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Introduction
The autumn colors and chilly weather create the perfect backdrop for cozy self-care activities as a family. Starting and creating these rituals this fall can start your holiday season off right: with a solid foundation of family time and connectedness. We are going to explore how we can incorporate a self care Sunday, or any day routine at home and how it will benefit each member of the family (especially mom 😊)! You’ll find TONS of free activities that will bring your family together while promoting wellness and healthy habits. Grab a blanket and some apple cider and let’s get started!
How Self Care Sunday can Transform Your Family Connections
The Psychology of Seasonal Transitions
The seasons changing is so exciting! The cool air ushers in a host of holiday events, cozy décor and a new school year! The transition for warm to colder weather can also affect our health and in turn our family dynamics. Flu season nears closer, making it even more important to slow down, get the rest we need, and eat right to keep us going all season long. The shift in daylight and temperature can also affect our mood. All of these things make self care exponentially important for our families. As are pulled in a million different directions our health is easily compromised.
Along with preparing physically for fall with self care, slowing down can help us savor the moments this holiday season and make moments memories. Slow living helps manage our busy schedules and really focus on what matters most. It’s a perfect segway into a gratitude challenge or a fall bucket list. Going into fall and the holiday season it is so easy as families to get wrapped up in materialism. Some self care and slow living practices can really help remind us what is most important in life.
Building Lasting Family Wellness Habits
Your teenage boys might immediately opt out if you call it family self care . Whatever you decide to call it, it is a real opportunity to create habits and teach your children how to care for themselves.
In a world where people’s health is declining, even children’s, it is crucial to teach our children how to slow down and prioritize their health. This is important even in small ways. Check out these statistics on children mental health. It is a real eye opener of how important self care really is.
Since its so important we need to do things that stick! Trying small things that easily fit into your family’s routines that are already in place is a great place to start. Even making it a scheduled event will help. For example the 3rd Sunday of each month you focus on self care.
Removing obstacles will help this new habit stick!
One obstacle for so many is money! Good news for you is that these self care ideas are all little to NO cost! You’ll see that self care is SO much more than a facial at a spa and is much more inclusive than just something for girls.
(Sources: Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health | Children’s Mental Health | CDC & Teen Health: Mental Health)
Creating Your Cozy Fall Aesthetic Self Care Sunday
Setting the Autumn Mood (Free Ways)
If you ask me fall is the most aesthetic time of year. I love the changing colors and a warm sweater. We can easily create a peaceful autumn ambiance in our home that is perfect for relaxation and removes distractions. Burning some candles or making some homemade potpourri can create the perfect atmosphere. Even opening the windows of your home let’s in all those fall smells and can help you relax. If you like things like cozy visuals, you could use YouTube to display a relaxing fall scene or music.
Your home should always be a sanctuary but especially on self care day! Cleaning your space can immediately help you feel more relaxed and safe! Fill your space with cozy elements such as your favorite pillows and blankets! An easy way to make your home a sanctuary is to fill it with meaningful things. Homemade décor for fall from nature walk or other things can help create that self-care Sunday energy while adding the fall aesthetic!
Here are some great fall craft ideas that you can do to create your fall ambiance!
26+ Creative DIY Fall Crafts – DIY Art and Crafts Ideas For Kids, Adults, Toddlers, BF/GF
Seasonal Scents Without Spending
I mentioned potpourri to help your home smell exactly like fall and relaxation in the paragraph above. Here are some other free ways to create some alluring scents in your home.
- Simmer pots
- Essential oils
- These are my favorite essential oils! High quality for a great price!
- Air circulation
- Dust
- Mop with fresh smelling cleaner
- Kitchen spice simmer pots
- Fresh air circulation techniques
I don’t know if you know this, but scent has a large impact on our emotions. There is a ton of research about how scent can bypass our brain and directly impact our limbic system (the part of our brain that controls emotions and memory). Simply adding a functional smell to our home is self-care in itself. It can be a very simple but impactful addition to your self-care Sunday routine.
Fall Family Self-Care Rituals
Cozy Breakfast Traditions
Breakfast is the perfect time to set intentions for the day. It is one of the first things we do as a family and the first food we fuel our bodies with. I am a big believer that a good meal is one of the highest forms of self-care. We literally are what we eat, so we’d better eat well!
