31 Days of Fall: An October Activity Challenge

31 Days of Fall: An October Activity Challenge

Fall is definitely one of our favorite times of the year!

The air gets cooler, the leaves begin to change color, apples are ready for picking, sweaters come out, and fall squash starts appearing at farm stands and markets all over. Everything feels a little cozier, a little more colorful, and even an ordinary walk can suddenly feel like somewhere you've never been before when you're chasing the fall foliage.

And for the moms, yes, it's also pumpkin spice season! ...Or apple cider season, depending on which team you're on. It's a serious debate.

There is just so much to do this time of year. You can wander through crunchy leaves and take pictures of the changing trees, pick apples, collect acorns, make leaf prints, bake something warm, visit a farm stand, or throw on a sweater, head out for a cool walk, and see what you find.

For us, fall means no more store-bought apples. Nothing beats bringing home fresh-picked apples and knowing they came straight from the orchard. They taste better, feel special, and somehow make every apple snack seem a little more exciting. I beg my kid to eat apples all year, but the ones she picked herself never last!

We also love ending cool evenings with hot apple cider warming in the crockpot. It fills the house with the best fall smell and gives everyone something warm to sip on while we adjust to the increasingly chilly nights.

And... fall is really just a beautiful season. Arguably, the most beautiful.

Fall gives you plenty of reasons to leave the house without needing a full itinerary. Follow the loudest patch of leaves, look for the tree that changed first, or stop at a farm stand because something catches your eye—you know they've probably got hardy fall mums out for sale.

Let the weather decide whether the day ends with muddy shoes, a pumpkin on the porch, or warm soup while bundled up in a blanket inside.

So I put together 31 simple fall activities for October.

Some are outdoor adventures and some are crafts. Others involve baking, writing, exploring, or making a little bit of a mess. A few could turn into an entire afternoon, while others can be done in 20 minutes at home.

There are no rules, and you definitely don't have to complete them in order. Move things around based on the weather. Skip what your family isn't interested in and repeat the things your family loves.

Or make it a challenge and see how many you can complete before October is over.

The list includes taking pictures of fall foliage, going apple picking, making leaf prints, baking with pumpkin or apple—again, the debate!—writing a story outside, bobbing for apples, collecting colorful leaves, and simply enjoying a warm mug of apple cider together.

Do five, do fifteen, or try to finish all 31!

Mostly, just enjoy the season while it's here. The leaves change quickly, apple season never feels long enough, and somehow October always seems to disappear before we are ready for it to end.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE OCTOBER ACTIVITY CALENDAR HERE

Print the calendar, hang it somewhere everyone can see it, and see how many fall activities your family can complete this month.

And if you want to take a few of those activities a little further, I also made a 3-page Fall Adventure Journal with guided pumpkin, apple, and autumn leaf activities to go along with the calendar.