Homeschool Calendar: Fun October Activities for Fall Learning

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” – Anne of Green Gables

Isn’t that the truth? October is one of my favorite months of the year! I love the seasonal change this month brings. And on top of all that autumn beauty, October is full of fun little reasons to celebrate. Of course, there’s Pumpkin Day, Candy Corn Day, and Chocolate Day—but you’ll also find quirky gems like World Smile Day and National Train Your Brain Day. Whether you want to weave learning into the season or just add a little extra fun to your October homeschool activity calendar, October is packed with opportunities. Grab a pumpkin spice latte, and cue the confetti!

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October Homeschool Calendar: Fun & Quirky Holidays

Week 1 – October 1-4

• Oct 1 – International Coffee Day
  Coffee might be a more grown-up drink, but it’s also a fun way to talk about geography and plants. Do your kids know where coffee comes from? Pull out a globe and trace the “coffee belt” around the equator. For older kids, you can dive into how plants grow best in certain climates.
• Oct 1 – National Homemade Cookies Day
  What better way to welcome October than with cookies fresh from the oven? Baking is secretly one of the best math lessons — measuring cups, fractions, and even doubling or halving recipes.
• Oct 2 – National Poetry Day
  Poetry doesn’t have to be the most horrible thing ever — it can be silly, short, and fun. Challenge your kids to write their own acrostic poem using the word “October,” or a simple haiku about fall leaves. If you want more ideas, check out my post, Poetry Ideas for Teen Who Hate It
• Oct 3 – World Smile Day
  The absolute best advice ever given to me was from my dad. It was three simple words – “keep a smile”.
• Oct 4 – World Card Making Day
  Who doesn’t love getting happy mail? Gather whatever craft supplies you have on hand, and spend some time making handmade cards. Deliver the cards to family, friends, or even a local nursing home — a simple act of kindness that doubles as a great writing project. Want to keep the creativity flowing? Try a mini ICAD (Index Card A Day) challenge for the week — each day, kids decorate one index card with a doodle, collage, or short message. By the end of the week, they’ll have a little gallery of their own artwork!

Week 2 – October 5-11

• Oct 5 – National Be Nice Day
  Kindness counts, and today’s the perfect excuse to practice it. Brainstorm with your kids a list of small, nice things they can do for others — like holding the door, writing a thank-you note, or helping with chores.
• Oct 6 – National Mad Hatter Day
  “It’s always tea time!” Celebrate with a silly, Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired tea party. You can sneak in some learning, too — read a short passage from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, try a challenging logic puzzle, or get the entire family involved with an Alice in Wonderland themed treasure hunt!
• Oct 7 – National Taco Day
  Tacos for dinner? Yes, please! Cooking together is a tasty way to practice math as well as an opportunity to learn a little about Mexican food traditions. Finish the meal off with a hilarious game of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza!
• Oct 8 – World Octopus Day
  Octopuses are amazing creatures — did you know they have three hearts and blue blood? Dive into some ocean science by reading a nonfiction book or watching a short documentary about marine life.
• Oct 9 – Leif Erikson Day
  Today’s a great chance to explore Viking history. Read a book about Leif Erikson, then map out his travels from Norway to North America. For a hands-on twist, build Viking ships out of LEGO’s, popsicle sticks, or draw one!
• Oct 10 – World Egg Day
  Eggs are the perfect science prop! Try the classic “naked egg” eggsperiment and other egg-citing investigations in this egg-cellent little egg science book! And of course, finish the lesson with scrambled eggs or an omelet for lunch.
• Oct 11 – National Chess Day
  When my kids were younger and I served on the Homeschool Review Crew, I had the chance to test out a “learn to play chess” product. It was such a fun way to ease into the game! While that particular resource isn’t available anymore, I did find another option for children to learn to play chess.

Week 3 – October 12-18

• Oct 12 – National Farmer’s Day
  Where would we be without farmers? Take a field trip to a local farm or farmers market. Talk about the different crops grown in your region and how they get from field to table.
• Oct 13 – Columbus Day
  To celebrate or not to celebrate? Yes, I’m old enough to remember when it was just Columbus Day! This article on Columbus is worth the read — it’s clear, thoughtful, and from a source I trust.
• Oct 14 – National Dessert Day
  Interested in learning (and trying) the world’s oldest dessert? Give Ashura (also known as Noah’s Pudding) a try! Or, just pick a family favorite recipe and let the kids take the lead in baking it. Either way, Dessert Day is a day worth celebrating!
• Oct 15 – National Mushroom Day
  Head outside for a mushroom hunt (just looking, not eating!). For a fun hands-on project, try making mushroom spore prints — we’ve done this before, and it’s such a cool way to see the hidden patterns nature creates.
• Oct 16 – National Dictionary Day One of my best consignment store finds — and one of the most interesting books my kids and I have read — is Noah Webster: A Man of Many Words by Catherine Reef. Did you know it took Noah Webster 28 years to write An American Dictionary of the English Language? And get this: he even learned 26 languages to properly research the origins of words! And that’s just part of his story! If you’re looking for some fun activities, I have a free printable of 10 vocabulary games on my Freebie page. I also came across a super cool (and free!) dictionary scavenger hunt that works for multiple ages — perfect for making this holiday hands-on.
• Oct 17 – National Pasta Day
  Younger kids can sort pasta shapes and use them in art projects (pasta necklaces, anyone?). Older kids can dig into food history and learn about pasta’s Italian roots, or try making fresh pasta from scratch if you’re up for a fun kitchen adventure.
• Oct 18 – Adventure Day
  “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller 
  Adventure can happen anywhere! Try a new hiking trail, or even turn your living room into an obstacle course. Read a favorite adventure story, plan a “mini adventure” — you will never regret setting the regular lesson plans aside for a day. These are the days your kids will remember!

