Playworks sells toys that invite play and enhance development in children from birth through age five

Autumn is definitely in the air, and hours of daylight are waning fast, forcing us to get outdoors and rake those leaves earlier in the day. Already folks have begun laying plans for their annual Thanksgiving celebrations. Some will travel far to gather with family and friends. Others will welcome travelers relieved to have survived the challenge of heavy traffic on highways and byways or the struggle to get from one crowded airport to another.

Every family has its favorite Thanksgiving traditions, and food takes center stage in most celebrations. When I was a child, my mother filled a horn-shaped wicker basket, a cornucopia, with fruits and vegetables. This horn of plenty served as our centerpiece at Thanksgiving dinner, a symbol of a bountiful harvest and a reminder of our blessings.

Thinking about family and this tradition of celebrating the harvest and all who work to make it possible, I realized that this tradition could also be an opportunity to enjoy time together with the children in our lives and to teach those children about food and how it gets to our tables. Begin with a trip to a farmer's market, where climate permits, or to the produce section of your local supermarket, and check out all the choices.

Identify the fruits and vegetables by name. Be amazed. Who among us knew, as children, that bell peppers come in such an array of colors? That peppers in general have such a range of flavor and heat, color and shape? The diversity and variety among eatable fruits and vegetables are amazing and surely something to celebrate.

Some may be locally grown; others were grown elsewhere in our nation or arrived by air from exotic locales. That opens the door to learning what grows where and to exploring where these places are in the world.

Choose favorite fruits and vegetables for your Thanksgiving centerpiece. A specially shaped basket is not required. Select any available basket or bowl, and enjoy assembling your "bountiful harvest." If available, collect brightly colored autumn leaves to accent your arrangement.

Above all, take time to celebrate and be grateful for being together, sharing and learning about the foods we have available to us for our bountiful Thanksgiving feast. Then go outside and enjoy a walk in the crisp autumn air.