50+ Fall Bucket List Ideas for Kids They’ll Never Forget 🍂

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Crisp air, crunchy leaves, and cozy sweaters — fall is a magical time to make memories as a family. After traveling the world with our kids, we’ve learned that adventure doesn’t always mean crossing borders. Sometimes, it’s just stepping into a forest full of golden leaves or sipping hot cocoa after a backyard treasure hunt.

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, looking for screen-free fun at home, or just want to soak up every moment of the season, this fall bucket list for kids is packed with joyful, easy-to-do ideas. From toddlers to tweens, we’ve got age-appropriate fall fun that your little ones will talk about long after the leaves have fallen.

Ready to fill your season with wonder? Let’s jump into the best fall bucket list ideas for kids of all ages.

Fall Bucket List for Kids (Best Ones)

If you only do a few things this fall, make them count with these tried-and-true favorites. These activities are the ones our kids come back to year after year — no matter where in the world we are.

🍎 1. Go Apple Picking

Head to a local orchard, grab a basket, and let your kids pick their own apples. It’s hands-on fun and makes snack time feel special. Pack a reusable cotton tote to collect your harvest — it’s lightweight and eco-friendly.

🎃 2. Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Wander through rows of pumpkins in search of the one. Let your kids measure, carry, and name their pumpkins before turning them into spooky or silly jack-o’-lanterns. Don’t forget a kid-friendly pumpkin carving kit with safety tools.

🍂 3. Leaf Pile Jumping

No explanation needed — just rake, leap, laugh, repeat.

🔥 4. Backyard Bonfire + S’mores

Roast marshmallows, share stories, and snuggle under the stars. If you don’t have one yet, a portable fire pit is the ultimate fall investment.

📸 5. Make a DIY Fall Photo Booth

Grab hay bales, blankets, and fall leaves, and set up a cozy photo corner. Let your kids be the photographers too with a kid-friendly instant camera — perfect for memory books.

🦔 6. Go on a Forest Scavenger Hunt

Print a list of fall finds: acorns, red leaves, mushrooms, and more. Turn a nature walk into an adventure with a magnifying glass and field journal set for young explorers.

🧁 7. Bake Pumpkin Muffins Together

It’s messy, it’s cozy, and your kitchen will smell amazing. Use a fall-themed silicone baking mold for extra cuteness.

🍁 8. Create Leaf Art

Press colorful leaves into a journal, make rubbings, or glue them into animal shapes. This doubles as a calm, creative afternoon activity.

🎨 9. Paint Mini Pumpkins

Skip the carving and grab some paint. Glitter, googly eyes, and neon colors? Yes, please.

✉️ 10. Send Thankful Cards to Loved Ones

Teach gratitude early by writing little notes of thanks. Let your child pick out a set of fall-themed notecards and decorate them with stickers.

🧡 Keep reading for age-specific ideas to keep your little ones engaged all season long — even the tiniest leaf-lovers!

Autumn Activities for Babies

Even your tiniest travel buddy can enjoy fall magic with cozy, sensory-rich activities. These gentle ideas help babies soak in the season while bonding with you.

🍁 11. Touch & Feel Leaf Basket

Fill a shallow basket with soft leaves, pinecones, and fabric pumpkins. Let baby explore textures under supervision. A baby-safe sensory play mat underneath adds extra comfort.

📸 12. Fall Photoshoot in Nature

Lay down a plaid blanket, add mini pumpkins, and snap away. These are the keepsake photos you’ll treasure forever.

🍼 13. Outdoor Storytime Under the Trees

Bundle up and bring out your favorite fall-themed baby books. A cozy stroller blanket and clip-on book light make it extra comfy.

🎶 14. Sing Fall Rhymes During Stroller Walks

Swap in leaf or pumpkin words to your usual lullabies. Fresh air + silly songs = baby bliss.

🧣 15. Go for a Crunchy Leaf Walk

Wear baby in a carrier and take a slow stroll through fallen leaves. The sounds and sights offer beautiful sensory stimulation.

🎨 16. Make Baby’s First Fall Art

Use baby-safe, non-toxic paint to create handprint pumpkins or footprint trees. Frame it as your first official fall tradition.