Week 4 – October 19-25

• Oct 19 – National New Friends Day
  Friendship is something worth celebrating! Encourage your kids to be friendly and talk about what makes a good friend — kindness, listening, honesty. If you’re part of a co-op or group, today’s a fun excuse to plan a playdate or lunchdate with someone new. (And this goes for adults, too!)
• Oct 20 – National Day on Writing
  This holiday celebrates writing in all its forms. Invite your kids to choose their favorite style — a silly story, a comic strip, a poem, or even a letter, or photo caption. Let them write about something they really love (dinosaurs, video games, pets, you name it!). Still stuck? Check out these 20 Fall Writing Prompts! End the day by sharing your creations around the dinner table.
• Oct 21 – National Apple Day
  Apples are the perfect fall food! Head to an orchard if you can, or just grab a few different varieties from the store. Do a taste test and chart which ones are sweetest, tartest, or crunchiest. Bonus: bake an apple crisp together and sneak in some math with the recipe.
• Oct 22 – National Color Day
  Everything’s brighter when you celebrate color! Wear your favorite color, make colorful art, go on a nature walk and look for colors! For science, experiment with mixing food coloring in water to see how new colors form. Older kids might enjoy learning about the color wheel, or even how color affects our moods.
• Oct 23 – National Croc Day
  Yes, the shoe has its own holiday! Check out this cool video for a quick history of Crocs!
• Oct 24 – World Kangaroo Day
  Today is all about one of Australia’s most iconic animals. Watch a short documentary clip or read a fun kangaroo picture book at the library. Take class outside and try a family “kangaroo hop race” in the backyard for some laughter and exercise!
• Oct 25 – International Artist Day
  Celebrate creativity by letting your kids become the artists for the day. Set up a mini “art studio” with paints, crayons, markers, or clay, and let them create freely. For inspiration and interesting stories (for the older kids), check out Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) It’s one of my favorites, and one that I’ve kept after homeschooling. End the day by hosting your very own “art show” at home, complete with snacks and a gallery walk.

Week 5 – October 26-31

• Oct 26 – National Pumpkin Day
  It wouldn’t be October without pumpkins! Head over to The Homeschool Scientist for 50 pumpkin activities!
• Oct 27 – National Black Cat Day
  Black cats often get a spooky reputation, but did you know that in some cultures they’re actually considered good luck? Today’s a great chance to chat with your kids about myths and superstitions. I came across an interesting article on Spruce Pets and learned that black is actually the most common cat color, thanks to a dominant gene!
• Oct 28 – National Chocolate Day
  Sweet learning ahead! My friend at The Secret Life of Homeschoolers has written an entire blog post – Chocolate Activities for Kids That Make Learning Fun. Check it out and have a sweet day!
• Oct 29 – National Internet Day
  Can you even imagine life before the internet? (Our kids sure can’t!) Have fun telling your kids about those “ancient” times, then ask how they’d find out something without Google or Siri. For younger ones, pull out a physical dictionary or an old atlas and let them see how people used to look things up. Older kids might enjoy making a “then vs. now” list comparing how different everyday tasks have changed thanks to the internet. Bonus points if you tell them about dial-up and watch their faces when you imitate that screechy modem sound!
• Oct 30 – National Candy Corn Day
  Whether you love it or not, candy corn is a fall classic. (I love it!) Use it for hands-on math — sorting by color, making patterns, or using it as counters. Older kids might enjoy researching when candy corn was first made (way back in the 1880s!) and how it became a fall tradition, and of course, candy corn experiments are always a hit!
• Oct 31 – Reformation Day
  Do you know what happened on October 31, 1517– just over 500 years ago? Do your kids know?  What about your church? Ooof. On this day in 1517, Martin Luther famously nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, sparking the Protestant Reformation.  “It isn’t necessary to have an alternative when we have something to celebrate!” (FiveSolasMedia.com) To find out more, check out their website. I think it’s very interesting, and something I never even knew about until a few years ago, even though I have been to more “trunk-or-treats” than I care to admit. There’s plenty of Halloween celebrations already. Do. something. different.

And that’s a wrap on October’s quirky, colorful celebrations! From pumpkin seeds and pasta to chess matches and chocolate, I hope these little holidays add some extra sparkle (and maybe a dash of learning) to your October homeschool days. Don’t forget — October also has its share of famous birthdays to explore, and you’ll find those included on my printable. You can grab that free planning page on my website (about halfway down my homepage) — it’s the perfect spot to jot down activities, book ideas, and family traditions for your October homeschool calendar.