10 Unique Fall Family Events

Are you looking for a unique fall family event to host in your ministry this autumn, but don’t want to host another Trunk or Treat or Fall Fest? Check out one of these unique ideas the families in your ministry will love!

1. Escape Room or Mystery Event – Set up a fall escape room or host an adventure challenge/mystery night! We love this mini fall escape room as an add-on element, or you can invite families into the Mystery of the Misplaced Jewel where they’ll work together to solve the mystery of Penelope Peabody’s misplaced jewel while also discovering an important Biblical truth: God has a plan.
2. PNO – Host a Parents’ Night Out to give the parents in your ministry a break! We’ve got a fall-themed Pumpkins and PJs PNO, and lots more to choose from, including Nerf Wars and Mad Science!
3. Service Project – Invite families to serve together this fall by hosting a family service project where everyone can get involved! Try our Fishes and Loaves service project where kids prep freezer meals for families in need, or start preparing for Christmas with a Shoebox Stuff service project! Find 15 fall service projects for families here!
4. The Big Drop – A smashing twist on a Fall Festival! During this event, families will play games, eat sweet treats and watch gravity do its thing as you drop stuff from way up high and watch it go KERSPLAT! Best of all, everyone will hear the story of Jesus’ first disciples and discover how we too should drop everything and follow Him. Learn more about hosting this event here!
5. Reverse Trick or Treating – In this Fall outreach event, instead of going door-to-door asking for candy, families from your church will go door-to-door and hand out candy and collect canned goods to donate to a local food bank! Learn more about this event here, and find resources to pull it off in your ministry here!
6. Glow Night – The main idea behind Glow Night is to have your church family outside its walls, loving your community intentionally on Halloween. This can look different in different settings but the three main components are: (1) Being outside, somewhere in your community to connect with families, (2) sharing great treats, and (3) letting people know you are a church family that cares. Learn more here.
7. Fall Fiesta – Spice up your fall calendar with this 2-hour fiesta-themed fall family event! At your Fall Fiesta, families enjoy games and fellowship, a tasty meal (themed meal suggestions included), and a guided family prayer devotion. Learn more about hosting a Fall Fiesta here!
8. Station Rotation Event – Host a special prayer event using s’mores where each station teaches kids about prayer (and helps them build a s’more). Or Fear Not is a 60-minute fall event that invites kids into 5 stories within the Bible where fear was a factor through a station-rotation event where each station includes Bible reading and a hands-on activity.
9. Non-Fall Family Events – Just avoid the fall theme altogether! Host a family-friendly trivia competition with the families at your church where families divide into teams of 4-8 people (2-3 families team up together), then compete in 3 rounds of family-friendly trivia questions! Download a set of family-friendly questions + a suggested schedule here! Or tap into the Lego obsession and create a fun discipleship opportunity for families with a Building Bricks Family Event! This 2-hour event provides an opportunity for parents to have Gospel conversations with their kids. Parents will get to initiate conversations with their children they might not otherwise have and spend time with them doing something fun: building with Legos or other building bricks/blocks. Learn more here!
10. Family Night at Home – Rather than hosting an event at your church, equip families with the resources and tools they need to host a fun fall family night at home! Not So Spooky Night at Home is a faith-based Fall Fest take-home kit for families based on Isaiah 41:10, and Treat Street offers a Christian Halloween alternative for families. You could even invite them to hold their own service projects at home with this service project bingo! Find more fall family resources here!

And if you’re planning on a Trunk or Treat or Fall Fest anyway, we’ve got resources to make that easier too! Fall Family Night helps you plan a fall fest, and you’ll thank yourself later for downloading our Trunk or Treat All-Inclusive Event Planning Guide or our Trunk or Treat Admin Bundle!