COVID-Friendly Fall Resources

Although autumn won’t technically begin until the end of September, I know you’re already planning what to do this year. How will you pull off your Fall Festival, Trunk or Treat, or other fall event while also maintaining social distancing and keeping everyone safe? Whether you’re gathering in person, hosting a drive-through event, or equipping parents for the fall season at home, these ideas may help!

Preschool Playdate Brown Bag Hunt– Host this event for the littles with social-distancing at a local park, or distribute the game to preschool families with a brown lunch bag to complete on their own! Learn more and download the printable here.

Driveway Dinners – Like small groups, but in the driveway! Invite families or small groups to gather in a host’s driveway for dinner and fellowship. More details from a church who’s already doing (and loving) Driveway Dinners coming soon!

Fall Family Night – This fun family night comes with three unique versions to help you make meaningful connections with families – no matter how you’re meeting! Learn more here.

Trunk or Treat – The classic church fall event can still happen, even with social distancing! Just add more space between the cars, encourage everyone to wear masks, and set out lots of hand sanitizer. You could even do a drive-through version where families don’t even have to get out of their cars!

Glow Night Outreach Event – Now updated with covid-19 tips and suggestions! Glow Night is an outreach event on Halloween that helps your families GLOW with God’s love! Learn more here.

Family Pumpkin Decorating Party – I’ve seen one church planning a Family Pumpkin Decorating Night! They’ll set up tables in their parking lot/field – one family per table. They’ll provide music, some other social-distance fun like raffles, pumpkin carving design ideas, and some pumpkin decorating supplies. Families show up (costumes encouraged) with their pumpkin to carve!

Reverse Trick or Treating – If your community is still planning on trick-or-treating this year, consider an event like Reverse Trick-or-treating! Instead of going door-to-door asking for candy, families go door-to-door to hand out candy and collect donations for a local charity! This is another event that you could easily convert into a drive-through event (kind of like Drive Away Hunger) where families drop off donations and pick up a fall treat! Learn more about Reverse Trick or Treating here.

Not So Spooky Night at Home Kits – Let your families host their own Fall Fest at home this year with Not So Spooky Night at Home Kits based on Isaiah 41:10. The kits include a family devotion, 8 fall family fun activities, and a week-long Sweet Verses activity your families will eat right up! Learn more here.

Treat Street To Go – A second great option for a take-home Fall Fest kit for your families! This family resource provides activities for a fun Halloween (and faith-focused) event for families to do at home. Included in this resource are decorating ideas, music playlist, family devotion, Bible memory verse, 3 games, 3 crafts, and 3 snack ideas. Learn more here.

Family Costume Contest – Encourage families to dress up in their best family costume, then share the picture on social media, tagging your church. Compile all of the pictures and encourage families to vote on the best family costume! Send the winners a special prize or fun fall treat. Create a Facebook event and encourage families to post the pictures in the event so they are easy to find!

Fear Not Bible Reading Challenge – Help kids face their fears AND practice their Bible skills! These printables are easy to share in person or digitally with families. Learn more here.

30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge – Thanksgiving is part of the fall season too, and with this calendar + cards, you can challenge your families to 30 days of gratitude! Learn more here.

Sweet Thoughts Candy Devotions – These candy devotions will help the kids and families in your ministry learn life lessons and lessons about God. Learn more here.

Pumpkin Peekaboo – In this screen-based game, players guess what animal is peeking out from behind a pumpkin. Learn more here.

Punny Fall Postcards – Send your families a punny little note in the mail with one (or all) of these fall postcard designs!

Fall-themed “We Miss You” Postcards – Print or order your own fall-themed cards that remind kids, families, and volunteers that you miss them! Download the designs here.