Five ways to have fun this fall

Invite a 10-year-old boy on a walk to see fall foliage, and he won't even glance up from his video game.

But ask him to navigate a corn maze or tour a haunted house, and you've got yourself a companion for a fun outing. Here are five ways to get children out of the house this fall.

Corn mazes

You can find easy walk-throughs for little children, but for older children, look for a six-acre odyssey that will take an hour to navigate. Some mazes have guides stationed in towers in case you get lost inside their larger-than-life 3-D puzzles.

The most intricate labyrinths are professionally designed, with fields carved to resemble images ranging from maps to presidents' faces to sports logos. But most of the designs can only be appreciated with an aerial view. If you're inside the maze, all you'll see is a 12-foot-high wall of cornstalks on every side.

Locally, Beggs Family Farms operates a 12-acre corn maze and pumpkin patch. The maze opens Sept. 30, and the farm is located at 2319 Route U in Sikeston. Call (573) 471-3879 for more information.

Haunted houses

With young children, look for low-tech haunted barns at roadside farms where the thrills won't get much spookier than fog machines and a howling soundtrack.

For preteens and teenagers, most theme parks offer haunted nighttime walks with scary special effects -- including actors portraying axe-wielding madmen and bloody ghouls.

Local Halloween haunts include the Haunted Hall of Horror at the Arena Building, Black Forest Village, Judgement House interactive drama at local churches, and Rocky Holler's haunted hay ride in Jackson.

Food, farms and festivals

Pick apples and pumpkins, then let the children help you make a pie or carve a jack-o'-lantern. Check the Web site for your state Department of Agriculture or tourism office to find orchards nearby. Try www.pickyourown.org, www.farmstop. com or www.applejournal.com.

Many fall festivals have family-friendly activities like pumpkin-decorating and petting zoos.

Hikes

Nancy Ritger, senior interpretive naturalist for the Appalachian Mountain Club, says one way to get children excited about a hike is "to have a goal of some sort -- a waterfall or a pond, or maybe just a scenic overlook, but have something they can count on getting to. And have that goal be attainable -- don't do a 10-mile hike for their first adventure."

Ritger suggests bringing a net to dip in a pond or river; a magnifying glass for examining insects and binoculars for the grand view. Food is a good motivator, too. Make pumpkin muffins together as a snack for the hike, or let children help make trail mix, including treats of their choice like M&Ms or dried cranberries.

Conduct a scavenger hunt. Look for acorns, see who can find the biggest fallen leaf and collect as many different types of leaves as you can.

Talk about safety before heading out. Stay together in the woods and remind children to stay put and make a lot of noise if they get lost.

AMC's "Fall into Adventure with the AMC" link -- www.outdoors.org/lodging/fallguide.cfm -- has a trip planner with recommended foliage hikes.

Train rides

Many rail companies offer themed rides with entertainment for children. Locally, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Depot in Jackson features the Haunted Train Car event in October.

~Staff writer Callie Clark Miller contributed to this report.