Paper, crayons with the wrappers peeled, glue stickHave
Where: A yard with fallen leaves, away from the street, then the kitchen table.
Before you start
Back yard, not the curb. Build the jumping pile in the yard, never at the curb or in the street, where a driver can't see a kid in it.
Check the pile. Rake it yourself first and feel through it for sticks, rocks and anything sharp before anyone jumps. For 2- and 3-year-olds, also look for acorns and anything small enough to choke on.
Ticks. CDC says ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, and many people pick them up in their own yard. Build the pile on open lawn, away from wooded edges and brush. Afterward, bath or shower within two hours and do a full-body tick check.
Check leaves for poison ivy. CDC says "Leaves of three, let it be" helps spot poison ivy and oak, but not poison sumac (7–13 leaflets per leaf), and that eastern poison ivy leaves may be red in fall. Dad checks every leaf before it comes inside.
Rake rules. Rakes stay on the ground, tines down, and nobody rakes near someone's feet.
02Steps
Check the yard for poison plants
DadBefore anyone rakes, walk the yard and the spot for the pile. Look for poison ivy and oak (leaves with three leaflets, including red ones, and vines on fences and trees) and poison sumac (7–13 leaflets on each leaf). If you find any, rake somewhere else.
Rake it together
TogetherPick a clear spot on open lawn, away from wooded edges and brush. Everyone rakes toward the middle. Give little ones the job of carrying armloads to the pile. Say, "Bigger pile, bigger jump."
Check the pile
DadBefore the first jump, walk through the pile and feel for sticks, rocks, acorns and anything sharp or small enough to choke on. Toss them out.
Jump
TogetherOne jumper at a time, feet first, from standing. No jumping while anyone is in the pile. For bury Dad, everyone stops jumping, Dad's face stays uncovered, and everyone is out of the pile before the next jump. Other rounds: hide a toy and find it, rake it back up and go again. About 20 minutes.
Pick the best leaves
KidKids pick only from leaves Dad has already OK'd. Each collects ten: the reddest, the biggest, the smallest, the weirdest shape. Dad checks every leaf again before it goes in the bag or comes inside. Flat, dry ones work best.
Wash up and tick check
DadInside, wash hands. Do a full-body tick check: underarms, in and around the ears, belly button, backs of the knees, hair, between the legs and the waist. Plan a bath or shower within two hours. Put clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes if they're dry, longer if they're damp.
Rubbings and a leaf picture
KidPut a leaf vein-side up under paper and rub the side of a crayon over it until it shows. Then glue leaves onto a page to make an animal, a face or a tree. Press the rest in a heavy book.
03If it stalls
If the leaves are wet, skip the jumping, collect the best ones and do the art. Dry them on a towel first.
If they want to stop raking, give them a job with a number: "Ten armloads, then we jump."
If the rubbing comes out faint, flip the leaf; the bumpy side gives the best print.
04Variations
Ages 2–3
Small pile, you hold hands for the jump. They throw leaves in the air and sort leaves by color.
Ages 4–6
The full plan. They count armloads and choose the art.
Ages 7–10
Match the leaves to trees in the yard by their shape and make a labeled leaf page.
WetWet leaves are heavy and slick. Collect and dry the best ones, and save the pile for a dry day.
WindyRake with the wind, not against it, and jump fast.
A field card like this one for the weekend, one quick plan for a weeknight. Nothing else. The first letter hasn't gone out yet. You'll get one email to confirm.
Poison ivy, oak and sumac. CDC's NIOSH page says the saying "Leaves of three, let it be" helps identify poison ivy and poison oak, that it does not apply to poison sumac (stems with 7–13 leaves), that eastern poison ivy leaves may be red in the fall, and that the plants release urushiol when damaged. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NIOSH) Checked Oct 17, 2026
Ticks after outdoor play. CDC says ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas; that many people are bitten in their own yard, and that a tick-safe zone means removing leaf litter and keeping play areas away from woods and brush; that showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce the risk of Lyme disease; to do a full-body tick check, including under the arms, in and around the ears, in the belly button, behind the knees, in the hair, between the legs and around the waist; and to tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes (for dry clothes; damp clothes need longer). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Checked Oct 17, 2026
Raking is a chore until there's a pile to jump in. Rake it together, jump, then bring the best leaves in for rubbings and art.
Time
1 hr 30 min
Cost
$0
Ages
2 to 10
Where
Backyard
What you need
Rakes, one kid-size if you have it
Gloves and old clothes
A bag or basket for the best leaves
Paper, crayons with the wrappers peeled, glue stick
Before you start
Back yard, not the curb. Build the jumping pile in the yard, never at the curb or in the street, where a driver can't see a kid in it.
Check the pile. Rake it yourself first and feel through it for sticks, rocks and anything sharp before anyone jumps. For 2- and 3-year-olds, also look for acorns and anything small enough to choke on.
Ticks. CDC says ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, and many people pick them up in their own yard. Build the pile on open lawn, away from wooded edges and brush. Afterward, bath or shower within two hours and do a full-body tick check.
Check leaves for poison ivy. CDC says "Leaves of three, let it be" helps spot poison ivy and oak, but not poison sumac (7–13 leaflets per leaf), and that eastern poison ivy leaves may be red in fall. Dad checks every leaf before it comes inside.
Rake rules. Rakes stay on the ground, tines down, and nobody rakes near someone's feet.
Steps
Check the yard for poison plants. Before raking, Dad checks for poison ivy and oak (three leaflets) and poison sumac (7–13 leaflets per leaf). Found any? Rake elsewhere.
Rake it together. Pick a clear spot away from the street. Everyone rakes toward the middle.
Check the pile. Dad walks through the pile and pulls out sticks, rocks, acorns and sharp things.
Jump. One jumper at a time, feet first. No jumping with anyone in the pile. Bury Dad: face uncovered, all out before the next jump.
Pick the best leaves. Kids pick ten leaves Dad has already OK'd: reddest, biggest, smallest, weirdest. Dad rechecks each before it comes in.
Wash up and tick check. Tick check: underarms, ears, belly button, behind knees, hair, between legs, waist. Bath or shower within two hours.
Rubbings and a leaf picture. Leaf under paper, rub with the side of a crayon. Glue leaves into a picture.
If it stalls
If the leaves are wet, skip the jumping, collect the best ones and do the art. Dry them on a towel first.
If they want to stop raking, give them a job with a number: "Ten armloads, then we jump."
