These fall bucket list ideas will keep your family engaged all season long with traditional ideas and fun new and unique options.
This is my favorite season of the year! The fall season is a great time to get out and enjoy the cooler weather and crisp air with your family. There are so many fun things to do, both outdoors and indoors. From traditional activities like pumpkin picking and hay rides to creative activities like arts and crafts projects inspired by the season; there’s something for everyone on this list. So grab a cozy sweater, put on your best pair of boots, and get ready to have some fun! Here’s a list of our favorite things to do in the fall months.
How to Use an Annual Fall Bucket List
I don’t know about you but I always start out with great intentions for Fall and all of the glorious things I want to do with my family. Then somewhere along the line I fall of the wagon and before I know it the season is over. So here’s how I personally use a Fall bucket list and maybe, if you’re like me, this will help you too.
1. Print your Fall Bucket List and put a copy in your bin of Fall decorations. This way when you pull out the bin to decorate for the season, there’s your bucket list!
2. Then, place the list on the fridge so everyone can see it. You’ll be amazed by how much your kids will have fun checking things off of the list.
3. Start plugging the big activities into your calendar at the beginning of the season.
4. Sit back and enjoy the Fall season loaded with seasonal goodness!
Fall Bucket List – Outdoor Activities
We’ve packed our Fall Bucket List with lots of outdoor activities for you and your family. There’s a little something for everyone. You can enjoy the great outdoors, get our of town or just appreciate your own neighborhood and backyard in a new way.
- Tour pumpkin patches – these days most pumpkin patches have tons of festive fall activities.
- Pick pumpkins – you can pick them to carve or as decor on your front steps or in your home.
- Carve or decorate pumpkins
- Roast pumpkin seeds
- Visit a corn maze
- Go on a hay ride
- Run through the leaves (and then jumping in them!)
- Go apple picking at an orchard
- Take a scenic hike and take in the fall foliage
- Go on a nature walk and collect leaves and other “treasures” – this is particularly fun with younger kids. We usually take these items home to make crafts.
- Have a picnic in your backyard or at a local park. Be sure to pack some cozy blankets in case it gets chilly.
- Tour a local farm. Many farms also have corn mazes, petting zoos, and other attractions that the whole family will enjoy.
- Roast marshmallows over a bonfire and make s’mores. If you don’t have access to a bonfire, you can also roast them in the oven or microwave.
- Take a road trip to a nearby city or town that is known for its Fall foliage.
- Enjoy a pumpkin spice latte or other fall favorite from a local coffee shop.
- Go on a scenic drive or hike through the woods/mountains (made even better with your coffee!)
- Attend a local high school football game
- Try apple bobbing
- Bust a pinata with your friends!
- Take Fall family photos
- Have a backyard camp out
- Enjoy an outdoor movie night with a home projector, cozy blankets and plenty of popcorn. We just check out free DVDs from our local library for an easy movie night.
- Visit a Farmer’s Market
- Attend a Fall Festival or parade
- Have a Fall scavenger hunt with friends
- Make an outdoor fort from fallen branches and leaves
- Make a pine cone bird feeder. The steps are easy! First, wrap string around your pinecone for easy hanging afterwards. Then coat a pinecone in peanut butter and dip it in birdseed. After that hang it up outside (preferably by a window) for the birds to enjoy, sit back and watch!
- Go through your pantry and give to a local food bank. Better yet, organize a food drive with friends.
Fall Bucket List – Indoor Activities
For those rainy Autumn days when you can’t get outside, we’ve also added some indoor fun activities to our Fall Bucket List. We hope your family enjoys these favorite fall activities. Many of them are inspired by real moms whose families are already doing them year after year to create special memories.
- Make something from a pumpkin recipe. My favorite is to bake pumpkin bread using my favorite gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe.
- Make a homemade apple pie using apples from a nearby apple Orchard. Bonus points if you make your own crust!
- Make homemade apple sauce – it’s easier than you think! I just put peeled and cored apples in a crockpot on low for a few hours, then open it up and mash mash mash!
- Cuddle up on the couch with some hot cocoa (or apple cider) and watch all of your favorite Halloween movies!
- Carve or paint pumpkins
- Make homemade Halloween costumes
- Decorate the house or front porch for Halloween or Fall
- Host a Halloween party for friends and neighborhood kids
- Tell spooky stories around the campfire
- Start working on holiday gifts (knitted scarves, anyone?)
- Read your favorite Halloween books (or discover some new ones)
- Look at adorable babies in Halloween costumes
- Make cards, pictures or decorations for your home with items from nature such as a pinecone wreath, or Fall centerpiece.
- Make crayon imprints with leaves
- Make caramel apples at home. All you need is some apples, caramel sauce, and toppings of your choice (chocolate chips, sprinkles, chopped nuts, etc.)
- Get creative and make your own Halloween costumes! You can also host a costume party and have prizes for the best costume, funniest costume, etc.
- Gather all of the pinecones in your neighborhood and use them to make wreaths, centerpieces, or other decorations for your home.
- Make soup! Our favorites are Baked Potato Soup and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.
- Have a cook-off with friends – chili, soups, comfort food…all of it.
- Make your own candles, then try them out!
- Take up the fun and relaxing art of pyrography
- Color together! Take a break – curl up with a cozy blanket, hot drink, some colored pencils (our favorite is Twistables) and a Fall Coloring Book.
- Organize all of your photos – put them into albums or make a scrapbook together.
- Start a puzzle with your family and work on it together throughout the Fall.
- Play games that have a seasonal theme such as Apples to Apples, Halloween Bingo for all ages. Or try the Sneaky Sneaky Squirrel Game or Hi-Ho Cherry-O for younger kids.
- Go shopping for cozy sweaters and complete your fall fashion wardrobe. Use our list of 16 inexpensive things to freshen up your fall wardrobe for some inspiring ideas.
- Curl up with a good book. Read aloud to your kids, or enjoy a book of your own. Check our all of our books for mom to find a few favorites.
Family Bucket List – Printable
As we wrap up this comprehensive Fall Bucket List, it’s important to remember that the essence of these activities is not just about ticking off boxes, but about fostering deeper connections with our loved ones and creating lasting memories. The joy of Fall isn’t just in the pumpkin patches or the crisp leaves underfoot, but in the laughter shared over a mug of hot cocoa, the teamwork of creating a homemade Halloween costume, and the sense of accomplishment when you complete that family puzzle.
Remember, every family is unique and what works for one may not work for another. Feel free to adapt these ideas to suit your family’s preferences, or even come up with your own traditions. The Fall season is a canvas waiting for you to paint your own colorful memories.
To make this journey easier and more enjoyable, we’ve created a beautiful printable version of this Fall Bucket List for Families. Simply download it, print it out, and laminate it for durability. This way, you can revisit your favorite activities year after year. Store it with your Fall decorations so it’s ready to inspire you each year when the season arrives.
In the end, the goal is to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and to celebrate the beauty of the season with those who matter most. So put on your coziest sweater, sip on that pumpkin-spiced latte, and get ready to embark on an unforgettable autumn adventure with your family.
At Momalot, we are all about creating a supportive community for mothers. We believe in the power of sharing experiences and tips, and we encourage you to share your favorite Fall activities with us in our Facebook group or by commenting on this post. If you found this post helpful, please consider showing your appreciation by making a donation. Your support helps us keep this platform running and allows us to continue providing valuable content for moms everywhere.
Here’s to a fantastic Fall season filled with love, laughter, and a whole lot of family fun! Let’s make this Fall a memorable one. Happy autumn, everyone!
