Homeschool Calendar: Fun September Activities Kids Will Love

Updated 9/1/2026

When you think of September, you probably picture school supplies, cozy fall vibes, and maybe Labor Day weekend. But did you know it’s also packed with quirky little holidays that are perfect for learning at home?

From silly food days to delightfully random celebrations, these September homeschool activities can turn an ordinary school day into something your kids will actually remember—and look forward to! In this post, you’ll find some of the most fun September holidays to add to your homeschool calendar, along with simple ideas for making each one educational, creative, and, most importantly, enjoyable.

Keep your month organized and full of fun with a free printable featuring every day to celebrate, plus space for your own ideas, resources, and supplies. Delivered straight to your inbox—grab the current month’s printable and start planning today!

So grab your calendar and cue the confetti—it’s time to celebrate September!

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September Homeschool Calendar: Fun & Quirky Holidays

Week 1 – September 1-5

• Sept 1 World Letter Writing Day – Skip the texts and emails today and have your kids write a good old-fashioned letter! They can write to a grandparent, friend, or relative—or simply send a cheerful note to brighten someone’s day. For an ongoing geography and history connection, check out Letters From Afar, which delivers beautifully illustrated letters from an explorer’s journey each month. I’ve shared more ideas for using it in your homeschool in my Letters From Afar review.
• Sept 2 National Grits for Breakfast Day – I love grits, so I’m always happy to have an excuse to put a bowl of them on the breakfast table! 😋 Turn breakfast into a little geography lesson by learning where grits come from, how they’re made, and why they’re such an important part of Southern food culture. Then, of course, enjoy a warm bowl of grits together!
• Sept 3 Skyscraper Day – How tall can your kids build? Challenge them to construct the tallest “skyscraper” they can using LEGO, blocks, cardboard, or whatever building materials you have on hand. For an extra challenge, see if they can make their tower both tall and stable, then measure each creation and compare the results!
• Sept 4 National Wildlife Day – Pick an animal and let your kids become wildlife experts for the day! They can research their animal and share what they learn through a drawing, mini-report, or short presentation. For a fun, kid-friendly resource, check out The Wild Life of Animals —a colorful graphic-novel-style book that makes learning about animals especially fun!
• Sept 5 National Cheese Pizza Day – Make homemade pizzas together and sneak in a math lesson by measuring ingredients and working with fractions in a tasty way!

Week 2 – September 6-12

• Sept 6 National Read a Book Day: This one is easy—put away the schoolbooks and let everyone choose something they actually want to read! Head to the library, make a cozy reading nook, or simply spend some extra time reading together.
• Sept 7 Labor Day – Take a break from the books and enjoy the long weekend! Labor Day is also a great opportunity to talk about the history of work in America, learn about the labor movement, or chat about different jobs and what makes them important.
• Sept 8 National Ampersand Day – Celebrate everyone’s favorite fancy “and” symbol!
  Have kids go on an ampersand scavenger hunt through books, magazines, or signs around the house. Older kids can practice calligraphy or typography by designing their own creative ampersands.
• Sept 9 Wonderful Weirdos Day – Finally, a homeschool holiday we were born to celebrate! Embrace the weird today! Let your kids follow a completely random rabbit trail, research something bizarre, conduct an experiment that may or may not work, or show up to the breakfast table in costume.
• Sept 10 Swap Ideas Day – Give each child the floor to “teach” the family something new — a science fact, a recipe, or even a silly dance.
• Sept 11 Patriot Day – Take a moment to remember September 11, 2001, and the people whose lives were changed that day. Choose an age-appropriate way to learn about the events, talk about courage and service, or simply spend some quiet time remembering and reflecting together.
• Sept 12 – National Video Games Day – Go ahead, surprise the kids and enjoy an afternoon of video games together! Not only will you be encouraging skills like creativity, problem solving, and teamwork, but you’ll officially earn the title of coolest mom or dad for the day.

