Rake in the fun

September 16, 2009

Fall means a yard full of leaves, but cleaning them up doesn't have to be such a chore.

Rally the family and neighbors for a raking competition. Hold contests between each household measuring raking or bagging speed.

Add some more fun to the game by making a communal leaf pile and see who can cause the biggest "splash" when jumping into it. You may want to design a trophy for the winning family and make leaf-raking Olympics an annual event.

While they're raking and jumping, encourage the kids to collect a few of their favorite leaves and take digital photos during the day. After the chores are done, bring all of them inside to seal their favored foliage with contact paper. Have each child label their leaves with their name, the date and the type of tree it came from. Later, you can use these leaves and your photos to make a scrapbook capturing the day's fun.

Reward everyone with cider and fall treats, such as pumpkin bars or candied apples. If your neighborhood allows, have a bonfire in the backyard and tell ghost stories to warm everyone up.