The leaves are falling and the nights are drawing in, which can only mean one thing - autumn has well and truly arrived. From getting outside to hear the satisfying crunch of red and golden leaves to decorating the house with splashes of colour, autumn is full of sights, sounds, and smells to enjoy.

If you're looking for a few half-term ideas to keep your little ones entertained, then we have you covered with our list of indoor and outdoor family activities to suit dry and rainy days.

1. Celebrate Apples.

Autumn is the peak of apple season in the UK, so it's the perfect opportunity to revel in these juicy and versatile fruits.

Try making your own apple crisps by baking thin apple slices in a low oven for an hour for the perfect after school snack or garnish for hot apple juice. Or create your own toffee or chocolate apples and have a ball decorating them with sprinkles, chopped nuts, sesame seeds, and hundreds and thousands. If you don't fancy dipping a whole apple, you can use a melon baller to scoop out apple pieces for smaller versions that are ideal for kids to share with friends.

2. Discover New Traditions from Autumn Festivals Around the World.

There are many different festivals celebrated during the autumn months all around the world, which are fascinating to learn about. The Chinese Moon festival, for example, is a three day national holiday in China. The date of the festival changes according to the lunar calendar and is held to coincide with the full moon closest to the fifteenth day of the eighth month. During the festival, families enjoy spending time together, including eating traditional foods, such as moon cake, crab, and duck.

You could also explore the Thai tradition of Loy Krathong, or the Festival of Lights. This celebration is held annually all over Thailand and sees the release of hundreds of floating lanterns onto rivers and waterways to symbolically get rid of anger and offer thanks.

3. Go Star Gazing.

One advantage of the nights getting darker is that you can enjoy a better view of the night sky, making October and November great months for stargazing with kids.

October is the best time of year to see the Orionids meteor shower and the constellations of Pegasus, Aquarius, and Pisces. You can locate these constellations easily by navigating from Jupiter, which is the brightest object in the sky at this time of year (apart from the moon). Travelling directly north from Jupiter, you'll spot Pisces (the stars represent two fish with their tails tied together) and, above this, Pegasus (the winged horse of Greek mythology). Aquarius, the water carrier, can also be found to the north-west of Jupiter. Grab your binoculars and compass and head outside for a beautiful natural light show.

4. Enjoy the Great Outdoors.

October and November are the perfect time to get outside and go for a walk in the woods. There are piles of crunchy leaves to be jumped in and lots of natural wonders to explore, from exciting fungi (don't touch of course!) to wildlife, seeds, nuts, and berries.

For some friendly family competition while you're walking, try seeing how many different types of leaves you can find in teams. Younger kids might also enjoy taking some of their favourite leaves home to make rubbings, and even sticking them up in their bedrooms.

5. Light a Fire.

There's nothing better than gathering around a roaring blaze on a cool autumn night. It might not be chilly enough for a fire inside, but children will love helping you to collect firewood to make a fire pit in the garden. Once it's ablaze, you can toast marshmallows, brownies, fruit (bananas work especially well), and even campfire pizzas.

Another great way to celebrate autumn is to decorate the house. As the nights get darker and the temperature drops, it's the ideal time to make your home cosy and comfy. Easy autumnal decorating ideas include bringing the outside in with a basket of pine cones, a dish of conkers (they also apparently keep spiders away!), or a wreath of beautiful red and gold leaves. There are plenty of child-friendly, easy autumnal decorating ideas for kids too, such as popcorn garlands or acorn dolls.

From making apple crisps to roasting bananas, autumn is the perfect season to share in lots of fun activities as a family.