Skip to main content

7 fun fall homeschool activities

Perk up the fall season with these activities for homeschooling

The great thing about homeschooling is it can look like whatever you want it to, and that means being able to ditch the heavy books and endless printouts. The best thing about fall is the weather makes getting outside for activities so much more enjoyable for both parents and kids.

Combine the gorgeous autumn weather with engaging activities to create a bit of homeschool heaven. Let’s check out seven fun fall homeschool activities that you and the kiddos will love doing.

A child making a leaf painting

Use nature’s surroundings

Leafy good times

Looking at the stunning brown, red, yellow, and orange colors of the leaves brings out a bit of wonder in all of us. Kids will have a leafy good time doing a few different art projects with fallen treasures.

Make a leaf print

What you’ll need
  • A plate
  • Preferred colors of paint
  • Various leaves of different sizes/kinds
  • Blank paper (any color)

Have your child paint the leaves or dip them into paint poured onto a plate. Let the excess paint drop off and then gently press the leaf on the blank paper. Use the leaves as the start of an art project to add on to, or as art all on its own.

Leaf rubbings

What you’ll need
  • Chalk/crayons
  • Leaves of various sizes
  • Thin paper

Have your kids find some of their favorite leaves from the yard. On a flat surface, have them put the paper over the leaf and do a gentle rubbing across the paper with chalk or crayons. Use a variety of colors on the leaves so the kiddos see the differences in lines and textures.

Pick up pinecones

What you’ll need

  • Pinecones
  • Various paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Optional: glitter

Pinecones are another outdoor prize that are perfect to use for school projects. Have your children find pinecones of different sizes around the yard. The kiddos should paint them all the same color, different colors, add glitter, throw some stickers on, or add googly eyes – whatever they want, as long as they have a blast creating their works of art. Put them in a little basket and set it on the porch for a unique, personalized seasonal touch to your home.

Fall photoshoot

What you’ll need

  • Camera (or phone)
  • Kid’s imagination

Yes, everyone loves a fall photoshoot — but let the kids do this one! If you have a polaroid or other camera and feel fine letting the kids use that instead of a phone, then go ahead.

But let the kids pick the place, the theme, and the poses. Go to a park or your own backyard and let the little ones be the boss of this photoshoot.

A couple of kids lying in a pile of leaves

Get them moving around outside

Apple orchard/pumpkin patch

What you’ll need

  • Cute fall outfits
  • Patience

We know — these two get brought up on every autumn list. But there is something beautiful about watching your kids have fun at an apple orchard and crawl through a pumpkin patch. You’ll also snap some of the best pictures to cherish, and the scenery couldn’t be more gorgeous.

Some orchards even have a small petting zoo, so you get that whole adorable experience. It’s so cute and the kids just light up. Be sure to grab yourself some delicious snacks on the way out.

Parks for days

What you’ll need

  • Full tank of gas
  • Bag with drinks/snacks/wipes
  • Play clothes

We love parks in the fall. The kids learn to play nicely with each other, share with other kids, and the fresh air gets them ready for bedtime. They are strengthening their minds as well as their bodies.

Look up all the parks by you and see how many you can visit over the weeks before it gets too cold out. Incorporate some of the other activities for homeschooling into your park adventures and tie it all together.

A playground in the autumn

Make the outside extra educational

Find it: Fall edition

What you’ll need

  • List of items to find
  • Bucket or basket (if you want kids to collect items)

Scavenger hunts are the best fun. Hide things around your yard or a park. Or you could take a stroll first and see what they have to look for. A few leaves of different colors and acorns would be perfect to have to find.

Give your kids a bucket, their list, and have them find fall-related items. Scavenger hunts make the kids move around, use up energy, and create a little healthy competition with who gets done first.

See the stars

What you’ll need

  • Telescope
  • A clear sky
  • Astrology book

A really fun science-themed activity is to check out the stars. The weather will be cooler, so being outside won’t be such a sweaty affair. Sometimes the library will have a stargazing night, so check with your local branch.

Have the kids look up their birth sign and see if they find their constellation in the sky. Find which ones will be visible at that time of year and have the kids look up the origins and tell you about them.

We think that fall is the best season, especially when it comes to homeschooling. Get your kids out in the beautiful weather and embrace nature together. These 7 easy, affordable, and low-stress activities are a great way to get some schooling done and strengthen that bond with your kids. Homeschooling should be enjoyable for everyone, and even more so during the fall.

Editors' Recommendations

Dannielle Beardsley
Dannielle has written for various websites, online magazines, and blogs. She loves everything celebrity and her favorite…
Your favorite childhood movies will be your kid’s favorite, too
Want to rewatch your beloved childhood movies? Grab your kid and revisit these nostalgic films
A family watches TV on a couch

We all have a soft spot in our hearts for the movies we were raised on. We grew up on those films and they helped shape the adult version of ourselves more than we might want to admit. These are the childhood movies that you have to watch with your little human that will show them the value of family and friendship and that kindness is always the right choice.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Read more
The best chores for kindergartners: Teach responsibility in an age-appropriate way
Kindergarteners aren't too young for chores — give them responsibility with these tasks
Kindergarten boy watering plants in the garden

Are kindergarteners too young for chores? Absolutely not. If you haven't already started giving your 5-year-old simple chores around the house, now is the perfect time to start. Having chores for kids to do is more than just giving busy parents a hand.

Chores go a long way toward teaching children important life skills. Doing chores actually has a lot of benefits for kids. These household chores teach children responsibility and give them a sense of belonging. Helping with simple tasks around the house also works to improve a child's confidence and self-esteem. Getting kids used to completing those everyday tasks like making the bed and doing laundry will most certainly be prudent when they're ready to head off to college or get out on their own. So, what are the best chores for kindergarteners and young children?
Chores for kindergarteners
Kindergarten is a wonderfully fun age. At the ages of 4, 5, and 6, kids are curious about everything and love to spend time with their parents. Kindergarteners also want to do the things they see their parents doing, which is why it's the ideal time to introduce them to chores.

Read more
These are the best cities for kid-friendly vacations
Highest ranking cities for the best family vacations
Excited family boarding an airplane for family reunion

Planning a vacation for your family is stressful, which is ironic since vacations are supposed to ease your stress, not cause more of it! But, we all know that booking something the entire family is going to love is no easy feat and often results in you needing a vacation from your vacation.

But if the pandemic has taught us anything, it's how important it is to take that time as a family to enjoy each other's company outside of the normal stresses of everyday life. If you need a little help deciding where to go for vacation this year, Lawn Love has come up with a list of the best cities for kid-friendly vacations that's sure to inspire your family travel plans.
Criteria
Lawn Love looked at "publicly available data" around different factors when creating this ranking. When examining 200 of the biggest cities in the U.S., it created the following six categories to help make its rankings include staying, eating, having fun, getting around, affordability, and safety. These categories were assigned a weighted score, and the totals were averaged for the final ranking to come up with the best family vacation ideas.

Read more