There's something so inviting about the autumn season that brings us back to apples, pumpkins and good old fashioned family memories.

The colors, sounds and smells of fall are almost hypnotizing and we can't wait for autumn to be in full swing.

The holidays are closer than you think, but there's still plenty of time to make some memories with your family as we say an official farewell to summer.

Apple Picking

Most fall festivities begin with an annual trip to the apple orchard for some hand picked apples.

Gather up the kids and head over to a local apple orchard to pick your own apples. You'll leave with a wagon full of fresh, local apples to make some home made after school snacks.

Some orchards in the Little Rock area have fun events and playgrounds for kids, making it a great weekend day trip for kids of any age. Grab some fresh apple cider and donuts, and kick off the season with the crisp sweet flavors of Arkansas fall.

Pumpkin Picking

Once we are headed to the cool fall nights of October, it'll be the perfect time for some pumpkin picking! There's no question that this is the quintessential autumn activity, with some family pumpkin picking traditions lasting generations.

Visit one of the many family owned and operated pumpkin patches, and turn up your Halloween spirit! Motley's Pumpkin Patch is a central Arkansas favorite with plenty of activities for the kids to enjoy. Motley's has pumpkins of every shape and size, a petting zoo and even pig races!

Dress up the kids in their costumes or hand paint some sweatshirts to outfit your pumpkin picking team and wheel your wagon out to the pumpkin patch for some unforgettable fall memories!

Homemade Treats

With all the fresh harvests, some tasty fall recipes are in order.

Every family has some recipes that appear only this time of year and the smell of autumn spices in the kitchen is enough to reset your brain and thinking all things fall!

Take some fresh apples and make pies, cookies, applesauce for baby and some fresh apple crisp. There's nothing like homemade this time of year, so spend a day in the kitchen with your little ones making the recipes you grew up with.

Who can say no to some farm fresh baked goods?!

The smells of sweet spiced apples and pumpkins will rekindle nostalgia and get you feeling warm and cozy as you watch the leaves start to change!

Harvest Festivals

Summer isn't the only time of year for some state fair excitement.

The Arkansas/Oklahoma State Fair runs through the end of September into October 1st, giving you the perfect fall tradition to jump start the season with your family.

The excitement of the fair will captivate your little ones and bring you back to being a kid covered in powder sugar from fresh funnel cakes. The kids will love seeing all the animals and jumping on some classic carnival rides will give them a much needed break from the back to school routine.

Once the leaves start to fall, it's hard to not gear up your senses for the cozy experiences of autumn.

Certain fall smells and activities bring back sweet memories of family time and delicious treats, making the next two months the perfect opportunity to make memories with your kids and keep old fall traditions alive in your family.

Making Autumn Memories