When the air gets crisp and you begin to pull your fall layers out of the closet, you can take advantage of the beautiful outdoor weather by visiting local farms to pick pumpkins. Whether you visit to spend time together as a family or to support a local business, there are many reasons a pumpkin patch is a wonderful fall destination.

6 Reasons To Visit A Pumpkin Patch

When I shared my family’s photos from visiting a pumpkin farm on my Instagram page recently, some people were surprised that visiting a pumpkin patch was a popular activity for families around Halloween time. Although when I was growing up, I never partook in this activity, I have enjoyed bringing my children to a local spot to pick pumpkins for the past three years. Check out six reasons why you should take your child to a local pumpkin patch.

1. To Get Outside As A Family

When the weather gets cooler, it’s easy to forget to exercise. Get in an invigorating walk, while also spending time together as a family. Doing a healthy group activity is inspiring to the whole family. From toddlers to teens, families love doing this outdoor activity together.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

At Larriland Farm where we visited, it was quite a trek from one side to the other! This was a good reminder to all of us that even though we don’t have a Disney vacation to get fit for (you can check out this throwback article for more info), we should still be getting outside more often for some light exercise at least a few days a week.

2. To Show Your Children Nature

If your children don’t explore the outdoors frequently, they can get a unique opportunity to discover nature. Seeing how pumpkins grow out of the ground and are attached to vines is very educational!

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

While visiting a pumpkin patch, your children can run free and make discoveries independently. This is a great opportunity for children to think about the things that they find and what these items do in nature.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

In fall, my children get into the routine of doing indoor activities. Seeing your children go outside and enjoy the outdoors is a wonderful and incredible activity, both for them and for you.

3. To Enjoy The Beautiful, Little Moments

Moms need to take time to enjoy the beautiful, little moments in life. For many moms, this means relaxing with a coffee or having “Me” time that you don’t spend with your family. If you visit a pumpkin patch, you can take a few moments for yourself to see the small and lovely parts of nature that you would usually overlook.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

You don’t have to leave your family behind to get some quiet time. The kids will be so busy and happy playing in the field, that they’ll give you plenty of space.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

Some of the best moments are when you see your children playing. I loved finding candid moments when my daughters made each other laugh. When both girls tried to sit on one pumpkin to post for a picture and fell off, I couldn’t help but snap a photo of how giddy and happy they were.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

Visiting a pumpkin patch can be a very simple weekend activity that doesn’t require a lot of planning. We skipped the hayride and other activities to make this a quick and easy way to spend the afternoon.

4. To Teach Your Children About Working Outside

From the second we arrived, my children ran off with smiles, but quickly, they realized how much work it was to be in a field of pumpkins! Even running took work since the vines were everywhere, waiting to trip little, toddler-sized running feet.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

Pushing a wheelbarrow was another lesson in the benefits of hard work! It took quite a long time and plenty of effort to push the wheelbarrow through the field, past vines, pumpkins, and more. I love seeing smiles when my children are doing work because it reminds me of how hard working they are.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

In the end, all the work paid off wonderfully. We had more than enough pumpkins to carry home! Both girls loved pitching in and learning how to push a full wheelbarrow back to the car.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

Although my daughters don’t have the opportunity to live on a farm, visiting one gave them a great lesson about what life would be like if we needed to farm.

5. For The Adorable Photo Shoot Opportunity

Pumpkin patches offer a beautiful backdrop for fall photos. Whether you’re facing the sun or not, you can get gorgeous photos.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

All of the pumpkins in the background give the pictures an interesting look. You should take some photos that are posed, but the unposed, impromptu pictures are incredibly fun and beautiful.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

When you have the whole family together doing a fall activity, getting good pictures is a must do. Even if you only take photos on your phone, you should make sure that you capture these wonderful memories.6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

You don’t have to be a professional photography (or hire one) to get good pictures at a pumpkin patch. With a beautiful, natural backdrop, nature takes care of most of the work for you. Check that your family has appropriate, seasonal outfits on and their hair styled nicely, and you’ll end up with nice photos.

6. To Support A Local Business

One great reason to visit a pumpkin patch is to support your local farmers. At the farm where we visited, Larriland Farm in Howard County, Maryland, a lot of the land nearby has become townhomes, and as the area gets more and more built up, supporting local businesses takes on a more significant role.

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

Not only do the rolling hills and open space that farms provide make the area spectacular and beautiful, but they also add fun recreational activities for families. 6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

When you’re thinking of fun fall activities, visiting a local pumpkin patch should be on your list of things to do! Not only is it an enjoyable, invigorating experience for the whole family, but it is also a great way to support a local business. Pin the photo below to remind others of why to visit a pumpkin patch!

6 Reasons to Visit a Pumpkin Patch - Found on Theresa's Reviews - www.theresasreviews.com

Did you visit a pumpkin patch this fall? Share your experience in the comments!

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29 Responses

  1. bianca nunez

    I havent been to a pumpkin patch in awhile ! thanks for the post looks like good memories!

    Reply
  2. Jen

    I haven’t ever been to a pumpkin patch like these. Living in the city I’ve maybe gotten one at a church “pumpkin patch” but never the real deal. I feel a road trip coming on! The photos alone would be worth the trip.

    Reply
  3. Cait Weingartner

    Growing up in a rural area of northern NJ, we were surrounded by farms and several pick-your-own apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and Christmas tree farms, I have many fond memories of family pumpkin picking, as I am sure your beautiful little girls will also!

    Reply
  4. Demelza - The Year Of The Daffodil

    What an awesome place to visit with kids. We don’t really have pumpkin patches to visit in New Zealand . This is really cool.

    Reply
  5. Jennifer L

    I just love pumpkin patches. In fact, I’ve been with my little cousins and they’re always so excited to learn and explore around the patch. So I definitely see the great value in visiting one, especially for the little ones.

    Reply
  6. Shann Eva

    Yes! These are all such great reasons! We went and visited a local farm, got some lovely pictures, and some great pumpkins and gourds too. It’s so nice to be able to find a family activity that everyone can enjoy, plus support a local business.

    Reply
  7. Leah

    I love the butterfly picture! Even when my children are outside, I don’t feel like they’re getting a “real” outdoors experience. Everything is sheltered by our neighborhood.

    Reply
  8. Stacy- Taylor411

    I love the idea of supporting local businesses, you captured some beautiful pictures!!

    Reply
  9. Candace @ Fullest Mom

    Great post! I’m a fan of the little moment too. Your photos captured great images for the memory bank. We only had a small pumpkin patch for our town but the kids loved it.

    Reply
  10. April

    Our visit to the pumpkin patch is one of my favorite places to go each year. I love you explicit reasoning as to why everyone should go – Great list!! I especially agree with #3 and #5. I’m learning that life really is about all the small moments that occur. If you can get a great family photo in the midst of those moments, that’s a WIN/ WIN!!

    Reply

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