--- title: "Apple orchard or corn maze: find one and go" published: "2026-10-17" updated: "2026-10-17" author: "Dad Field Manual editors (drafted with AI help)" time: "Half a day" cost: "$20–$40" ages: "3 to 14" where: "An orchard, pumpkin patch or corn maze within an hour's drive, found and confirmed by phone before you go." topics: ["outdoors"] print: "https://dadfieldmanual.com/print?p=orchard-or-corn-maze-outing" url: "https://dadfieldmanual.com/plans/orchard-or-corn-maze-outing/" --- # Apple orchard or corn maze: find one and go > A farm day in fall is easy to plan if you find the farm first, call ahead, and set a meet-up spot before anyone walks into the maze. ## What you need - Water bottles and snacks (have) - Closed-toe shoes that can get muddy (have) - Layers and a hat (have) - Cash or card for entry and produce (an estimate; prices vary a lot by farm, so check when you call) ($20–$40) - Charged phone and a photo of each kid (have) ## Before you go - **Meet-up spot first.** NCMEC says choose a meeting spot for older kids, teach younger ones to look for staff, and remember what they're wearing. - **Photo before you leave.** NCMEC suggests a phone photo of each child just before leaving, in case you're separated. - **Wash the apples.** FDA's Halloween food-safety page says to rinse apples and other raw produce under cool running water and scrub with a brush before eating. For kids under 4, cut apples into thin slices, with no hard chunks. AAP lists raw apple pieces as a choking risk and says to cut food no larger than half an inch. - **Ticks.** CDC says to shower within two hours of coming in from grassy or brushy areas and do a full tick check. ## Steps 1. **Find a farm** (Dad) Search USDA's On-Farm Market Directory by your ZIP code; it lists farms that sell directly to the public at the farm. Your state's agriculture department or extension office may also keep a fall farm or agritourism list. Pick one within an hour. 2. **Call ahead** (Dad) Call or check the farm's own page the week you go. Ask: open hours, entry price, what's ready to pick, whether the maze is open, and if they take cards. Farms change week to week in fall. 3. **Pack and set the rules** (Together) Pack water, snacks and layers. In the car, set the rules: "We stay where we can see each other. If you can't see me, stop, stay where you are and call my name. If a worker is right there, tell them." Older kids go to the agreed meet-up spot. 4. **Photo and meet-up spot** (Dad) In the parking lot, take a photo of each kid. At the entrance, pick a meet-up spot you can all see, like the barn or the maze exit, and point to it together. 5. **Pick or run the maze** (Together) Apples: pick from the branch, twist and lift, and eat only what you've paid for and washed. Maze: younger kids stay holding your hand; older kids stay in sight. The one exception is ages 11 to 14 (see Variations). 6. **Leave before the crash** (Dad) Head home while it's still fun, about three hours in. At home, wash the apples, do a tick check and plan showers. Ask, "Best part?" ## If it stalls - If the farm you wanted is crowded, go first thing in the morning or on a weekday afternoon. - If the maze is too long, ask at the entrance about a shortcut exit before you start. - If they're done after 30 minutes, buy a few apples at the stand and call it a day. ## Variations - **Ages 3–5:** A pumpkin patch or the kid-size maze, an hour or two. Stroller or wagon for the walk back. - **Ages 6–10:** Apple picking plus the maze. Give them a map to hold and let them call the turns. - **Ages 11–14:** The one exception to "stay in sight": they go through the maze as a pair, with a phone and a set time, and the exit is the meet-up spot where you wait. - **Rain:** Fields get muddy fast. Call the farm first; picking may close after heavy rain. - **Cold:** Hats and gloves, and a warm drink in the car for the ride home. ## Sources - **Finding a farm.** USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service says its On-Farm Market Directory lists markets managed by a single farm operator that sell agricultural or horticultural products directly to consumers at or next to the farm. (checked 2026-10-17) - **If you get separated.** NCMEC's going-out checklist says to carry a recent photo of your children, even one taken on your phone just before leaving; remember what they're wearing; teach younger children to look for staff who can help; and have older children go to a set meeting spot. (checked 2026-10-17) - **Washing produce.** FDA's Halloween food safety tips for parents (its apple-bobbing section) say to rinse apples and other raw produce under cool running water and scrub with a produce brush. (checked 2026-10-17) - **Apples for little kids.** AAP's choking-prevention page lists raw fruit chunks such as apple pieces among foods to avoid or modify for young children, says to cut food for young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch, and says to keep dangerous foods from children until 4 or older, depending on their development. (checked 2026-10-18) - **Ticks.** CDC says showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce the risk of Lyme disease, and to do a full-body tick check after time in grassy or brushy areas. (checked 2026-10-17)