Visiting an orchard to pick apples is a fun and educational fall activity suitable for all ages, making it perfect for school field trips, homeschool learning adventures, and weekend family fun!
This informative apple orchard field trip guide includes apple-picking activities, crafts, books, recipes, and everything you need to know about harvesting apples with your children, students, or the whole family. Picking apples in the fall is a cherished tradition that combines education with the joys of harvest season and the pleasure of spending time outdoors. As the air turns crisp, and leaves begin to change color, many apple orchards open their gates to visitors eager to experience the simple activity of picking fresh apples straight from the tree. For more fall field trip ideas (and fun activities to do along with them), visit these Pumpkin Patch Field Trip Ideas and Corn Maze Ideas!
Go on a class field trip, a homeschool learning adventure, or make a plan to spend time with your family on the weekend by visiting an apple orchard to go apple-picking! Picking apples is a fun fall activity for kids, families, and classrooms. Although my family has a few apple trees on our property, we also enjoy visiting an apple orchard to go apple-picking in the fall as part of our daughter’s homeschool education. Join us! First published in the fall of 2015 as a fun outdoor activity idea for Get Outside and Connect, this post is regularly updated to enhance its content.
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Apple Orchard Field Trip Activity Ideas for Kids and Families:
Visit a pick-your-own apple orchard this year. This apple-picking guide includes everything you need to know about visiting an apple orchard. It provides information on how to find apple orchards and “pick your own” farms in your area. It also includes several apple crafts and activities, apple book recommendations, and fantastic apple recipes that make it FUN to enjoy the fruits of your labor! Use the handy tips and apple activity ideas below to plan a trip with your entire family or classroom for apple-picking this harvest. You might also enjoy our Fall Bucket List, which has even more autumn activities for kids.
Educational Benefits of Visiting an Apple Orchard to Pick Apples:
Apple picking also offers educational benefits for all ages, making it an excellent activity for families, school groups, and curious individuals. Children can learn about different apple varieties, how trees grow, the importance of pollinators, and the lifecycle of the fruit from blossom to harvest. Older students and adults can explore topics such as organic farming, soil health, and the business aspects of agriculture.
Many orchards offer guided tours for school groups or weekend visitors. In contrast, others might provide educational signage to assist visitors with a self-guided educational experience. Both of these options can enhance the visit with science and history. Even the simple act of selecting and tasting apples directly from the tree promotes sensory learning and a greater appreciation for seasonal farm-to-table eating.
Best Time of Year to Go Apple-Picking:
The best time for apple picking usually ranges from late summer to mid-fall. However, the specific timing depends on the region and type of orchard. Apples are typically ripe for picking from late summer to mid-November, depending on the variety. The most common types of apples are just beginning to ripen in the fall, while others ripen through the autumn and are ready in late fall or early winter.
Most varieties of apples ripen in the fall or autumn; therefore, apple-picking farms typically open in late September or early October. Many areas experience a peak picking period from early September to mid-October. There are several different types of apples, so apple picking season extends through fall and sometimes into early winter in some areas, depending on the climate, variety of apples, and growing season.
For example, the harvest season for vibrant Red Delicious apples is typically in late September. Varieties like McIntosh, Gala, and Honeycrisp are also usually ready for harvest earlier in the fall. While later in the season, apples like Fuji and Pink Lady ripen. Green Granny Smith apples are a late-maturing variety, typically ripe in late October to early November.
Pick-Your-Own Apple Orchards:
Pick-your-own apple orchards provide a fun and interactive way to connect with nature and local farming. These farms typically charge by the pound or bag, and many offer additional seasonal activities, such as hayrides, corn mazes, cider pressing, and farm stands with fresh-baked goods. Visitors are often provided with baskets or bags, and can walk through the rows of apple trees, hand-picking their fruit. This experience can help children and adults of all ages appreciate the work involved in growing and harvesting food, supporting local farmers, and promoting sustainable agriculture.
How to Find an Apple Orchard Near You:
Organic apple orchards are recommended for the health and safety of all attendees. However, they can sometimes be more challenging or farther away from major metropolitan areas. Check your local newspaper, a family resource guide, or do a Google search for a “Pick Your Own” apple farm near you!