Aside from a balanced breakfast, slowing down our mornings is simple way to create a cozy atmosphere.
Sitting together for a family breakfast or even just being still in the morning can help regulate our minds and bodies. Our children can really benefit from stillness in the morning. It’s an easy way to encourage emotional regulation. We remind each other that we are a family and each individual is important when we slow down and really spend quality time with one another. What better way to start off a day?
In addition to slowing down, eating more mindfully can help us and our children be more aware of ourselves and has some solid health benefits. Mindful eating helps us learn to listen to our bodies so we don’t overeat or under eat. Knowing what our bodies need is a lost skill in a world filled with fast food and empty calories. Practicing mindful eating is a really simple idea and yet can be one of the biggest proponents of weight loss or weight management.
We can teach our children how to eat mindfully by asking them to tell you how their body feels when they eat and after they eat. Asking intuitive questions like:
Are you hungry or do you want more because you like the taste?
Why don’t we wait 5 minutes to see if you still want more then?
Have you drank any water?
All of these questions teach our children how to recognize the feelings in their body that their very important hunger hormones are trying to communicate to them.
I myself can attest to the fact that children are not the only ones who need practice. So lets lead by example and practice self-care by caring about ourselves!
These practices are great for the morning but can be applied to any meal or snack we eat. Slowing down shouldn’t be a luxury in our homes, but a priority.
DIY Natural Fall Treatments
I love some relaxing music and a facial as much as the next girl. These things may not be appealing to everyone in our families, maybe a toddler for example haha. If not, they make great for some one-on-one time with kiddos or a spouse that may be interested or some solo time for mamma. Mamas can always benefit from an extra 20 minutes of alone time!
I’ve complied some beauty treatments that are cheap but organic and full of benefits (plus very fallish):
These are as luxurious and refreshing as they sound! This is a great homemade recipe for these masks. In this recipe, she covers all sorts of benefits and how to use this face mask. Plus. all the ingredients are things you probably already have in your pantry!
You can buy hair rinses from the store to pamper yourselves but to stick to your budget, this self care Sunday DIY apple cider vinegar hair rinse is perfect! You get all the benefits for your scalp without the added commercialized costs!
This scrub is perfect for fall and the dry skin that usually accompanies it. Exfoliating and renewing your skin is such a pampering experience. Try out this DIY oatmeal scrub that will change the way you feel about your skin!
Gentle Movement Ideas
I am forever the biggest proponent of movement. Simple movement each day can increase your life expectancy, reduce stress, manage mental health issues, prevent cancer and SO much more! Our bodies were designed to be moved, so let’s move them!
When I think of self-care I don’t usually think of going for a run, but it is totally self care! Self-care is MUCH more than a spa day, it is consistently caring for yourself and giving you and caring for yourself and giving you and your family the outlets they need to thrive! Self-care Sunday could include activities like:
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Breathing exercises
- Mindful leaf collecting walk
- Outdoor meditation
- Family hike and exploration
- Scavenger hunt
- A family sport game
- Going to the park
All of the activities that I listed can create an appreciation for each other, our bodies, and of course… the beautiful fall weather! Families who play together, stay together.
Technology-Free Family Time
The importance of technology-free family time can not be underestimated. The average person spends about 4.5 hours on their phone each day. Teenagers spend way more! That equates to about 68 whole days on our phone in a year! I’m sure each of us knows the struggle of getting our kids or our spouse to put the phone down or shut the TV off. Self-care Sunday is a great time to pause, slow down and shut off the screen. Be present.
Some ways to encourage our kids to get off screens is to dedicate a room that’s “screen free”. Maybe when they are in the living room, no screens for the day. Then plan activities that take place in the living room.
Turing in everyone’s phone or other devices in a box or something similar can encourage a sense of unity and make a point of the importance of connection. Of course, a really easy idea where there can’t really be negotiations or fights is going somewhere there is no cell service of wifi! Just good old conversation and usually wilderness.
Once we get off our screens some great activities that we can do around the fall season, even if just for an hour would be:
- Board games
- Storytelling circles
- Drawing or coloring together
- Baking
- Crafts
- Karaoke
- Charades
- Community events
- Bike ride
- Any other activities mentioned in this blog!!
