This Post: 25 Fall Mother-Daughter Dates You’ll Be Glad You Made Time For
Written By: The Raising Teens Today Community
Life has a funny way of keeping us and our kids on the go, doesn’t it?. School. Homework. Practices. Work. Errands. Friends. Family obligations. There always seems to be a million things that need to get done and somehow, as soon as we think we’re “catching up,” a million more things sneak up behind them.
That’s why, if we truly want to relish a little quality time with our kids, we have to make the time… we can’t wait for the time.
And what better time than fall…
There’s a chill in the air. The leaves are starting to change. The days somehow feel a little slower. And the truth is, there’s just something about this season that makes you want to put your phone down, linger a little longer, grab a warm drink and, for a while anyway, just be.
I have two daughters, and for years, I’ve always tried to carve out quality time with each of them in the fall… before the holiday rush hits and our calendars fill up even more.
Because there’s something special about having your girl all to yourself for a few hours. No siblings. No friends. No rushing from one thing to the next. Just the two of you talking, laughing, wandering around, grabbing something to eat, or just driving in the car listening to music. It doesn’t have to cost a ton, and it certainly doesn’t have to be an elaborate mother-daughter outing. Just the two of you spending time together.
25+ Fall Mother-Daughter Dates You’ll Be Glad You Made Time For
So, now that fall is here, pick a day, put it on the calendar, and take your girl somewhere. It won’t be like this forever, Mamas!
Here are 25+ ideas to get you started.
1. Go on a Cozy “Coffee Crawl”
Pick three specialty coffee shops near you and split a fall iced or hot coffee at each one. Think Pumpkin Spiced Latte, Maple Cinnamon Latte, or maybe an Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. Then cozy up in a corner and talk about whatever comes to your girl’s mind.
2. Hit the Stores for a New Fall Sweater
Grab your girl, hit the mall, and go on a hunt for a cozy, comfy fall sweater she can wear to school, hanging around the house, or running errands. Then, every time she wears it, she’ll think of your time together.
3. Take a Scenic Drive to Take In All the Changing Colors
Find a pretty road, roll the windows down to feel the crisp air, grab a couple of drinks, and just drive. There’s something about falling leaves and the beautiful colors that wash a sense of calm over you. Then… just let your girl talk.
4. Have a Fall Baking Day
Pull out the fall sprinkles, break out the flour, grab your whisk, and get ready for a day of fun (and a messy kitchen). Let your daughter choose the recipe (or recipes!), crank up the music, and dive into an afternoon of fall “togetherness.” Looking for a few fun fall recipes? Check these out! Or check out these fun caramel apple recipes!
5. Visit a Farmer’s Market
Stroll through the market, sample something delicious, buy fresh flowers or a freshly-baked treat, and let her choose one little thing to take home.
6. Have a Mom & Daughter Breakfast Date
Find a cozy little restaurant you’ve never been to and order something you wouldn’t normally order. No rushing… just enjoying each other’s company because you can.
7. Have a Fall Movie Night
Make a big bowl of popcorn, lower the lights, get cozy under blankets, and hunker down for a totally “chill” movie night. Whether you dive into a Netflix series, a murder mystery movie, or a romantic comedy, it doesn’t really matter. It’s all about hangin’ out with your girl. Here are 200 of the Best Romantic Comedies of All Time! (Check ratings to make sure the movie you choose is age-appropriate.)
8. Stroll Through a Bookstore
Stop for a fall-flavored coffee, hot cocoa, or warm apple-spiced cider on the way and spend a couple of hours browsing books. Let your daughter choose one book of her liking, or each of you can choose a book, read it, and then switch!
9. Check Out a Fall Festival
I LOVE fall for this reason! Fall festivals can be found in nearly every major city and town but, frankly, some of the BEST ones can be found in “off the beaten path” rural areas. Make an afternoon of it wandering through booths, trying something delicious, listening to live music, and letting your daughter talk you into buying something you absolutely don’t need. It’s all about being together with nowhere else to be.
10. Make a Fall Bucket List Together
Sit down with coffee or hot chocolate and make a list of everything you’d love to do before winter arrives. Then actually start checking things off!
11. Have a Backyard Bonfire
Grab the blankets and S’mores ingredients and enjoy a few hours sitting under the stars in the crisp fall air. No talking required if your girl isn’t in the mood. At times like these, somehow, silence even feels like connection.
