I am currently 5 days away from having this baby! Yikes! But, that’s not going to stop me from getting out and having some fun this weekend.  All of my “nesting” for baby is done, (ok, ok, I still need to pack my hospital bag…) but now I just want to do as many fun things as I can with Knox.  I know life is going to be a little slower once his baby brother arrives, so I want to be sure we get outside and do some fun Fall things now.  Knox is obsessed with anything and everything Fall and Halloween right now. So, we decided to visit the University of Minnesota Arboretum this morning!

If you live in the Twin Cities area, you must go visit!  They have so many wonderful things set up for the kiddos to explore. We started our trip out by walking through the beautifully, well manicured gardens.  There are so many different variations of plants and flowers, it truly is a magical sight.

Right now, through October 2nd, they have a super cool exhibit set up called, “Big Bugs.”  And it’s just what it sounds like – larger than life size sculptures of different insects! As you walk through the gardens and trails, you’ll be greeted by a giant grasshopper, a dragonfly, a daddy long legs, a praying mantis, and other unique creatures. Knox was in awe of every single one he saw.

And of course, as it’s Fall, they’re also preparing the Arboretum for Halloween.  This weekend, they opened up the “Scarecrows in the Garden” display.  So along with the giant insects, they also had festive displays of scarecrows interspersed throughout the trails.  Each one was completely unique. The “Scarecrow Village” also opened up this weekend.  This was probably Knox’s favorite area.  There is even a house made completely out of pumpkins, which you can go inside and play in!  And there are tons of scarecrows set up on a large hill – at the top you’ll find the biggest scarecrow you’ve ever seen. This exhibit will be there through October 31st.  And starting next weekend, they will have “Make a Scarecrow” event every Saturday. You just bring your own clothes and the Arboretum will provide you with everything else.  You can read more about making a scarecrow here.

Lastly, we made our way over to the Learning Center, which had a nature inspired play area for children 5 and under.  Knox loved the little wooden play house, climbing over large logs, playing in the sand, and filling up bowls with water from the water spout.  It was definitely a great spot to have some free play with natural elements!

We had a really fun time visiting the Arboretum today. If you’re looking to get outside with your kids and enjoy some fall festivities, I’d highly recommend going. Plan to spend a few hours there. You can eat at their restaurant or pack your own picnic, too! Oh, and don’t forget to drive across street and visit the Apple House! You can purchase some delicious Honey Crisp apples, apple pie, and lots of other goodies over there!