Fall-Themed Activities That Combine Academics and Fun

Fall games were a must in my classroom once October hit. Instead of fighting against the seasonal distractions, I leaned on these activities to keep kids engaged, moving, and learning. Year after year, they gave me a reliable way to turn autumn energy into positive, productive learning.

8 ACTIVITIES THAT Help Keep Engagement High

1. Leaf Scavenger Hunt Challenge. One fall activity I could always count on was a leaf scavenger hunt. I gave students a checklist with prompts like “Find a leaf bigger than your hand” or “Find two leaves that are the same shape but different colors,” then sent them out in teams to explore the school grounds. I walked around, checked in with teams, and helped them compare their finds, pointing out details they might otherwise have missed.

Back in the classroom, we ranked discoveries and discussed patterns and differences. It’s simple to set up, keeps kids engaged, and is one of the best ways I’ve found to get them outside, exploring, and connecting with nature while learning.

2. Mystery Sensory Harvest. My students weren’t surprised when I turned fall items into a hands-on learning game—in fact, they welcomed it. On a player’s turn, I had them close their eyes while I handed them a seasonal object—mini pumpkins, pine cones, corn husks, gourds, acorns, or even safe-to-taste fruits and veggies. They explored it with touch, smell, and sometimes taste, trying to figure out what it is without looking.

Points are awarded for correct guesses, and we rotated turns so every student got a chance to investigate different items. Kids got to explore with their senses, sparking lively conversations about textures, smells, and other autumn discoveries. It’s playful, hands-on, and a perfect way to celebrate fall while sneaking in vocabulary and observation skills.

3. Pumpkin Seed Guesstimation Challenge. One of my favorite fall games to make math tangible involved pumpkin seeds. I set out several clear containers filled with varying amounts of pumpkin seeds and had students rotate through, making guesses about how many were inside each container before counting to check their estimates.

For older students, we took it a step further: They could use the cylinder volume formula to predict counts, adding a rich, real-world math connection and sparking lively discussions about math in everyday life.

It was wonderful to watch their faces light up when they saw how close—or far—their guesses were, and even better to hear them discuss how they adjusted their thinking and compared strategies.

4. Apple Taste Test Graphing. I used an apple taste test as a fun, seasonal way to teach graphing and observation. I brought in several types of apples and had students do a blind taste test, rating sweetness, crunch, and overall flavor. It’s hands-on, it’s engaging—and yes, they get to enjoy a healthy snack while practicing descriptive language.

After tasting, we converted their results into graphs and discussed patterns in the data. Students compared preferences, discussed why some apples were rated differently, and practiced organizing information in a visual way. It’s a fall game that consistently engages students while blending science, math, and conversation in a fun, hands-on way.

5. Autumn-Themed Word Relay Race. I liked adding a bit of friendly competition to our literacy practice, and turning it into a fall-themed relay always got kids excited. I split students into teams and placed letter cards or Scrabble tiles at the far side of the room. When I called out a seasonal word, one student from each team raced to grab a letter and bring it back to their team. They took turns until the word was fully spelled. Simple words like leaf, corn, or apple worked well for younger kids, while older students could tackle longer words like pumpkin, orchard, scarecrow, or gratitude.

By the end of the relay, the room was full of laughter, high-fives, and pride. Seeing students enjoy learning firsthand made all the prep worthwhile.

6. Pumpkin Pie Baking Challenge. Each fall, I turned baking into a classroom math adventure. I split students into small teams and handed out pumpkin pie recipes. Measuring ingredients with cups and tablespoons became a natural way to explore fractions and part-whole relationships.

The best part came after baking: slicing the pies so everyone got an equal share, tasting each other’s creations, and celebrating winners for everything from best flavor to the cleanest workstations to the team that cut the most even slices.

No school oven? I’ve done this activity with a full kitchen, but it also works if students mix the batter in class and teachers bake the pies at home. Either way, it’s collaborative, hands-on, and a delicious way to make fractions real and memorable.

7. Leaf Decomposition Prediction. I’ve found that something as simple as rotting leaves can turn into a full-blown lesson in observation and reasoning. Students collected a variety of leaves outdoors, placed their samples onto plates or paper towels for careful observation, and ranked which ones they thought would decompose first, practicing thoughtful reasoning.

Each day, they recorded changes in color, texture, and shape; sketched their observations; and even took photos to track progress. Points went to the students or teams whose predictions were closest, and it was always exciting to see how much science they uncovered from something as simple as a pile of leaves.

8. Mini Pumpkin Catapult (science and engineering). Few fall games got my students as excited as launching mini-pumpkins with DIY catapults. I had them design and build catapults using Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, bottle caps—basically anything that works. Each launch was a competition: Whose mini-pumpkin would travel the farthest?

After each flight, we measured distances, recorded results, and graphed which designs performed best. Students adjusted their catapults, tested trajectories, and celebrated successes together. It was a playful way to explore STEM concepts, test hypotheses, and learn from trial and error.