Fall is finally here! From riding in hay rides to eating pumpkin pies to apple picking, you can make this autumn the best yet with fun activities for everyone to enjoy. With free printable fun fall bucket list worksheets, it will make planning this year’s fall adventures with your family and friends a simple and easy process.
P-A-N-D-E-M-I-C F-A-T-I-G-U-E
I’m not sure if that is really a technical diagnosis, but it’s definitely what I think I am suffering from these days…Pandemic Fatigue.
I’m not gonna’ lie….I’ve been a front ride passenger on the struggle bus lately.
Most days I’m doing “okay”, but then something will trigger the Covid sadness that allows doubt to creep in that things may never be the way they used to be.
Last week, it was a trip to Starbucks that brought tears to my eyes…I know that sounds so superficial and “basic”, yet it’s true.
It was my son’s birthday, and his special b-day breakfast request was a cotton candy Frappuccino and breakfast sandwich, and as I headed into Starbucks to pick up his special meal, I was greeted with this…
To most people, seeing green cones blocking off “safe” areas, a restroom closed sign, and striped lines dictating where to stand would probably not illicit a crying session, but the thing that struck me the most was not the ADDITION of these covid protocol precautions, but what was MISSING.
That particular Starbucks is in the heart of our little town center and before covid, it was a place that was a hub of interactions…
– Moms meeting up after their Stroller Strides class
– Local business owners having brainstorm meetings feverishly working on their laptops
– Neighbors joining up while they were out for a walk with their dogs
– Teenagers giggling and enjoying an afternoon treat on their walk home celebrating the end of another school day
Our Starbucks was a place full of laughter, chatter, community, and connection, and now it’s just an empty shell of a business, with tables and chairs pushed up against the walls and with a restroom sign that reminds us that our lives in so many ways have been “closed”.
And through the tears, it hit me…
This is not how it should be….
This is not how I’m going to live my life feeling helpless and sad, longing for what used to be.
I’ve been spending my time and energy focusing on ALL of the things that have been taken away, and on that trip to Starbucks it dawned on me…
I’m not DEAD, I’m just LIVING in a pandemic…
And if I am feeling disconnected and isolated, that’s on me, and luckily I can do something about it.
So I decided the best way to combat feelings of loneliness and a life that feels full of “ho-humery” is to shift my thinking and,
as Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption so eloquently said…
“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying.”
Sounds profound, huh?
But, seriously, how do you do that exactly?
Well, for me, it means refocusing on the good stuff in life and creating a plan…
And you know how I love me a good ole’ printable, so I created one for myself (and for you too!) to get the ball rolling!
I made this “Fall: Focus on Fun” sheet to write down all of the things I want to do with my family in the next few months…basically a “Fall Bucket List”.
Wondering what kind of things you should put on a Fall Bucket List?
Well, you are in luck because with all the extra pandemic time I have on my hands, I’ve come up with 50 fun things to do in the fall!!
Curious what some of the awesome Fall Bucket List ideas are?
1. Go on a hayride
2. Visit a corn maze
3. Purchase costumes
4. Go for a nature hike
5. Visit a farmer’s market
6. Make caramel apples
7. Watch a scary movie
8. Do a candy taste test
9. Host a bonfire and make s’mores
10. “Boo” a neighbor
11. Decorate your home for fall
12. Visit an apple orchard
13. Tailgate with your family
14. Try a new pumpkin recipe
15. Go stargazing
16. Make a fall wreath
17. Try a new soup recipe
18. Take a trip to a pumpkin patch
19. Buy a new cozy sweater
20. Do a family fall photoshoot
21. Read a mystery novel
22. Plant fall flowers
23. Try a new fall beverage
24. Watch a Fall Hallmark Movie
25. Jump in a pile of leaves
26. Make pumpkin bread
27. Watch a college football game
28. Host a chili contest
29. Tell scary stories around a fire
30. Play hide & seek with glow sticks
31. Visit a state or national park
32. Watch a fall sunrise
33. Go to a drive-in movie
34. Donate food to a food bank
35. Attend a fall festival
36. Have a Harry Potter movie marathon
37. Carve pumpkins
38. Have a Family Game Night
39. Make a new crockpot recipe
40. Plant bulbs for next spring
41. Take a scenic drive in the country
42. Buy fall-themed candles
43. Put together a Fall puzzle
44. Roast pumpkin seeds
45. Visit a Haunted House
46. Bake a fall pie
47. Buy yourself seasonal flowers
48. Host a fall potluck
49. Try a new restaurant
50. Play “Corn Hole”
Because I live in a house with 3 teenagers, I’m going to have my kids help me come up with some ideas for our family…because you know, if it’s “mom’s idea” it’s automatically in the un-cool category!
After we’ve completed our list, I plan to put some dates on the calendar for our fun activities and hang our list on our fridge to keep us on track!
Have you been suffering from “Pandemic Fatigue” too?
What kind of things are you doing to help yourself out of the funk?
I’m hoping this exercise in planning some family fall fun is just what the doctor ordered to help me feel a bit more excited about life!
I’ll keep you posted on the verdict! I’ll also be sharing the details on my Instagram stories here if you want to see the festivities first hand!
Until next time, cheers to no more tears in Starbucks, and cheers to you!
XOXO,
Magan
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