Fall is an amazing time to explore the Omaha area with your family. The weather is cooler and with school back in session, we know just how precious those weekends with the kiddos are. Well, the team at Hawley Orthodontics is here to help with another installment of our fun and (mostly) free activities for kids in Omaha series. This time, we’re sharing a fall edition. So, round up the family and make the most of your autumn!
- Centris Federal Credit Union Movie Night 2019 – Werner Park, 12356 Ballpark Way, Papillion, NE – On Friday, September 20, bring blankets and head to Werner Park for this annual family-friendly event in Papillion. A carnival will be held to kick things off at 6pm and then Grease will be shown at 7:30pm. Concession stands will be serving up snacks. While the event doesn’t cost anything, donations will be accepted at the gate to benefit the Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. RSVP here so organizers can gauge attendance.
- Vala’s Pumpkin Patch – 12102 S. 180th Street, Gretna – Visiting Vala’s Pumpkin Patch is one of our favorite things to do with kids in Gretna and for nearly four decades, they’ve been helping Omaha area families make memories. The pumpkin patch’s fall festival season is underway and will run through Thursday, October 31. There’s so much to do there, including hayrack rides, a barnyard adventure ride, a haunted farmhouse, a corn maze, the Lost Pumpkin Mine, an outstanding play area, the jack-o-lantern tree and more.
- Monarch Tagging – Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA – Sponsored by the Pottawattamie County Conservation Foundation, the annual Monarch Butterfly Tagging event at the Hitchcock Nature Center is so much fun! Dr. Hawley and his family have attended the past few years and loved it. At the all-age event, you’ll learn about monarch butterflies and how to catch and handle the butterflies for research. Then, you’ll head outdoors to hunt for monarchs to tag onsite with the help of the tagging stations. This year’s tagging will be held on Saturday, September 21 with sessions at 9:30am, 11am, 1pm and 2:30pm. Pre-registration is required (you can do it here). The cost is $3 per person. Children three and under are free.
- City of La Vista Fall Festival – City Hall Campus, 8116 Park View Blvd, La Vista, NE – The Fall Festival is becoming one of the most anticipated La Vista kids’ activities of the fall. Now in its second year, the event, which will be held on Saturday, September 21 from 5 to 9pm, will feature a concert by Pat O and then a movie, Captain Marvel. There will also be fire pits, s’mores, food trucks, an appearance by Captain Marvel and outdoor games.
- Fall Fun at the Hummel Nature Center – 3033 Hummel Road, Omaha, NE – The Hummel Nature Center is an awesome resource for free Omaha activities for kids. On Friday, September 27 from 6:30 to 8pm, attend the Owl Prowl. The all-ages event will include outdoor games, crafts, hikes and the opportunity to learn all about owls. On Fridays, October 11 and 18 from 6 to 8:30pm, the Hummel Harvest Nights will be held. The family-friendly evenings will have hiking, camp fires, crafts, s’mores, games and other activities. Register for the events here.
- Harvest Fest at the Village Pointe Farmers Market – Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport Street, Omaha, NE (Farmers Market is in the southeast parking lot behind Old Navy) – The Farmers Market in general is great but on Saturday, October 5 from 8:30am to 12:30pm, it will be even more fun when the Harvest Fest is held. In addition to the market, kids can enjoy face painting, a bounce house, mini pumpkin decorating and free hayrack rides. There will also be live music, craft vendors and specialty items.
- Craft Day at the Sump Memorial Library – 222 N. Jefferson Street, Papillion, NE – The library hosts a wide variety of activities for kids in Papillion. On Saturday, October 12, children and teens can get creative at Craft Day. Kids Create will be held from 10 to 11am for little ones ages six through 12. Kids can draw, paint and color while making fun projects. Teen DIY for those 13 and up will take place from 2 to 3pm in the south meeting room. Teens will make crafts using duct tape, recycled objects and other unconventional materials.
- Omaha’s Great Pumpkin Tree Festival – Village Pointe, 17305 Davenport Street, Omaha NE – As you can see just from our list, Village Pointe holds a bunch of different fun, free Omaha kids’ activities, including Omaha’s Great Pumpkin Tree Festival. On Saturday, October 26, starting at 10am, there will be a full day of Halloween festivities, including pumpkin carving from 10am to 2pm, trick or treating and games in the amphitheater from 2:30 to 4:30pm, a concert by eNVY – Omaha from 5 to 7pm and then the pumpkin tree lighting and a flash mob performance at 7pm.
- Halloween Hoopla! – Shadow Lake Towne Center, 7775 Olson Drive, Papillion, NE – The Halloween Hoopla! is a Papillion Halloween event for the whole family. On Sunday, October 27 from 1 to 3pm at the Shadow Lake Amphitheater, there will be trick or treating, free hayrack rides and festive fun.
- Bellevue Trick or Treat – Olde Towne Bellevue, Bellevue, NE – Don your best costumes and attend the Bellevue Trick or Treat event on Sunday, October 27 from 4 to 6:30pm in Olde Towne Bellevue. The streets will be blocked off and businesses, churches and community organizations will have treat stops for a fun, safe, trick or treating experience. It’s a Teal Pumpkin Project participating event, so most treat stops will have alternatives for kids with food allergies.
- Adams Park Trunk or Treat – Adams Park Community Center, 3230 John Creighton Blvd, Omaha, NE – Another of the exciting fall activities for kids in Omaha this Halloween is Adams Park Trunk or Treat. On Wednesday, October 30 from 6 to 8pm, the Adams Park Community Center will have activities, games and crafts for the whole family, as well as trick or treating, a gaga pit, mask decorating and popcorn. There will also be a Halloween costume contest for kiddos ages two to five. You can enter your child here.
Happy fall! We hope you have a blast at these fall activities for kids and teens in Omaha. If joining the ranks of our Omaha Invisalign and braces patients is also part of your fall plans, book a free consultation at Hawley Orthodontics today by calling us at (402) 592-3200!