Preparing for Restful Sleep
Getting enough rest is really important as the seasons change. It helps us to support our immune systems and mental well-being. Enough sleep, can be different from restful sleep. Things that wind us up or stress us out before bed can really affect our sleep. Doing some activities on self-care Sunday can help us focus on our sleep hygiene and help us relax before bed time! If you enjoy them enough you can make it apart of your everyday routine. Hopefully that means these ideas will make bedtime go smoother and quicker for kids and parents alike!
- Family journaling at bedtime
Taking sometime to write about our days our just talk about them can help us decompress and work out some of the most perplexing issues of our life. You could supply journal prompts or embrace free expression. Even littles can scribble in their appointed notebook and feel included in this one. Journaling is also a beautiful way to preserve precious memories you’re creating this fall season!
- Creating a bedtime routine
Bed time routines can be something for a self care Sunday or for nights and nights to come. A bedtime routine tells our brains that it’s bed time and it can start calming down. This is especially helpful for our children’s brains. Some great things that can be apart of bed time would be a story, a warm bath, a massage, a magnesium drink, a magnesium lotion, a soothing stretching session or anything else that helps you truly relax and shut down.
- Progressive muscle relaxation for kids before bed
Progressive muscle relaxation techniques are great for all ages. You can teach your children how to do one by instructing them to focus on each small part of their body one at a time and relax the body part they are focusing on until their whole body is relaxed. This can teach self regulation and help your children fall asleep on their own.
Seasonal Crafts Using Found Items
Crafting can be a very useful creative outlet for children and adults alike. You can do things like sensory activities or rock painting. These activities can cost little to nothing. Remember that your kids are washable so let them get messy and creative!
Here are some fantastic ideas for all ages!
Fall Craft Ideas for Kids
1. Leaf Art Projects
- Leaf rubbing with crayons.
- Pressed leaf collages.
- Painting with leaves.
2. Pumpkin & Apple Crafts
- DIY paper pumpkins.
- Apple stamping with paint.
- Recycled cardboard pumpkin garlands.
3. Nature-Inspired Creations
- Pinecone owls or turkeys.
- Acorn people.
- Twig picture frames.
4. Cozy Fall Aesthetic Crafts
- DIY candle holders (using jars).
- Homemade fall wreath.
- Family gratitude tree.
Fall Sensory Bin Ideas
1. Nature Bin
- Fill with leaves, pinecones, sticks, acorns.
- Add magnifying glass for exploring textures.
2. Harvest Bin
- Dried beans, corn kernels, or rice.
- Hide mini pumpkins or toy farm animals.
3. Pumpkin Pie Sensory Bin
- Use oats, cinnamon sticks, and small pie tins.
- Smells like fall!
4. Water Play Bin
- Add orange/yellow food coloring.
- Floating gourds, leaves, or apple slices.
5. Allergy-Friendly Options
- For nut/seed allergies: use rice, pasta, or fabric leaves instead.
- Non-food sensory bins: paper shreds, felt cutouts, foam shapes.
Weekly Self Care Sunday Routine Ideas
Creating Your Family Self-Care Schedule
It can be overwhelming to accomplish a self care Sunday! I created some sample schedules for the day for you to be able to keep it simple!
Make your self-care time, whether it’s a day or an hour, your own and individualize it for each family member. It isn’t supposed to be rigid, but enriching.
Sample 1:
Morning (30 minutes)
- Leisurely Family Breakfast – No rushing, mindful eating, trying new fall flavors
- Bedroom Refresh – Change sheets, open windows for fresh air, tidy personal spaces
Afternoon (45 minutes)
- Outdoor Exploration – Visit a park, go on a nature hike, or explore your own backyard mindfully
- Creative Time – Arts and crafts using collected nature items (leaf pressing, rock painting)
Evening
- Technology-Free Time – Put devices away for 2-3 hours before bed
Sample 2:
After School/Work (20 minutes)
- Kitchen Spa Session – Make face masks using fall ingredients (pumpkin, oats, honey)
- DIY Fall Scrub – Create sugar scrubs with cinnamon and vanilla
- Hand & Foot Care – Soak in warm water with Epsom salts while sharing daily highlights
Evening Activity
- Prep Tomorrow’s Self-Care – Set out clothes, prep healthy snacks, or organize spaces
Making It Sustainable
As I touched on earlier, self care is more than a spa day. It is a way to combat the negativity and busyness of life. We can teach our children to care for and love themselves! Creative outlets and time to ponder or imagine, creates confidence and instills a sense of self that so many children and adults lack. It is important to spend time with those who you are trying to build a relationship with. It is no different when fostering self love and self acceptance.
