As we move into autumn (or spring, if you are in the Southern Hemisphere), there's still time to plan the small events and projects that build up community feeling.

If you have any doubt about why this is important, keep in mind that all kinds of outcomes, ranging from crime levels to property upkeep to welfare of the kids, can be swayed by a feeling of belonging in a thriving or improving community where people care about one another.

Here are some ideas to kick around.

1. A Long Table, which is a community dinner held literally at a very long table stretching down the middle of a street, or in a park or waterfront setting where a long, straight series of tables can be set up. The dinner can be catered or potluck, fancy or picnic-style, depending on what will attract attention in your neighborhood.

Of course, if you have a lengthy circle or some other shape, this can work too.

2. Doodling Together, which you can re-title to suit your fancy. The idea is for the entire group to make one huge drawing. If you have a blank wall that can be painted, that's great, but you can also just tape together large sheets of paper to form strips so that people can reach and draw on both sides. Both drawings as such, and word play, work well.

My tip for success is to allow this activity to go on long enough that people are reacting to one another rather than simply expressing themselves. If your setting allows leaving this group project open for several days, that can work well.

3. Scavenger hunts, which can be themed if you like. Be mindful that the way you construct your hunt allows everyone to contribute a bit. Although the classic game is played by having people hunt for specific items, one neighborhood has great success by simply awarding prizes for the Most Unusual Item, Most Likely to Be Worn by a Grandma Item, Most Likely to Be Helpful to a Struggling Baseball Player, and so on.

If you want to be more cerebral about it, you can ask people to find something that reminds them of what they like about your neighborhood, an unexpected place in your community, something that needs improvement in your neck of the woods, a reminder of the variety of sub-groups within your geographic community, and so forth.

4. A game night, featuring many large and small contests, ranging from paper airplane throwing to bubble blowing contests. Add some unexpected rules or gimmicks, and suddenly everyone will be laughing. And sharing a laugh builds community.

Be sure to design games that almost everyone can participate in, and try not to make the event so competitive that people leave stressed instead of in a good humor. If you have some games that are silly, some that appeal to kids, and some that require cooperation to succeed or win, you have the ingredients for community building.

Remember the prizes, which can be gag gifts or actually useful.

5. A wiffle ball tournament, or something equally unlikely to be taken too seriously by either children or adults. If your group makes almost everything into a competition, look for something that depends much more on luck than skill or age. If you do a tournament, make each game very short and hopefully likely to generate funny results.

If you like, tailor this activity to not take too long, thus allowing you to tack on serious content before or after the fun.

If you can do this outdoors to attract attention in the neighborhood, so much the better.