Contact Apple Orchards and Make a Plan to Visit:
Contact apple orchards and farms near you or a short distance away to find out what types of apples they grow, when their apples will be ripe for picking, and when they will open their gates to visitors. The following section includes several questions you can ask to help plan your visit. Then make a plan to visit during the appropriate time period to avoid missing your favorite apple variety when it’s ripe and ready. Checking with a local orchard ensures that you can harvest your favorite apple varieties at just the right time.
It’s also a good idea to ask about how they charge and whether there are any additional attractions offered at the apple-picking farm you visit, as well as their cost. Sometimes, apple orchards include a playground, pony rides, farm animals, a petting zoo, and other apple-picking activities, as well as special events such as cooking classes or educational programs. Most of them also feature a farm stand with a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as an apple orchard, making it easy to gather other fresh, wholesome foods on your visit.
Questions to ask Apple Orchard or Farm before your visit:
- What types of apples do you grow?
- What is the cost to visit? Do you charge by the visitor, by the weight of the apples, or by the bag? Are there any additional attractions or fees?
- When are your apples ready for harvest?
- When will you open your gates to visitors, and when are the best times to visit with the smallest crowds?
- Do they provide bags or baskets for picking apples?
- Are there wagons available (bags of apples can be heavy), or do they allow you to bring your own collapsible wagon? Plan accordingly.
- Do you offer guided or self-guided tours? Is there an additional cost?
- Ask if the branches are low enough for small children, such as toddlers and preschoolers, to pick up or if ladders will be provided.
- Is food available for purchase, or is there a place to sit and eat if you bring a picnic?
- Bringing extra cash and packing plenty of water and snacks (or lunch) is always a good idea.
- What other types of attractions are available on-site, and are they included with the price of admission, or is there an additional cost?
Related: Signs of Autumn Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Apple Orchard Field Trip Ideas: BYO (Bring Your Own) Apple Picking Basket
The apple orchard will likely have bags or baskets for picking. If not, I recommend bringing a sturdy basket or heavyweight reusable bags along with you on your visit. My favorite free trade baskets for gathering goodies at farmers’ markets and collecting produce at pick-your-own farms can be found at the following Amazon affiliate link: Market Baskets.
As mentioned previously, if the orchard doesn’t offer wagons for pulling bags of apples, which can get really heavy depending on how many children you have (or people in your party), you might want to bring a collapsible portable wagon along with you if the farm allows it.
Apple Picking Activity Ideas: Best Apple Activities for Kids:
Before or after visiting an apple orchard, you can extend children’s learning at home or in the classroom with free resources and simple apple activities, such as the apple picking activity ideas below:
- Parts of an Apple: Teach your children about the parts of an apple: core, seeds, flesh, skin, stem, and leaf.
- Apple Star Activity: Lay an apple on its side and cut it into thin sections. Show children from toddlers to teens the star in the center of the apple around the core, and watch their eyes light up with surprise and wonder.
- Peel Apples: Teach children how to use an apple peeler to peel apples you pick for fresh apple recipes (we have several below) with an easy countertop apple peeler and corer
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- Peeling and coring apples is an excellent practical life activity for food preparation in Montessori and Waldorf Education that kids LOVE!
- After peeling the apples, use the recipes included below the apple crafts in the following section to create something delicious for everyone to enjoy.
- Apple Life Cycle Activity: Here’s an Apple Life Cycle Printable you can use for this apple-picking activity by “The Stay at Home Educator.”
- How does an Apple Grow? Learn how an apple grows with this preschool apple science activity from “Little Bins for Little Hands.”
- Apple Science Activity: Try this easy apple science experiment from “Pre-K Pages.”
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Apple Crafts for Kids:
Try a few apple crafts at home or in the classroom this fall. Apple-picking crafts provide a simple way to learn and create with the fruit you pick. Look through the list of apple craft ideas below:
Apple-Picking Craft Ideas:
- Create an Apple Hedgehog by using half of an apple as the body. Using toothpicks to create a hedgehog or porcupine is a fun fine-motor activity for kids.
- Craft a clove apple pomander with the step-by-step instructions on Crafting a Green World.
