I’m a fall person and I’m so ready for sweater weather. I can’t wait for all the fun fall activities, family walks through fallen leaves, and cozy clothes. I’m also a bucket list person. I love reading lists of ideas and making plans to check some of them off. Bucket lists inspire me to be more intentional about creating a few special family memories when things get busy. This fall bucket list for families includes 21 things I love to do in the fall with my own family, plus a few ideas I picked up from my students (5- and 6-year-olds) that I am excited to try out this year. These ideas shouldn’t require too much planning, expense, or energy. I hope this post inspires some simple fall fun for your family.
1. Make leaf art
Kids love to make leaf art. This is always a favorite fall activity in my classroom. Start by reading Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. You can pick the book up from your local library, order it, or watch a YouTube reading of the book here. This book is will give your kids lots of inspiration for their own leaf creations. After reading the book, take a nature walk and collect fall leaves of all shapes, sizes, and colors. You can glue or tape the leaves onto paper or just have fun building different scenes like a puzzle (no supplies needed for this option!).
2. Drink hot apple cider
You can find apple cider at most grocery stores this time of year. Also, look for apple cider at select farm stands or cider mills in your area (if you live in New England, check out this cider doughnut map). Heat the cider up, throw in a cinnamon stick if you have one, and go for a fall walk or drive.
3. Wear cozy socks
Dig out a pair of cozy socks to celebrate brisk fall weather or pick out some new fall cozy socks. I love these cozy UGG socks, but Target and Old Navy also usually have a good selection. You can even pick up matching cozy socks for the family.
4. Go to a fall fair
With the start of fall comes a packed schedule of festivals, fairs, and fall-themed events. Usually pumpkin patches host a weekend fair or festival with rides, entertainment, and all the fall snack favorites.
5. Make s’mores
S’mores are great in all seasons, including fall. If you can’t do an outdoor fire, make them over a gas stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.
6. Eat apples and caramel
The perfect fall lunch box treat! You can buy small caramel packs from the grocery store to throw in with a cut up apple.
7. Take a walk and crunch leaves
I like to take a daily walk to see how the leaves continue to change day to day. Pay attention to the sound of crunching leaves as you walk. Consider pairing this activity with making leaf art when you bring the kids along.
8. Carve pumpkins
Take the kids to a pumpkin patch or the grocery store to pick out a pumpkin. You can pick up a carving kit like this one too. Encourage your kids to be creative – they don’t need to make a traditional Jack o’ lantern. Oh, and you can save the seeds to toast for a healthy snack!
9. Snuggle up for a fall movie night
You can choose a fall favorite, like Charlie Brown or ET. Or you can pick any favorite family movie. Make it fall themed with caramel corn, apple cider, candy corn, and fall colored m&ms.
10. Get lost in a corn maze
This is a great family tradition to start if you have a local corn maze. To find a corn maze, check fall festivals, pumpkin patches, farms, parks, or botanic gardens in your area.
11. Rake leaves and jump in the pile
Make raking leaves a family event. I can’t wait to buy an adorable kid’s rake for next fall. Aim for a dry period without a lot of rain so the leaves crunch when you jump into the pile. Leaves make great compost as well, so shred the leaves and cover up your garden when you’re done.
12. Go on a family bike ride
Pick a crisp, sunny day and set out on a family bike ride. Even better if you can find a path with some fall color.
13. Take a fall hike
Find a hike with some fall foliage and a view from the top. It can be fun to hike the same path you walked over the summer to see how the change in seasons altered the environment.
14. Make a gratitude list
You could save this one for November or start the gratitude early. Starting a gratitude practice early helps kids identify what makes them feel happy and recognize the good things in their lives. You can have this discussion around the dinner table, make a family gratitude list, or ask older kids to journal and make their own list of what they are thankful for.
15. Donate to a food bank
Have a conversation with your kids about why it is important to contribute to a food bank. I would recommend reading this picture book as a family. It’s very well written and explains that everyone needs a little help sometimes. With your kids, come up with a list of items to donate. Then, go to the grocery store together to shop. Some of the best items to donate are peanut butter, canned chicken, canned beans, pasta, pasta sauce, olive oil, basic spices, canned veggies, formula, and baby food. You can find local food banks by visiting the Feeding America website. Many elementary schools also have fall food drives.
16. Build a bonfire
With all the wildfires, this one might be a little tricky. If your area does not allow a backyard, beach, or park bonfire, you can put up a bonfire on your TV (I love this one from YouTube), make s’mores inside (see #5 above), and have a pretend campout.
17. Read outdoors
Now that it’s not too hot to relax outside, it’s the perfect time to crowd onto a picnic blanket in the sun with a good book. Everyone can bring their own book to read or you can grab some fall books from the library for a family read aloud.
18. Walk in the rain
Crisp fall weather usually means thunderstorms. Throw on a rain coat and rain boots and head outside for a walk. Don’t forget to splash in all the puddles.
19. Take a full moon walk
September 29th is the next Full Harvest Moon. If you miss the first one, there’s also a Hunter’s Moon on October 28th. Add the dates to your calendar so you can bundle up, make hot cocoa or hot apple cider, and take a night or early morning walk around the neighborhood in the glow of the full moon.
20. Have a family game night
Build (or turn on) a fire, pop some popcorn, and cozy up around a board game. You can play an old family favorite, learn a new card game, or make a tradition of buying a new board game every fall for the family.
21. Go apple picking
Search for orchards in your area to find out if they allow drop ins. If you don’t have a lot of orchards in your area, the orchards near you may require reservations a year in advance (I ran into this problem living in Colorado). If you can’t find an orchard near you, you can always pick apples from your own apple trees or a friend’s trees, pick out a variety of apples at a farmer’s market, or plant an apple tree in your yard for future years (plant two or more for cross pollination).
What fall traditions do you have with your family? Is there anything you would add to this fall bucket list for kids? Share in comments!
P.S. How to have a stress-free Thanksgiving.
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