Fall is finally here! Check out these 101 homeschool fall activities to see how you can make the most of this season as a homeschooling family!
Of course, education is important, but if you’re reading this, you probably also believe that another essential part of homeschooling is making special memories with your kids!
At The Reluctant Homeschool Mama, we believe fall is a wonderful time of year to do just that.
So keep on reading to get your hands on our Fall Homeschool Bucket List and choose the homeschool fall activities that are the best fit for your family!
Why Bucket Lists are Awesome
Bucket lists are great for kids for several reasons:
- They help kids appreciate the change in the seasons
- Kids can look forward to the break from the norm
- Having a list can help kids visualize what’s coming in the next few months
- They help kids understand the importance of planning
- They can help create many special homeschooling memories!
We’ve organized our list of homeschool fall activities into these categories so you can easily find what you’re looking for:
- Fall activities
- Columbus Day homeschool ideas
- Halloween activities ideas
- Veterans’ Day homeschool activities
- Thanksgiving activities for homeschool
Fun Fall Homeschool Activities
1.Collect fall leaves
Choose a gorgeous autumn day and search for fallen leaves. Collect and learn about different varieties of leaves, or research what makes leaves change color in the fall.
2. Make a leaf rubbing
Use the leaves from your collection, some wax paper, and old crayons to make some pretty leaf rubbings.
3. Learn about fall leaves
There are so many things to learn about leaves! Find out why leaves change color, or what weather conditions cause leaves to be more or less vibrant. Classify leaves based on their color, type, or size.
4. Rake a neighbor’s leaves
Do a good deed together and rake a neighbor’s leaves for them! Modeling kind behavior like this is a very important life lesson to teach our kids!
5. Jump in a leaf pile
Why not enjoy your hard work and have a little fun?
6. Read fall picture books
There are so many beautiful, uplifting, and educational books about fall. Check out our recommendations by reading the article featured below!
Related article: 17 Adorable Fall Picture Books to Read to Your Kids
7. Try a new fall fruit or vegetable
8. Try a new soup recipe
9. Go apple picking
10. Make apple crisp or pie
We love this healthy and delicious apple crisp recipe from 100 Days of Real Food! It’s been our go-to for years.
11. Drink apple cider
12. Make apple butter
13. Make a bird feeder
This great bird feeder-making kit from Amazon has a simple design that makes it great for kids.
14. Visit a pumpkin patch
15. Paint pumpkins
16. Carve pumpkins
17. Roast pumpkin seeds
Before you roast them, play some counting games with them to see how many you have!
18. Make pumpkin muffins
Our favorite recipe for homemade pumpkin muffins is right here. We recommend adding 3/4 cup chocolate chips to make them extra yummy.
19. Go on a hayride
20. Visit a corn maze
21. Go on a hike
22. Family bike ride
23. Try geocaching
24. Go on a neighborhood walk
25. Pick up trash
26. Birdwatch
Learn about migration and see if you can spot birds migrating south for winter!
27. Plant spring bulbs
28. Plant a winter garden
29. Plant chrysanthemums
30. Collect pinecones
31. Learn to sew or knit
32. Celebrate the 1st day of fall
33. Write a letter
34. Dine al fresco
35. Walk a dog
36. Do a fall craft
There are almost limitless options to choose from, so pick one that’s the right difficulty for your kids and that you won’t mind cleaning up!
37. Watch a sunrise
38. Watch a sunset
39. Stargaze
We love this telescope from Celestron because it’s easy for kids to use and it also works really well!
40. Outside read-a-thon
Grab a blanket and some fun fall books and read them outside together.
41. Fall scavenger hunts
We’ve got 5 Fun and Free Fall Scavenger Hunts for Kids that you can download and print for free right here in the Reluctant Homeschool Mama’s Resource Library!
42. Attend a fall festival
Celebrate the arrival of fall at a local fall event, activity, or festival.
43. Visit a farm
According to Wing Farms, established in 1852, “Farms present a chance to teach children about agriculture, animals, plants and so much more.”
44. Visit an aquarium
45. Play croquet
Review math, history, or science facts as you get some fresh air and have some fun at the same time!
46. Find sunflowers
Learn some interesting facts about sunflowers right here. Or study the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh!
47. Visit a Farmer’s Market
Go on a weekday when other kids are in school and spend some time talking with the local merchants.
48. Play at the park
Taking advantage of those gorgeous weather days is one of the best things about homeschooling, isn’t it?!
49. Go to a local theater arts production
50. Visit a Renaissance Fair
Most Renaissance fairs take place in the fall. Of course, it’s a perfect tie-in if you’ve been studying the Renaissance lately!
51. Go to the zoo
Take advantage of those days when it’s not so hot and the animals are more active!
52. Visit a botanical garden
52. Visit a science museum
53. Take a day trip to a small town
Learn about small businesses, local economies, or the history of your nearest small town.
54. Have a board game tournament
There are many board games that have some educational purpose! Check out some of our favorites in the articles we’ve highlighted below!
