5 . Fall is one of the absolute best times to go camping. Not only is the summer heat quickly fading from memory, but the landscapes are painted with vibrant colors as the leaves make their annual change from green to gold, crimson, and orange. If you’re planning a camping trip this autumn, we have some suggestions on where you should go, no matter which part of the country you live in.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Fall comes early to Acadia National Park, with the leaves beginning to change color in early September. Still, the park is one of the absolute best places to set up camp in the autumn, offering stunning views of the wonderful shades of nature that highlight the trees at that time of year. But, if you want to experience autumn in Maine at its finest, book a spot in the Blackwoods Campground.

Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee

The centerpiece attraction at Tennessee’s Fall Creek Falls State Park is its massive namesake waterfall, which plummets off a rock face 256 feet in the air. But, the park has amazing options for campers too, including more than 220 campsites spread out across five different areas in various parts of the 26,000 acre landscape. Summer lingers later in the Volunteer State, but autumn is no less spectacular once it arrives.

Carson National Forest, New Mexico

Home to New Mexico’s highest point—the 13,161-foot Mt. Wheeler—Carson National Forest offers visitors plenty of surprises. For example, in contrast to most of the rest of the state, the region isn’t a desert, which often catches first-time visitors off guard. The forest features a 16-mile long hiking trail and is home to elk, bear, cougar, big horn sheep, and other large creatures.

Gunnison National Forest, Colorado

With plenty of wild backcountry to explore, thousands of trails to wander, and some of the best fall colors found anywhere on the planet, Gunnison National Forest is a paradise for campers. The region has 56 designated campsite, allowing visitors to choose where to set up camp based on their favorite outdoor settings.

6 . Healthy Eating Activities for kids

The ideas below can be used to engage children in healthy eating experiences, teach them to recognize different foods and encourage them to experiment with new foods, tastes, flavors and textures.

Learning objective: Increase children’s recognition and awareness of different vegetables. Children are given the opportunity to learn about new vegetables.

What you’ll need: A selection of different vegetables (they can be real or toy) and a bag.

What to do: Place vegetables inside bag. Ask children to feel inside the bag and guess which vegetables are in there.

Learning objective: This activity provides an opportunity for children to learn about different foods and letters. Increase children’s knowledge of different foods, increase their vocabulary and literacy skills.

What you’ll need: A poster, whiteboard

What to do: Pick a letter of the week. Discuss with the children all the foods they can think of that start with that letter. You can discuss, draw or write a list.

Learning objective: Allow children to create a healthy snack. It is an opportunity for children to learn about nutritious snack options.

What you’ll need: Print out pictures of individual nutritious snack foods or collect cut outs from a food brochure.

What to do: Allow children to choose foods from the cut outs to put together a delicious, nutritious snack.

Learning objective: This activity allows children to learn about different fruits and vegetables, what they look like, what they feel like etc. and express their creativity.

What you’ll need: You can use real fruits or vegetables or pictures. You can also create the picture flat on a plate or piece of paper.

What to do: Cut fruits and/or vegetables into pieces or shapes that can be used as facial or body parts. Demonstrate how to organize the pieces together.

7 . Things to Do in October

Happy Hauntings

Sat. &Sun. Oct.1-31 | Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park

Enjoy a fully decorated park full of family-friendly ghosts! Stay and in the colors of fall with all your royal friends at Dutch Wonderland in a safe and non-scary environment for kids! Join Duke, Brooke, Merlin, and the rest for ghost s adventure here at the kingdom! The gates are waiting, and it’s time to push them open! Be sure to wear your costume!

The Great Diamond Heist (盗窃)

October 1,2,3 | Strasburg Rail Road

The Strasburg Rail Road, America’s oldest short line rail road, is proud to present the all-new Stunt Spectacular (特技表演) — “The Great Diamond Heist”. Jumping on board as the Strasburg Rail Road makes its first trip to Chicago, and beyond! Don’t miss this all-new Stunt Spectacular playing from Sunday to Tuesday only at the Strasburg Rail Road!