Week 3 – September 13-19

• Sept 13 – Positive Thinking Day A little positivity goes a long way! Talk with your kids about the power of positive thinking! One of my favorite activity books for Positive Thinking Day is Be Positive! —it’s cheerful, uplifting, and a great reminder that positivity is a habit worth practicing. Also today: National Grandparents Day! Have your kids call, visit, or write a note to a grandparent—or interview them about what life was like when they were young for a little hands-on history.
• Sept 14 – National Coloring Day – Coloring isn’t just fun — it helps kids develop fine motor skills, focus, and self-expression. Set aside time for a family coloring session today!
• Sept 15 – National Online Learning Day – Online learning has become a pretty useful homeschool tool! Let your kids try a new educational website, virtual museum tour, online class, or documentary today.
• Sept 16 – National Play-Doh Day – Did you know Play-Doh was originally created in the 1930’s as a wallpaper cleaner? Pretty wild! Take a moment to check out its quirky history, then dive into the fun of building letters, numbers, shapes, 3D objects, maps, and more. For a seasonal twist, try using fall-themed Play-Doh mats for a hands-on nature study — a cool way to blend play with learning!
• Sept 17 – Constitution Day Take a few minutes to learn about the U.S. Constitution and why it was written. Read a few interesting facts, look at the original document, or challenge your kids to come up with a “constitution” for your own family. What rules would make the cut?
• Sept 18 – Rice Krispies Treats Day Today’s lesson is delicious! Whip up a batch of Rice Krispies Treats and let your kids practice measuring, following directions, and maybe even doing a little kitchen math. Then enjoy the results—you know, for educational purposes!
• Sept 19 – Talk Like a Pirate Day Ahoy, homeschoolers! Today be the perfect day to add some pirate fun to your lessons. Read a pirate story, learn about real-life pirates, make a treasure map, or simply challenge everyone to talk like a pirate all day. Arrr you ready?

Week 4 – September 20-26

• Sept 20 – National String Cheese Day Time for a snack break! Turn string cheese into a quick lesson by measuring pieces, making patterns, or seeing who can pull the longest “string.” You could even talk about how cheese is made before enjoying your snack.
• Sept 21 – World Gratitude Day – Take a trip around the world and discover how different cultures and communities show gratitude with A World of Gratitude.
• Sept 22 – National States & Capitals Day A great excuse to brush up on U.S. geography! My favorite ways to practice are with games and puzzles. Quick Tip: Write a state on one side of a popsicle stick and its capital on the other. Toss them in a jar, pull one out, and flip to check your answer—a simple, cheap, screen-free way to practice!
• Sept 23 – International Day of Sign Languages Learn a few signs together today! Start with simple words like hello, thank you, and friend, or learn how to fingerspell your names.
• Sept 24 – National Punctuation Day – Turn it into a game — give your kids silly sentences with missing punctuation and see if they can fix them. Older kids could try writing a short story using as many punctuation marks as possible.
• Sep 25 – National Comic Book Day: Did you know that people who collect comic books are called pannapictagraphists? Now that’s a fun vocabulary word! Comic books can also encourage literacy and spark a love of reading. Check out these awesome benefits of comic books, or, for kids who want to create their own, my PaperPie store has the perfect book!
• Sept 26 – National Ghost Hunting Day Turn off the lights and grab your flashlights—it’s time for a little spooky science! Instead of hunting for actual ghosts, have your kids investigate “haunted” places and explore the history, legends, and science behind supposed paranormal activity.

Week 5 – September 27-30

• Sept 27 – World Rivers Day Grab a map and follow a river! Choose a famous river to explore and learn where it begins, where it flows, and which cities or countries it passes through.
• Sept 28 – National Family Day Today is a great excuse to put the books aside and spend some time together! Play a family game, cook a meal, take a walk, or simply enjoy a screen-free afternoon.
• Sept 29 – National Coffee Day Calling all homeschool moms! Today’s lesson is brought to you by coffee! Let the kids learn where coffee comes from, how it gets from bean to cup, or explore coffee-growing regions around the world. Feeling artsy? Try a simple craft with coffee filters—Red Ted Art has some great ideas! While they’re crafting, Mom gets to enjoy a cup!
• Sept 30 – National Chewing Gum Day End the month with something a little silly! Learn about the history of chewing gum, or see who can make the biggest bubble.

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And that’s a wrap on September’s quirky, fun-filled holidays! Whether you’re learning states and capitals, coloring, or just celebrating with an extra cup of coffee, I hope these ideas bring a little more sparkle into your homeschool days. And don’t forget — September is also full of famous birthdays worth celebrating (you’ll find them included on my printable). You can grab that free printable planning page on my website (it’s about half-way down my homepage) It’s a place to jot down activities, book ideas, and family traditions for the September homeschool activities.