We can be consistent with our efforts. Even it is just once a month that we really focus on self-care for our families. It is most important to adapt and be flexible to make these activities something to be enjoyed rather than another thing to stress you out. That’s literally the opposite of what we’re trying to accomplish.
Start with just one activity or simply print out the ideas to refer to when you have a small moment or a free Sunday. Any moment could morph into a self-care Sunday this fall!
Teaching Children Self-Care Values
Age-Appropriate Self-Love Practices
As we teach children how to care for themselves, we show them how special they are to us and how they should value themselves. No matter how old they are this world finds a way to tear them down or degrade the perfect wonders they are. Toddlers to teenagers need some TLC and a reminder that they are perfect and loved no matter what!
All these activities can be done and changed to fit whatever ages of children you have! Embrace special time with them and allow it to get messy and unstructured. It is in the small unstructured moments kids open up to us or we make life long memories. I can think back to my childhood and some of my favorite moments are so random and were unplanned. Being together is what matters most.
We can teach toddlers some mindfulness and the power and practice of stillness (or maybe just the thought will have to count). Elementary school children can work on emotional regulation, explaining their emotions and building self-esteem with small affirmations. Teens and pre teens can learn how to manage their stress and build trust with you to open up about their life.
Self-care Sunday can be whatever your family needs it to be! Just be intentional with the time that you set aside. Whatever small thing it is, love will be fostered in your family and little by little you’ll notice a difference. Your family will become the close knit fortress it was meant to be.
Leading by Example
As a child I was keenly aware of how my parents felt. Our kids are the same way. Children watch, listen and hear more than we ever intend for them to. Even the youngest infant can feed off of our emotions. As parents, for about a million reasons, it is important to take care of ourselves.
Prioritizing, even if it is only once a month, some time to slow down and rejuvenate ourselves can go a long ways for our children. We can model boundaries for how we let the world and others drive our lives. Those boundaries are becoming more and more important as media and “influencers” flood the time and space around us.
We can also model opening up and expressing our emotions to our children. Being vulnerable with them and our spouse creates lasting connection and security for our children. They feel as if they can do the same and healthy relationship practices are modeled for them.
Self-Care for Parents: Finding Your Moments
I know that ESPECIALLY as a mother, finding time to care for yourself and set that example is very difficult. We are pulled in a million different directions at once and there are a million things to get done before I can think to take care of myself. I have learned though that that to-do list won’t get done if I’m burned out.
My kids will get treated poorly if I don’t voice my needs and make space for myself to breath. My husband will feel inadequate if I don’t take responsibility for myself and my emotions. You can’t fill others cup, if yours is empty. So we must fill our cups.
Micro Self-Care for Busy Parents
We are quick to pull out our phones and scroll or whatever else we do in those quick fleeting moments when we have some time to ourselves. Imagine what our lives would be like if we used those small moments to be present with ourselves and decompress!
While our kids are distracted or otherwise engaged here some ideas about how to use those micro moments for lasting benefits.
30-Second Resets:
- Three deep breaths with eyes closed
- Splash cold water on face and wrists
- Look out a window and name 3 things you see
- Stretch arms overhead and roll shoulders back
- Apply hand cream mindfully
- Text yourself one thing you’re grateful for
1-2 Minute Moments:
- Mindful hand washing (focus on water temperature, soap texture)
- Step outside and feel fresh air on your face
- Do wall push-ups while dinner cooks
- Listen to one favorite song with headphones
- Write three words describing your current mood
- Drink water slowly, focusing on hydration
2-3 Minute Opportunities:
- Bathroom meditation (yes, really – use those private moments!)