12. Get a Mani-Pedi Together
Hit the nail salon and help her choose a fall color (or fall design) that puts a smile on her face. You’ll both enjoy having nowhere to be… and who doesn’t love being pampered?
13. Go on a Delectable “Dessert Crawl”
Is there a little cafe in your town that claims to have the best cheesecake? Or maybe another restaurant that’s known for the best chocolate lava cake on the planet? Plan an evening hitting three cafes or restaurants and share a delectable dessert at each one.
14. Take a Fall Hike
Hit the trails on a beautiful fall day and take in the scenery. Whether you head up a mountain or check out a waterfall, choose an easy trail or a more challenging one…it doesn’t matter. Just “be” with your girl, picking up a few colorful leaves along the way.
15. Create a Signature Fall Drink
Go grocery shopping for ingredients and invent your own mother-daughter fall drink. Give it a memorable name and make it an annual tradition. Need inspiration? Check out these Fall Mocktail Recipes!
16. Go to a Pumpkin Patch
Skip the pressure to find the “perfect” pumpkin. Wander around, take pictures, make fun of the funny-shaped ones, and enjoy being together.
17. Visit an Apple Orchard
Make a day of it! Pick apples, sample apple cider, and then come home and make something together with the apples you picked.
18. Have a “Future Us” Dinner
Dress up a little (nothing too fancy), choose a cozy restaurant with a quiet booth in the back, and pretend it’s five or ten years from now. Talk about what you think your lives will look like, where you might live, what you’ll be doing, and, mostly, what you hope you’ll still be doing together.
19. Make a Fun Fall Craft
What better way to spend a chilly, rainy, or cloudy Saturday than by sitting around the kitchen table creating something fun! There are SO many fun ideas! Let your daughter choose a craft, head to the craft store for supplies, and get started! Need ideas? Check out these fun fall crafts! (Candle image courtesy of @countryhillcottage)
20. Help Her Plan a Friends Football Potluck Gathering
It’s football season, so why not help your daughter plan a fun football potluck for her and her friends? Let her invite a designated number of friends and help her make a few simple appetizers. Spring for water and sodas and ask each friend/guest to bring a dish. (No worries if it’s store-bought!) Your daughter will love planning with you, and you’ll be teaching her how to be the hostess with the mostess.
21. Take a Hayride
Bundle up, grab a cozy blanket, and climb aboard a hayride through the crisp fall air. Enjoy the changing leaves, take a few pictures, laugh over the bumpy ride, and soak up that simple, old-fashioned fall feeling.
22. Go on a Spooky Ghost Tour
If your daughter is up for a scary adventure, she might love a ghost tour! Uncover the darkest details of your city’s past or reveal the haunting truths about an old abandoned building–spend a little time clinging to each other in the most fun and exciting way!
23. Try Your Skills in a Corn Maze
Get lost together on purpose! You’ll find out who has the better sense of direction, and you’ll laugh together when you realize you’ve walked past the same corn stalk three times. This one will get you laughing for sure!
24. Let Your Daughter Plan the Date
Give your daughter a budget and maybe a “few” parameters (obviously, you don’t want to drive 300 miles away), and let your daughter plan an adventure. She just tells you which way to turn along the way! Maybe you visit a town you’ve never been to, maybe you check out local antique shops for vintage finds, or maybe you go to the movies! Either way, she’s in charge.
25. Go to a Musical or Play
If you live near a city, take your girl to a musical or play she’ll actually enjoy—maybe Wicked, Mean Girls, The Outsiders, Six, or Mamma Mia!. Dress up a little, grab dinner beforehand, and make a night of it. Sometimes the best part is having something new to experience and talk about together.
26. Make a Festive Fall Snack Board
Put together a cozy fall snack board with apple slices, caramel dip, pumpkin bread, cinnamon crackers, cheese, nuts, and a few of your favorite treats. Turn on some music, pour your favorite drinks, and snack your way through the afternoon while you catch up.
The truth is, our daughters don’t need us to create a childhood brimming with elaborate experiences. They need to know that even as their lives get bigger, busier, and more separate from ours, there is still a place where they can slow down and simply be with us.
So before the holidays arrive and life gets loud again, make a little room for your (not-so-little) girl. Put something on the calendar. Just the two of you.
Because these days won’t last forever, and there is something pretty wonderful about getting to spend a few quiet hours with the girl who will always, in some part of your heart, be your little girl.
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