Keeping Your Family Safe and Happy this Autumn

The weather is getting cooler, the leaves are turning brown, and that can only mean one thing – autumn is just around the corner!

As a parent, keeping your family safe and happy is always your number-one priority, but the coronavirus has thrown a bit of a wrench into your usual plans. From socially distanced Halloween to outdoor autumnal activities, we’ve got you covered for a safe, festive fall. Take a look at our best tips below. 

Go Outdoors
Whether you’re taking your family on a hike, or just enjoying the beautiful autumn foliage, there’s something outdoors for everyone. 

• Hiking: Hiking is a great way to get outside and spend a few hours away from the screen. The best part? It’s an excellent socially distanced activity. 
• Apple picking: Another outdoor seasonal activity that’s sure to be a hit with the kids, apple picking varies by state, but not by fun. Spend a day out in the orchard, picking plenty of fruit for delicious autumn recipes. Some orchards even offer apple cider and doughnuts (the best part, in our opinion). 
• Pumpkin picking: Autumn wouldn’t be autumn without a trip to the pumpkin patch! Choose pumpkins of all sizes to carve for jack-o-lanterns, or simply to amp up your festive décor. Many pumpkin patches even have additional activities, such as tractor rides and corn mazes.  

Autumn Recipes
Cooking at home keeps your family socially distanced from other households, and it’s a great way to get your kids involved in everyday tasks. Take a look at these easy, kid-friendly autumn recipes below:

• Apple pie: A great way to use up those apples you picked at the apple orchard, apple pie is an autumn favorite and a great recipe to make with your kids. 
• Chili: Chili is an autumn staple, and the perfect way to warm up a cold night. You can always use ground turkey as a substitute for ground beef — or whatever you have on hand!
• Pumpkin bread: It just wouldn’t be autumn without having a loaf of something in the oven, would it? Pumpkin bread is sure to leave your house smelling fantastic, and it’s easy enough to get the kids involved, too.

Participate in Socially Distanced Halloween
Halloween will be different this year, but that doesn’t mean that it needs to be any less fun. Here are a few tips to make this holiday coronavirus friendly:

• Trick-or-Treat, Without the Street
  If the pandemic is stopping you from trick-or-treating the traditional way, there are plenty of other options. Real Simple suggests: “you can buy your kiddo’s favorite candy and let her trick-or-treat door to door within your house or have her walk through the neighborhood so she can show off her costume, then come home to a special treat or toy.”
• Hand out Candy
  Wrap up treats individually and put them in your yard, with space between the bags so people can pick them up. If you’re determined to hand out treats yourself, wear a mask, sanitize your hands frequently, and don’t let kids stick their hand in the treat bowl – hand out the candy yourself. 

Speak to Your Boss about Work Schedules
Keeping your family safe this autumn is your priority. If you’re no longer working from home, or returning to the office part-time, it’s important to ask your manager about the safety measures they’ve put in place to reduce the risks of transmitting coronavirus back to your family. The good news? Most businesses are already putting safety measures in place. A recent survey from office cleaning experts at SERVPRO suggests that 83 per cent of businesses are investing more in cleaning, and 63 per cent are already cleaning and sanitizing workspaces several times per day. 

Keeping your family safe in a pandemic is always your number-one priority, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, too!