- Car breathing exercises before going into stores
- Mindful coffee/tea preparation and first few sips
- Quick face massage with fingertips
- Calf raises while kids brush teeth
- Voice memo to yourself about one good moment from the day
3-5 Minute Pockets:
- Quick shower mindfulness (focus on water, scents, warmth)
- Gentle neck and shoulder stretches
- Write in a one-line-a-day journal
- Step outside to check mail mindfully
- Do jumping jacks or dance to release energy
- Apply a 3-minute face mask while kids eat snacks
During Existing Activities:
- Practice gratitude while loading dishwasher
- Do breathing exercises during kids’ screen time
- Mindful walking while pushing stroller
- Positive self-talk during folding laundry
- Gentle stretching while supervising homework
- Listen to calming music during meal prep
Transition Moments:
- Pause before entering the house after work
- Take three breaths before responding to whining
- Mini celebration after completing difficult tasks
- Mindful moments while waiting in car pickup lines
- Reset ritual between work and family time
- Gratitude practice while kids get ready for bed
And sometimes, you do absolutely nothing. There is something to be said about how powerful stillness and quiet time is for people of all ages.
Tag-Team Strategies for Partnered Parents
For my husband and I, tag teaming help us both fill our cups. I tend the baby while he does one of his favorite hobbies or he tends the baby while I have a shower for the first time in a couple days, haha. You can help create that space for your spouse. Communication about their needs will help you best accomplish this.
You can even tag team something to distract your kids or getting them to bed earlier for some alone time! It is crucial to connect with our spouse. Our children need parents who are in love just as much as they need to feel loved. A stable household is built on a happy marriage, so create one and foster it as much as possible.
I know all too much about how sometime alone time is just not possible. So we do our best. Sneak the small moments to hold hands or hug for a couple of seconds. Steal a kiss while dinner is being cooked or simply remind them you love them in small ways as you tackle the busy schedule of life together.
When your family does a self care activity, make it apart of it to connect with your partner in any small way. Self care Sunday can be filled of couple time when we make family time a time to show our kids that we love each other.
Solo Parent Self-Care Solutions
As a solo parent, you’re carrying the full load, and I see you. Some days self-care feels like a luxury you simply can’t afford when you’re the only one managing bedtimes, meltdowns, meals, and everything in between. But here’s what I’ve learned from solo parent friends – your well-being isn’t selfish, it’s essential.
Naptime and quiet time become sacred. Even if your kids have outgrown naps, instituting a daily “quiet hour” where everyone stays in their rooms can give you that precious window. Use it guilt-free – whether that’s a 10-minute shower, lying on the couch with your eyes closed, or finally drinking that cup of coffee while it’s still warm.
Don’t be afraid to lean on your village, even in small ways. Maybe it’s asking a neighbor if your kids can play in their yard for an hour while you meal prep in peace, or trading babysitting with another parent. Sometimes the best self-care is knowing you don’t have to do it all alone, even when it feels like you do.
Your after-bedtime hours are golden, even when you’re exhausted. I know the dishes are calling and tomorrow’s lunch isn’t packed, but sometimes the best thing you can do is run a bath, put on a face mask made from kitchen ingredients, or simply sit in silence for 15 minutes. The dishes will still be there, but your sanity needs tending too.
Remember that your children are watching how you treat yourself. When they see you taking small moments of care – drinking water, stepping outside for fresh air, or putting on music that makes you smile – you’re teaching them that their future selves matter too. You’re not just surviving parenthood; you’re modeling how to thrive within it, one small moment at a time. Some days self-care might just be asking for help, ordering takeout without guilt, or letting the kids watch an extra show while you close your eyes. That’s not failure, that’s wisdom.
Free Resources and Ideas by Age Group
Ages 2-5: Toddler-Friendly Fall Rituals
- Sensory play with autumn materials
- Simple breathing techniques
- Cozy reading corners
Ages 6-12: Elementary Self-Care Activities
- Journaling prompts for kids
- Art therapy projects
- Cooking as meditation
Ages 13+: Teen Wellness Practices
- Social media boundaries
- Study break rituals
- Peer connection activities
Conclusion
Remember that self care is NOT just a spa day, but a lifetime of taking care of ourselves and helping our children learn to do the same.
I am so excited for you to create the fall aesthetic and make self care a part of your every day life. We all deserve more than the hustle and bustle. Self care Sunday can become a valuable tradition for every member of your family, so start small and make these changes ones that you can sustain.
Don’t forget that all the ideas listed are totally budget friendly!
It’s small intentional moments that make the biggest changes. So get started and create that slowed down life we need and want! Comment your favorite self care activity and one that your littles enjoyed from this list!
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