- Make an Apple Craft with this simple nature craft activity.
- Strengthen your hands with these fun apple button crafts for kids:
- Weave an apple onto a paper plate using this fun apple craft idea from “Easy Crafts for Kids.”
- Try apple stamping art:
- Cut apples in half and dip them in tempura paint to make apple prints! For tips, have a look at THIS printmaking project!
- You can find a few more fall apple crafts on this list of Fall Nature Crafts.
Awesome Apple Recipes:
If you are wondering what to do with all the apples you collect at the farm, look through the fabulous apple recipes below. Making food with the apples you pick is an excellent activity to extend this learning activity and provide a farm-to-fork experience for children. I highly recommend making some applesauce or apple butter for your apple activities; both recipes are provided below. A countertop apple peeler 
makes it easy! Use these apple recipes to enjoy the fruits of your labors after a visit to an apple orchard:
Apple-Picking Activity Recipe Ideas:
- Apple Pie Oatmeal Breakfast Recipe: This recipe from “Rhythms of Play” makes oatmeal that tastes just like fresh apple pie. You can even add fresh walnuts to it, another of fall’s favorites!
- Learn how to crack walnuts so you have two perfect halves remaining to make crafts.
- Apple Crisp: Move over, apple pies; there’s a much easier apple-picking recipe for kids that the whole family will enjoy! Use this delicious gluten-free fruit crisp recipe to make an apple crisp with the instructions below:
- Peel and cut apples into slices. I recommend this apple peeler and corer; it’s economical, fast, and easy to use.
- Pour 1/3 cup of orange juice over apple slices.
- Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg (if desired) to the ingredients and follow the remaining recipe instructions on “Rhythms of Play.“
- Easy Recipe for Applesauce: Learn how to make applesauce with a step-by-step cooking tutorial for kids by “Teaching 2 and 3-year-olds.”
- Cinnamon Apple Zucchini Muffins: Get the recipe for these delicious and healthy apple muffins from “Arts and Crackers.”
- Apple Squash Bread: Use your apples to make a delicious book-inspired snack with the kids at home or in the classroom kitchen. The easy step-by-step recipe is on “Sunny Day Family.”
- Slow-Cooker Apple Butter (No Sugar Added!): This simple recipe will teach you how to use the apples you pick to make delicious apple butter without sugar. Spread it on toast and more. Get DIY details on “Bakerita.”
- The Magic of Caramel Apples: Learn how to make caramel apples with “Sally’s Baking Addiction.”
Related: Low-Fat Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Apple Book Recommendations:
To extend children’s learning even further, you can read beautiful books about apples with your children before and after you go to the apple orchard. For more of our fall favorites, check out Autumn Stories Children LOVE!
Best Books About Apples for Kids:
Here’s a selection of Apple Books for kids perfect for enjoying before or after a trip to an Apple farm.
- Apples for Everyone
- Apples
- How Do Apples Grow?
- Apple Picking Time
- Johnny Appleseed
- The Apple Pie Tree
- Fall Apples
- The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree
- Apples and Pumpkins
You might also enjoy these Books That Teach Children Important Life Lessons.
The Best Apple Learning Toys and Games for Children:
Try some of these apple-themed toys and games for kids to have even more fun learning about and with apples!
Related: The Best Toys for Open-Ended Play
Apple Orchard Field Trip Ideas for Kids
An outing to an apple orchard is an excellent way to celebrate the autumn harvest with your students or family. Visiting an apple farm is a fun activity for a class field trip or a family adventure, whether you homeschool or not.
Whether for recreation, education, or traditions, apple picking in the fall is a wholesome way to enjoy the outdoors and celebrate the season’s bounty with your family or students. This outdoor activity helps people connect with the earth, promotes healthy farm-to-fork eating habits, and creates memories that can last a lifetime.
This post is part of the Get Outside and Connect Series. Click on the link to learn more. You might also enjoy these outdoor learning ideas and nature activities.
You may also like our Fall Bucket List, which includes several more fun and educational autumn activity ideas for kids.
Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author of these apple-picking activity ideas HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!
For more field trip ideas, check out the following articles:
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Such a cute article!
Thanks, Lisa! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!