🍂 17. Pumpkin Patch Peekaboo

Even if they can’t pick one yet, babies love the bright colors and soft shapes. Bring a squishy plush pumpkin toy to hold for sensory fun.

🧡 Once baby’s on the move, it gets even more fun — next up: toddler-friendly fall adventures you’ll both love!

Fall Activities for Toddlers

Toddlers are made for fall fun. They love stomping in leaves, picking apples, and turning every moment into a game. These fall bucket list ideas are perfect for curious little ones who are always on the go.

🍂 18. Toddler Leaf Parade

Give your toddler a little wagon or bucket to collect colorful leaves on your walk. Turn it into a “leaf parade” around the block or backyard. A mini wheelbarrow makes it feel official and gives them a role to play.

🎃 19. Paint a Pumpkin Family

Skip the carving — painting is easier and safer at this age. Let your toddler pick a pumpkin for each family member and decorate with washable paints and stickers.

🥣 20. Stir a Pot of Pumpkin Soup

Let your toddler “help” in the kitchen by stirring a pot, tossing in soft veggies, or mashing cooked pumpkin. Use a kid-safe cooking set for pretend and real fun.

🧡 21. Fall-Themed Sensory Bin

Fill a bin with dry corn, small pumpkins, pinecones, and scoops. Add a few surprise toys and watch your toddler dig and explore. Don’t forget a spill-proof mat underneath.

🧺 22. Backyard Apple Hunt

Hide mini apples (or apple toys) around the yard or living room. Let them search and collect like it’s a treasure hunt.

🖍️ 23. Leaf Crayon Rubbings

Place leaves under paper and show your toddler how to rub over them with crayons. The surprise when a leaf shape appears is pure toddler magic.

🧦 24. Jump in Puddles

After a fall rain, dress them in colorful rain boots and a cozy rain suit and go puddle-jumping. Let them get messy. That’s the fun.

🧩 25. Play Fall Bingo

Create a simple bingo board with pictures of acorns, pumpkins, leaves, and squirrels. As you walk, check off what you spot!

🎒 Got preschoolers or big kids too? Let’s keep this fall bucket list rolling with ideas for older adventurers next!

Fall Activities for Preschoolers

Preschoolers love asking questions, collecting treasures, and pretending to be anything from squirrels to chefs. These fall bucket list ideas tap into their growing curiosity and creativity.

🎨 26. Make a Fall Nature Collage

Give them a glue stick, a big sheet of paper, and a pile of leaves, twigs, and seeds. Let them create their own masterpiece. Bonus points for adding googly eyes and glitter.

🧙‍♀️ 27. Play Pretend with Fall Dress-Up

Witch hat? Forest animal tail? Tiny gnome cloak? Let their imagination soar with a pretend play dress-up kit inspired by fall characters.

🧁 28. Bake Leaf-Shaped Cookies

Use a fall-themed cookie cutter set and let your preschooler help press and decorate cookies with natural food coloring or cinnamon sugar.

🔎 29. Go on a Color Hunt

Choose a fall color (orange, red, yellow, brown) and search for things in nature that match. It’s a great way to sharpen observation skills.

🌰 30. Make an Acorn Craft

Glue googly eyes on acorns and draw little arms and legs. Preschoolers love turning nature finds into “acorn friends.”

🧺 31. Host a Mini Fall Picnic

Let your preschooler help pack snacks, grab a blanket, and set it all up outside. Add a child-sized picnic basket for extra fun.

🔥 32. Tell Leafy Stories

Collect a few unique leaves and have them pick one to inspire a made-up story. “Once upon a time, this red leaf lived in a tree castle…”

🐿️ 33. Feed the Squirrels

Fill a small bowl with acorns or nuts (safe ones only!) and watch the backyard wildlife show begin.

🧡 Ready for some epic fall adventures with your big kids? Let’s head there next!

Fall Activities for Early Elementary Kids (Ages 5–7)

These kids are eager to learn and still believe in magic. Fall is the perfect time to blend playful learning with cozy seasonal fun.

🍎 34. Create a Fall-Themed Storybook

Staple some blank pages and let your child draw a story about an acorn, a squirrel, or a pumpkin. A set of fall-colored markers and stickers makes it extra fun.

