It’s Fall in the Stateline! The air is getting crisp, the leaves are changing colors, and we’re excited about enjoying all of the local fun.
We’ve put together a list of local places, attractions, and events for you to have some Fall fun this year. Get outside and enjoy the season!
Some of these activities are free, some are low cost, and others you can do at home!
We hope you have an awesome Autumn!
If you do things on this list, let us know! We’d love to see your photos. Tag @Stateline_Kids on Instagram or Stateline Kids on Facebook! Use the hashtag #play815. We’ll be picking our favorite photos to share on social media and we’ll send you a sticker if we use yours!
Happy Fall 2024, Stateline Families!
1. Get a donut and apple cider from your favorite apple orchard! Here’s a list of apple orchards in the Stateline to visit. Which one is your favorite?
2. Pick a pumpkin from one of our local pumpkin patches.
3. Visit one new playground in each city before the snow flies!
4. Pick up a Fall t-shirt at Rockford Art Deli!
5. Have Soup Sunday! Let the kids pick their favorite soup from the grocery store or make a homemade version from scratch. One of our favorites is Lasagna Soup.
6. Roast the perfect marshmallow over a campfire on a chilly night. Here are some tips on how to do it.
7. Visit the Discovery Center Museum on a rainy day.
8. Try a game of disc golf. Try the new course at Shorewood Park in Loves Park that was installed in 2021.
9. Go apple picking at one of the area’s five Rockford area orchards.
10. Get cozy in a massive pillow and blanket fort in the living room. Here are some tips.
11. Do a nature scavenger hunt at Severson Dells and play in The Grove Nature Playscape.
12. Put a blanket on the lawn and stargaze. Here are the constellations you can see in the Fall.
13. Watch your favorite Fall or Halloween movie with kids. Try The Nightmare Before Christmas, Monster House, Hocus Pocus, and Halloweentown.
14. Celebrate Fall at Klehm by attending Eerie Autumn Lights from October 3 – 31st.
15. Take a hike at Rock Cut State Park to see the changing leaves.
16. Go geocaching around the Stateline area. Here’s how to do it.
17. Go feed animals, including cute goats, at Edward’s Apple Orchard West.
18. Collect some leaves and make some beautiful leaf rubbings.
19. Visit the Historic Auto Museum in Roscoe to see a ton of historical vehicles, displays, and more!
20. Try not to get lost in one of these corn mazes an hour from Rockford.
21. Take a weekend trip to visit the animals at Summerfield Zoo.
22. Pack up a cheese plate and picnic outside at one of these great local picnic spots.
23. Stroll through the beautiful Anderson Japanese Gardens. Their last donation two donation days of the year are September 19th and October 17th.
24. Make a delicious apple crumble from local apples. Here’s a recipe with great reviews.
25. Add a little joy to your city by painting and hiding kindness rocks.
26. Put on a costume and go to one of the Trunk or Treats happening throughout October. – Coming soon!
27. Visit the Growing Home exhibit at Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens before it’s gone in October.
28. Find something fun to do in September on our calendar.
29. Enjoy a delicious gourmet caramel apple from Sugar Britches.
30. Get some family photos taken surrounded by the beauty of the changing leaves.
31. Rake up a giant leaf pile and jump on in!
32. Visit some of downtown Rockton’s adorable shops including DeeDee’s Main Street Coffee.
33. Download the Rockford Public Art Passport and check out more than 70 pieces of public art.
34. Go camping in your backyard or one of our local forest preserves.
35. Make a giant pot of chili and let your kids help you cook! Here’s a recipe we love!
36. Have an apple bobbing contest at home. Fill up a bucket with water and try to bob for apples. Be sure parents are supervising at all times!
37. Enjoy Fall Fun on the Farm at Lockwood Park on October 19 – 20. Families can take wagon rides, participate in the pony experience, and feed the animals in the Children’s Barn. Cost ranges from $4-8 per activity.
38. Teach the kids how to finger knit. You can learn how here.
39. Take a bike ride down the Rock River Recreation Path to enjoy the cool weather and beautiful leaves.
40. Visit a local Fall Farmers Market and pick up some fall produce before they wrap up for the year.
41. Try something pumpkin-spiced with your kids! There are lots of new pumpkin-spiced items in stores this year including Pumpkin Spice Twinkies, Hostess Cupcakes, Little Bites, Jet Puff marshmallows and more!
42. Get everyone a new sweater for the Fall.
43. Make an apple stamp and stamp it on paper bags to use as Fall decorations.
44. Make a pinecone bird feeder for our migrating friends.
45. Take a tour of the Farmers Rising and meet the animals there.
46. Fly a kite at Prairie Fields in Belvidere.
47. Make a pile of leaves at the bottom of a slide and let kids enjoy the fall-themed ride!
48. Make Halloween themed popcorn balls. Here’s a recipe.
49. Make squirrels out of toilet paper tubes.
50. Get some energy out at a local trampoline park or ninja gym.
51. Take a tour of the reportedly haunted Tinker Swiss Cottage.
52. Toss around the football outside.
53. Make homemade Instapot apple sauce with local apples.
54. Visit one of the smallest, and least known Arboretums, Rockford Arboretum!
55. Throw your own kid-friendly Oktoberfest at home by making German recipes and playing German folk music.
56. Take a trip to an indoor waterpark to pretend it’s summer for the weekend. Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan has a great one!
