What do parents with a toddler do for fun on an autumn day?

I caught up with Julie and Reagan Addiss Oct. 18 at the seventh–annual Harvest Festival in Mt Laurel and followed along as they took part in the festivities. Fun is watching a child discover: pumpkins –– natural and in artistic form and dogs –– both wagging their tail and stuffed, hanging from strings.

The air felt cool and sunny –– perfect weather for a festival. Shops and restaurants were open. Artisans displayed crafts and fine art. Farmers even offered fresh produce.

Some vendors, like Full Moon Barbecue, donated a portion of proceeds to the Mt Laurel Public Library. The library fund–raising committee held a sidewalk book sale and Reagan Addiss quickly found a favorite. The toddler sat down on the sidewalk, pretended to read and pushed buttons for musical enhancement. Now, there’s a committee, which deserves our support.

Gymboree provided a toddler playground on the lawn in which Reagan boldly tried going down a slide and crawling through a tube. Older children explored an inflatable playground, face painting and pumpkin carving.

The festival atmosphere was a combination of street carnival and market. A large number of people brought dogs on leash. Children walked about with their parents and grandparents, enjoying cotton candy and fresh-squeezed lemonade, taking in the scarecrow displays and piles of pumpkins.

When parents consider ways to spend quality time with their children, a harvest festival is one sure to make memories. During these times of economic crunch we must become creative within entertainment budgets, seize opportunities to begin family traditions. Today’s financial concerns offer a perfect opportunity to teach a child that it isn’t the money spent on things which brings happiness. Rather, it is time spent together with those you love, learning about each other and growing together.