With winter just a few months away, my kids and I want to make the most of our fall weekends this year and really soak up the season. What kinds of fun (yet easy-to-plan!) activities do you recommend?

Granted, it's hard not to love fall when you live in New England like I do, but no matter where you are, fall is the season to go apple picking: Beautiful weather, fresh air, delicious treats--what more could you ask for in a fall outing? To find an orchard in your area, call your local agricultural extension service or try searching online by region (www.yahoo.com). If you're like me, you'll invariably return from apple picking with a little too much of a good thing, so use up your bounty by making some treats--like a jar of applesauce, caramel apples, or a classic apple pie. Still have some left over? Try making an apple stamp bag, play a game of apple paring, or indulge in that old fall favorite, bobbing for apples. Incidentally, this outing and activities make a great fall party for kids--whether for a fall birthday or a school field trip.

Here are some of my other favorite picks for fall activities:

•Go for a hike
•Play some after-dinner games
•Host a game night
•Make a scarecrow
•Build a birdhouse Ann Hallock is the editor of FAMILYFUN, a magazine for parents of kids ages three to 12 that reaches 1.3 million readers monthly. She also contributed to the books FAMILYFUN CRAFTS, FAMILYFUN'S PARTIES and DISNEY'S FAMILY COOKBOOK, and appears regularly on television, including the PBS series, "Hands on Crafts for Kids."