Trunk or Treat

October 23 | AACA Museum

Dress in your favorite Halloween costume and enjoy an entertaining afternoon of family fun! Let the joy begin at handmade tables, where kids will decorate their own “Trunk or Treat” bags using the various cars and Halloween stamps, stickers, markers, and more. All visitors aged 12 and under will be allowed to take part in the AACA Museum’s “Trunk or Treat” program.

Halloween Scooptacular

October 24 | Turkey Hill Experience

Halloween Scooptacular at the Turkey Hill Experience is filled with great surprises. Decorate your own pumpkin, play Halloween games, make a Halloween-themed ice cream creation, and more! Costumes are encouraged, so suit up and head over to Turkey Hill Experience!

8 . Summer Camp Rules

Whether it s your child’s first year at camp, or they are a seasoned camper and need a little refresher, it’s crucial to go over summer camp rules and guidelines before leaving for camp. Camp rules are in place to keep the camp community safe and camp operations running smoothly throughout their stay.

1. Keep Your Personal Space Clean

Since your child will be in close quarters with many other campers, it’s vital that they understand the necessity of keeping their sleeping and living areas organized.

Go over ways for your child to stay organized and tidy before they leave for camp. When packing, make sure to provide a laundry bag to keep clean and dirty clothing separate. Utilize under bed space or put clothes on your shelves or cabinets rather than living out of your suitcase or camp trunk.

It also helps to not over pack. Follow packing list guidelines closely so your child can find what they need without having to dig through piles of clothing that were not recommended. This also helps your child know what they have in their luggage so they pull out the sweatshirt when it gets cold. instead of thinking there wasn’t one in their bag. Remind your child of their camp account so they can purchase items from the camp store if necessary.

2. Valuables at Camp

As a best practice, we recommend leaving all valuables at home, Even if your child has a bracelet or necklace that they never take off, there is still the chance that it could be lost while swimming or participating in camp activities

If you are thinking about bringing an expensive item of clothing, be prepared for it to get lost or damaged. You may be better off buying a new, less expensive version. To be δn the safe side, don’t let your child bring anything irreplaceable or emotionally valuable to camp.

3. Play Nice

Name calling, fighting, bullying, and arguing are strictly prohibited at summer camp. Camp is a place to make friends, so aggressive behavior is not tolerated. Remind your child that they don’t have to be everybody’s best friend, but they do have to be friendly to everyone.

Encourage your child to go into camp with the mindset of making a few new friends, and chances are they will leave camp having made more than a few.

4. Have Fun and Try New Things

At the end of the day, summer camp is about getting out of your comfort zone, trying new things, and having a blast. Before your child leaves for camp, congratulate them for being brave enough to try sleep away camp in the first place. Let them know that they’ve already won just by trying, and the fun part is just about to begin. Remind them again that summer camp rules exist only to improve the overall camp experience and to create a community of fun.

9 . Learn about programs, events and much more for students of your age to get opportunities.

Time: October 18 and November 1,2023

Contact: Robert Croonquist

This interactive workshop for school groups will teach how to appeal to the government for change and how to create safe, non-violent direct action. Students will meet in small groups to discuss issues that are important to them. The fee to participate is $5 per student.

Attend a FREE Architecture and Design College Fair

Time: October 28,2023

Contact: Mary Lib Schmidt

High school students are invited to learn more about applying to architecture school. Representatives from over 30 colleges, universities, and design programs will meet with students and answer questions. The event will be held from 11am-3pm.

Time: October 26,2023

Contact: Nicole Leist

Participants will look at 15th- to-17th-century printed herbals on display and learn how modern practitioners （医师） create beneficial natural products today. Teens will create bath bombs using all organic materials. This program is intended only for teens aged 13 to 18. FREE with advance registration.

Time: November 2023 through March 2024

Contact: Lisa Pineda

It is a FREE Saturday program serving 100 students. It offers various leadership opportunities and resources with the goal of affirming students in cultural pride and increasing the Hispanic voice in government, community, and institutional spaces. Seats are limited.