With these ideas as inspiration, you can create your own special family memories by doing things you love this fall. Remember, the most important thing is the time you spend together as a family.