Fall is one of my favorite seasons to homeschool. The weather (finally) cools down a little where we live — not 90’s anymore, but lovely 70’s and 80’s — and the leaves are starting to change. After two months of school, we’re in a good groove, which makes it the perfect time to weave in new ways of learning.

But here’s the truth: with kids in 4th, 5th, and 7th grade, if we push through the same lessons every day, we all lose energy fast. Things can get stale and boring. To me, fall is the perfect time to add variety, fresh air and seasonal activities that make learning come alive — especially with older kids who are curious and need more independence.

Here’s what we’re doing this fall to keep homeschool fresh and fun:

1. Nature Walks + Journaling

We still love nature walks, but at this stage it looks different than when the kids were little. Now we’ll:

• Collect leaves, acorns, or pinecones — then research the types of trees we found.

• Sketch what we see in nature journals.

• Use the walk as inspiration for writing prompts — descriptive paragraphs, poems, or even short stories.

This is especially helpful for my kids who don’t love writing, because it gives them something real to write about and makes language practice feel more natural. A simple walk can become science, art and writing all rolled into one.

2. Seasonal Activities With Bigger Kids

Hands-on activities still work — we just scale them for older learners.

• Pumpkin + apple math: measuring circumference, estimating seed counts, calculating averages.

• Cooking + baking: pumpkin bread, apple cider donuts, or apple crisp double as fraction practice (and science lessons when they see how ingredients react). My youngest even bakes once a week to practice fractions.

• Reading & history tie-ins: seasonal books or diving deeper into Thanksgiving history.

3. Shifting Lesson Plans

By fall, I can see what’s clicking — and what’s not. With a 4th, 5th and 7th grader, flexibility matters:

• The younger two might need more hands-on practice, while my 7th grader thrives with independence and deeper, fun projects.

• We sometimes swap a lesson for a unit study or project-based approach.

• On nice fall days, we move school outside with clipboards, cozy blankets and snacks.

And this year, flexibility also means planning ahead for our upcoming family cruise. Instead of “pausing” school completely, we’ll learn about where we’re going ahead of time — geography, culture, budgeting, earning money and journaling their experiences. School doesn’t stop, we just shift it to our season.

4. Real-Life Projects + Kid Businesses

One of my favorite parts of homeschooling is creating space for real-world learning. This year, my kids are starting small businesses — whether it’s jewelry, baked goods or crafts.

These little businesses are teaching them so much:

• Math (pricing, profit, budgeting).

• Communication (explaining products, talking to people).

• Responsibility and follow-through.

It’s amazing how much they learn without even realizing it — and it gives them ownership in a way traditional school often doesn’t.

5. Embracing the Cozy Factor

Older kids still love cozy moments (even if they won’t admit it 😉). Some days we:

• Curl up with blankets and cocoa to read or work through a lesson together.

• Light a fall-scented candle while everyone does independent studies.

• Take breaks just to enjoy the season — because fall doesn’t last long.

6. Protecting Margin

With older kids, the temptation is to fill every minute with sports, lessons, youth group and more. But I’ve learned we all do better when we protect margin:

• Lighter school days during therapy or activity-heavy weeks.

• Not overcommitting on weekends so we have downtime.

• Guarding space for rest and family connection.

Margin is also what makes space for things like our cruise or their kid-business projects. Instead of being “one more thing,” it becomes part of the learning experience and something we actually enjoy.

This is why we homeschool: so our kids can learn at their pace, have hands-on experiences, and put what they’re learning into practice.

Homeschooling 4th, 5th and 7th graders in the fall doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The season itself is a teacher — and when we lean into simple rhythms, cozy traditions, and real-life projects, our kids stay engaged and we get to enjoy learning together.

If your homeschool days feel heavy or scattered, my Simplify the Chaos will help you create rhythms that bring peace to both your home and your homeschool. Small shifts can make learning (and life) feel so much lighter.

Love and Support,

Billie-Jo