Fall Bucket List: 101 Awesome Fall Homeschool Activities

101 homeschool fall activities

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:

  1. Fall activities 
  2. Columbus Day homeschool ideas
  3. Halloween activities ideas
  4. Veterans’ Day homeschool activities
  5. 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.

fall homeschool activities list

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!

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! 

free fall homeschool bucket list

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! 

Pin the image below to return to this article in the future!

homeschool fall activities

Which homeschool fall activities are you excited to experience with your kids?

Fall Bucket List: 101 Awesome Fall Homeschool ActivitiesFall Bucket List: 101 Awesome Fall Homeschool ActivitiesFall Bucket List: 101 Awesome Fall Homeschool ActivitiesFall Bucket List: 101 Awesome Fall Homeschool Activities

Hi there! I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Jen, a former reluctant homeschool mom who is ready to help you actually enjoy homeschooling too. Read more here…

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