Improving Your Events

When fall comes around, pumpkin patches start opening up and welcoming visitors of all ages. You can bring your kids to search for and choose the perfect pumpkin out of the patch, and there are often other activities to enjoy on-site, too -- like hay rides and face painting. Visiting the Halloween pumpkin patch is a lot of fun, and here are five other benefits of indulging in this activity with your child.

1. You get to spend time outside.

When the weather starts getting colder in the fall, most people stop spending quite so much time outside. But it's nice to get some more fresh air before winter rolls around, and visiting the pumpkin patch is the perfect excuse to do so.  Being outside with your child will leave both of you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. 

2. Your child will learn how things grow.

When you wander into the pumpkin patch, you get to see first-hand how plants grow and how farmers take care of them. This can be an important thing for your child to observe; they will learn a bit more about plant life and have a greater understanding of where food really comes from. Your child may develop an interest in plants or farming that pushes them towards a career or hobby.

3. Your child gets to run around.

It's great for kids to be active, but so many activities these days, from video games to TV, don't really involve physical activity. Walking through the pumpkin patch is active, and it will help your child burn off some of their extra energy. This is even more true of pumpkin patches where there's an associated corn maze or scary walk!

4. Your child gets to explore their preferences and make decisions.

As children grow older, they need to learn how to make decisions for themselves and voice their own preferences. They get to practice doing this in the pumpkin patch. Will they choose a big pumpkin or a smaller one? Is it more important that they get the smoothest pumpkin or the one that's the prettiest orange? Guide your child as they weigh their options.

5. Your child will learn about sharing.

There will be many other people out in the patch also looking for pumpkins. If they happen to want the same ones as your child, your child will have to learn about sharing with others. 

Spend some time at the pumpkin patch this year! Both you and your child will enjoy and benefit from the experience.