Our Favorite October Things
October is officially here! With it comes all the cozy fall vibes, festive traditions, and family adventures we’ve been waiting for all year. From crisp mornings and colorful leaves to pumpkins, hayrides, and Halloween fun, this month is packed with opportunities to make lasting memories. As the Modern Stay-at-Home Family, we love creating intentional seasonal bucket lists that help us slow down. It allows us to enjoy the little things and embrace every bit of the season together. Today, we’re sharing our October bucket list full of cozy ideas, family-friendly activities, and simple joys to inspire your own fall adventures.
1. Visiting a Pumpkin Patch
A trip to the pumpkin patch is one of our favorite October traditions with the kids. Watching MJ run through the rows of pumpkins to find the perfect one is the ultimate way to soak up autumn fun together as a family. Check out our favorite kid-friendly shirts for the pumpkin patch.
2. Read Fall Books
Snuggling up with cozy blankets and a stack of fall books is such a sweet way to spend autumn afternoons with the kids. Seasonal stories about pumpkins, leaves, and Halloween magic make reading time extra special. Reading these books creates memories we’ll treasure year after year. Here are a few of our favorite books to read with the kids.
3. Drink Apple Cider
Drinking warm apple cider is the perfect fall tradition. The sweet, spiced flavor feels cozy. It’s a must-have for crisp autumn days. Whether you make your own or purchase some already made, it's a must for the season.
4. Go On an October Scavenger Hunt
A fall scavenger hunt is fun for the whole family. Kids love searching for leaves, acorns, and pumpkins. It’s an easy outdoor adventure and it also adds education as a bonus. Of course, you can create your own, but we love using these.
5. Go On a Nature Walk
Going on a nature walk is a peaceful fall activity. Kids enjoy spotting colorful leaves and wildlife. It’s simple family time outdoors. This is one of our favorite activities to do any time of year, but nothing beats a walk in the fall.
6. Roast Marshmallows
Roasting marshmallows by the fire is a cozy fall favorite. Kids love making gooey s’mores. Whether you utilize a campfire or an indoor kit, S'mores are a perfect addition to fall.
7. Go On A Hayride
We love going on hayrides every fall. It's been a few seasons since we've been on one, as the kids are still so young. Our church used to host one every year and my sister and I grew up going. It's one of my favorite childhood memories and we can't wait to start this tradition again with our boys.
8. Jump in Leaves
MJ and Michael love jumping into big piles of colorful leaves. Afterward, we rake them into bags together. It’s a messy, fun family time.
9. Visit a Sunflower Field
Visiting a sunflower field is one of our new favorite fall outings as a family. The tall, bright flowers create the perfect backdrop for beautiful photos. MJ loves running through the rows and exploring every corner of the field.
10. Go Apple Picking
We love going apple picking at the local orchard every fall. The kids enjoy choosing their favorite apples and bringing home cider and the best apple dessert. We always seem to pick too many apples to handle when we get home, but we wouldn't trade the time watching the boys go crazy for anything.
11. Have an October Picnic
We love going on fall picnics with the kids. Our picnic kit has blankets, snacks, and drinks. Eating outdoors makes family time special.
12. Carve a Jack-O-Lantern
We love carving jack-o’-lanterns every fall. The kids have fun scooping seeds and designing faces. These pumpkin carving kits make it easy to create the cutest pumpkins. If you're not a fan of carving the pumpkin, these stickers make it super easy to create a Jack-O-Lantern with no mess. This year will be really fun as MJ will (probably) be able to start carving his own pumpkin.
13. Dress Up In Costumes
Dressing up in costumes is one of our favorite yearly traditions. MJ loves picking fun characters. We really enjoy creating playful memories together. Stay tuned to see what our Halloween costume is this year!
14. Bake A Pie
We love making pies with our family in the fall. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie fill the kitchen with familiar smells. Baking these treats is a fun family tradition. Here are some essentials for the perfectly baked pie. According to Michael, it's not truly fall until he gets his apple pie!
15. Bake Halloween Cookies
Baking Halloween cookies is a favorite fall activity. The kids love decorating with spooky shapes and colorful icing. We love these cookie kits when we don't have time to make them from scratch.
16. Collect Fall Leaves
We love to collect different colored leaves in the fall. MJ loves using tracing paper to keep the leaves for a longer stretch of time. We also like to use a flower press and keep the prettiest leaves.
17. Explore a Corn Maze
Exploring a corn maze is always an adventure. MJ laughs while we try to find the way out. Michael and I enjoy solving it together.
18. Make a Halloween Craft
Making Halloween crafts is one of our favorite family traditions. MJ loves painting pumpkins with bright colors. For older kids, they can enjoy cutting and hanging spooky garlands. We love these easy craft kits with everything included.
19. Visit a Fall Festival
Visiting a fall festival is a family tradition we love. Every year, we attend the Sugar Mound Festival in Mound City, KS. We've gone since we were MJ's age. The kids enjoy crafts, food, and fun activities together.
20. Build a Scarecrow
Building a scarecrow is a fun fall project. We gather old clothes, straw, and hats to create the perfect scarecrow. My sister did this with our grandpa when we were younger and we can't wait to pass the tradition down to our kids.
21. Have a Weenie Roast
Having a weenie roast is one of our favorite fall traditions. We love gathering around the warm campfire together. Michael and I enjoy roasting hot dogs and making memories with the kids.
22. Go Trick or Treating
Going trick-or-treating is the highlight of Halloween night. We love dressing up and collecting candy at our local trunk or treats. We try to limit artificial dyes, so we usually end up swapping out candy. Check out our favorite dye-free candy.
23. Decorate For Halloween
Decorating for Halloween is always exciting. We hang spooky lights, set out pumpkins, and add cobwebs. MJ loves helping create a festive atmosphere for our home and Emily always wants to decorate more. She just can't help herself when it comes to wall decor.
24. Watch a Halloween Movie
Watching Halloween movies is one of our favorite family traditions each October. We snuggle up with blankets, snacks, and plenty of cozy vibes. Our favorites include Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Hotel Transylvania, which always make the kids laugh. It’s the perfect way to slow down, relax, and enjoy spooky season together.
Final Thoughts
That wraps up our October bucket list full of cozy, fun, and festive family traditions. From pumpkin patches to movie nights, these little moments make the season so special. As the Modern Stay at Home Family, we love sharing how we balance flexible work and home life while creating lasting memories together. Be sure to follow along with us for more family adventures, seasonal inspiration, and tips on making this lifestyle work for you, too.
Click HERE to read about how we make our work/life balance work for us!
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