🍪 35. Make Pumpkin Spice Play Dough

Mix up a batch with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. Add cookie cutters and let the fun begin.

🌽 36. Build a Corn Kernel Sensory Tray

Fill a tray with dried corn kernels, measuring cups, and mini tractors. It’s a playful, hands-on way to explore textures and volume.

🧙 37. Craft a Mini Witch’s Broom

Tie twigs together with yarn and decorate with glitter. Instant Halloween vibes.

🧁 38. Decorate Leaf Cupcakes

Bake simple cupcakes and top them with fondant or paper leaves. Let your child do the decorating with a reusable piping set.

Fall Activities for Big Kids (Ages 8–10)

Big kids love to feel capable. These ideas mix creativity, curiosity, and just enough challenge to keep them fully engaged.

🕯️ 39. Make Leaf Lanterns

Glue leaves to the outside of a mason jar, add a battery tealight, and boom—instant fall glow. A leaf press kit can help them prep perfect shapes.

📷 40. Go on a “Fall Photo Safari”

Give them a camera or phone and challenge them to snap 10 fall-themed photos. Bonus: Turn it into a mini scrapbook afterward.

📝 41. Start a Fall Gratitude Journal

Encourage a daily practice with a cute, seasonal notebook. Add fun prompts or stickers to keep it lighthearted.

🎬 42. Host a Backyard Fall Movie Night

Set up a projector, pile on the blankets, and serve popcorn in leaf-print treat cups. Movie idea: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

🍂 43. DIY Leaf Slime

Mix clear glue, water, glitter, and fake mini leaves. Stretch, squish, and enjoy the gooey fun.

Fall Activities for Tweens (Ages 11–13)

Tweens want a little independence, a little challenge, and a lot of room to express themselves. These ideas offer just that.

🍎 44. Host a Caramel Apple Party

Let them set up toppings, slice apples, and build their own creations. A caramel apple stick set makes it super easy.

🔮 45. Make a Fall Vision Board

Cut out pictures from magazines or print fall inspo online. Add goals, quotes, or dreams for the season.

📚 46. Join a Cozy Fall Reading Challenge

Set a reading goal with a seasonal twist. Reward with hot cocoa or a leaf-themed bookmark.

🧵 47. Sew a Simple Autumn Garland

Use felt leaves, acorns, and twine. It’s screen-free fun that doubles as cute room decor.

📖 48. Try a Spooky Writing Prompt

Encourage them to write a mystery story set in a foggy forest, an old barn, or a pumpkin patch.

Fall Activities for Teens (Ages 14+)

Teens might be “too cool” at first, but give them the right mix of creativity, coziness, and independence — and they’re in.

☕ 49. Host a DIY Fall Café Night

Let them whip up their own apple cider or pumpkin latte bar with seasonal mugs and syrups. Add candles and chill music for ambiance.

📷 50. Curate a Fall Aesthetic Photoshoot

Golden light, cozy sweaters, leaf piles — it’s Instagram gold. Encourage them to take portraits or reels with a fun theme.

🧣 Bonus: Knit a Chunky Fall Scarf

If they’re into crafting, try a no-needle arm-knit tutorial. Great for chilly evenings and creative downtime.

Fall Fun for the Whole Family 🍁

Extend the joy with activities that bring everyone together — from babies to grandparents.

Go on a Leaf-Peeping Road Trip
Pick a scenic route, pack snacks, and bring a printable fall scavenger hunt to spot things along the way.
Host a Cozy Chili Cook-Off
Everyone picks an ingredient to add. Kids love the competition — and the warm bowls at the end.
Visit a Harvest Festival or Local Farm
Think hayrides, corn mazes, and tractor rides. These events are packed with laughs and memory-making moments.

Final Thoughts + What to Read Next 🧡

Fall is bursting with simple magic — and these bucket list ideas are just the beginning. Whether you’re roasting marshmallows by a campfire or dancing through crunchy leaves, it’s the connection that matters most.

Want more joyful ideas for your next adventure? Check out these favorites from madefortravellers.com:

✨ Don’t forget to save this post so your fall season stays fun, cozy, and full of smiles!