- 23 Science-Based Board Games to Play in Your Homeschool
- 11 Awesome History-Based Board Games for Middle and High Schoolers
55. Paint kindness rocks
Paint happy messages on rocks and randomly leave them around your neighborhood for a fun art project and community service activity combined!
Columbus Day Ideas
59. Learn about Christopher Columbus
There are many great books about Christopher Columbus, but our very favorite is First Voyage to America: From the Log of the Santa Maria.
It’s over 90 pages, but even my elementary schoolers have enjoyed it when we divide it up over several days!
60. Learn about Spain or Italy
Many people don’t know that Columbus was actually Italian, but his voyage was financed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.
A short unit study about either of these countries is perfect on the days around Columbus Day!
61. Make a milk carton ship
We’re not super big on crafts that take up a lot of room and eventually get thrown away, but this one is really cool!
62. Make a sailor’s sextant or compass
We purchased the book Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration with 22 Projects all the way back in 2013 and we still use it and love it today!
There are so many simple and easy projects you can do as part of your homeschool day.
62. Have a balloon boat race
Maybe you’ve seen balloon rocket races? If so, this is a simple variation where you attach the balloon to a small boat and let it sail across the bathtub!
63. Learn about Native American tribes
Obviously, Columbus’s voyage had a major impact on the Indigenous People living in the New World. Take some time and learn about their history!
64. Visit a Native American site or museum
Halloween Homeschool Ideas
65. Create a Favorite Halloween Candy graph
Have your kids ask their friends and family members about their favorite Halloween candy. Keep a tally and make a bar graph, line graph, or pie chart!
66. Visit a spooky place
Of course, you know what your kids can handle!
67. Make homemade costumes
68. Create your own Halloween word searches
Check out all the fun and free options available on Discovery Education right here!
69. Write an acrostic poem
Write the letters H-A-L-L-O-W-E-E-N vertically down the left side of a piece of paper. Then have your kids think of a descriptive Halloween word or phrase that begins with each of the letters.
70. Read Halloween books
Our favorite Halloween book for younger kids is Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson. It’s charming and clever at the same time!
For older kids, The Witches by Roald Dahl is always a fabulous choice!
71. Play some fun Minute to Win It games
We’ve compiled a great list of kid-friendly Halloween Minute to Win It games right here on our sister site!
72. Send candy to troops
Encourage your kids to do a good deed and donate some of their leftover Halloween candy to a worthwhile cause!
73. Have a spooky poetry reading hour
Most middle school kids can probably handle Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” but it’s completely up to your discretion!
74. Learn the history of Halloween
Have your kids research how Halloween began and how it became the holiday it is today.
75. Make cute Halloween crafts
This round-up of 50 Halloween crafts for kids is a great place to get some inspiration.
76. Try some cool candy experiments
Check out these 10 fun candy experiments from Lemon Lime Adventures!
77. Start the Neighborhood Boo
78. Decorate your front porch or yard
Veteran’s Day Ideas
80. Learn about Veteran’s Day
Have your kids research how and why Veteran’s Day became a federal holiday.
81. Fly the flag
Learn about the proper way to hold, fold, and display the flag.
82. Write a letter
83. Attend a Veteran’s Day parade or ceremony
84. Visit a military cemetery
85. Make a list of all the military veterans you know
86. Send a care package to troops serving overseas
87. Learn the difference between Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day
Thanksgiving Ideas for Homeschool
88. Learn about the Pilgrims
89. Learn about Native Americans
90. Read Thanksgiving books
Your local library probably has a good collection!
91. Test a new Thanksgiving recipe
Have your kids help you make and test a new recipe you’re considering for Thanksgiving this year.
92. Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
93. Play Thanksgiving Family Feud
94. Run or walk in a local Turkey Trot
95. Keep a gratitude list throughout November
96. Write turkey stories
Have your kids write or tell stories about a turkey’s perspective of Thanksgiving!
97. Create Thanksgiving pie charts
Interview friends and family members about their favorite Thanksgiving traditions, food, desserts, and activities. Then create pie charts to represent all the data you’ve gathered.
98. Re-enact the Thanksgiving story
Paper pilgrim hats are totally optional!
99. Do some Black Friday shopping
Who knows? You might score some great homeschool deals while you’re at it!
100. Support small business Saturday
Help your kids learn about business and the local economy by supporting Small Business Saturday
101. Create a holiday bucket list
Make a list of all the things you want to do to celebrate Christmas and the holidays in your homeschool!
Related article: 9 Awesome Christmas Traditions for Fun and Learning
Free Printable Homeschool Fall Activities List for Kids
To download and print your copy of our Homeschooling Fall Bucket List, simply click on this link right here or on the image below!
Final thoughts about these homeschool fall activities
As with all things here at The Reluctant Homeschool Mama, we are here to help you enjoy homeschooling your kids WITHOUT adding a ton of extra work to your already-super-busy life!
Just choosing a few of these homeschool fall activities per month will be enough to help your kids enjoy the wonderful fall season!
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Which homeschool fall activities are you excited to experience with your kids?
