by Jessica Molina
Oct. 19, 2027
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven…
-Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)
The summer has come to a close and it wasn’t long enough to enjoy the break, although it was too long to endure the heat—what a paradoxical California life we live, always chasing the next season, but in shock once it arrives.
So, here we are, the California landscape shifting into cooler rhythms—sort of…. Autumn gently invites us into a change of pace: one that is slow and steady. God’s creation beckons renewal as trees shed their leaves, signaling that the reprieve of shade will be no longer needed. Crops are gathered and we find every squash under the sun arrives in our market stalls, offering long shelf lives while we experiment with cozy stews and rich pies. Creation is preparing for a quiet season of rest; even the bears will fill their bellies before settling into winter slumber.
I am not sure who needs this, but consider this your personal invitation: give yourself permission to miss out on the frantic holiday race. Step back from the pressure between curriculum routines, co-ops, and early holiday prep, and embrace the holy pause that this fall season offers. It is easy to allow the demands of the calendar to be the harsh taskmaster in our homes—believe me, I am guilty of it, too. Take this time to quiet your hearts and your homes before the Lord and give thanks for His faithful provision.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
-2 Corinthians 12:9
Here are six simple ways to embrace the season with your family, cultivating rest, hands-on learning, and hospitality this fall.
Visit a Local Pumpkin Patch, Go Apple Picking, or Both!
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
-Psalm 104:14-15
A trip to the pumpkin patch or the apple farm are both classic fall traditions, but these are also incredible outdoor classrooms. Observe the pumpkins growing on trailing vines, explore different heirloom squash varieties, talk about how spring blossoms become autumn fruit, and discuss the vital role of pollinators!
Turn these trips into a math game. Your kiddos can estimate the pumpkins’ weight, measure the circumference, compare and round the cost per pound, and guess how many seeds are inside before carving! You can do the weights and costs for the apples, as well.
Do a Nature Walk through a Nearby Botanical Garden
And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.
-Genesis 1:11
You do not need an elaborate science curriculum to study seasonal change—just step outside. You can visit a regional botanical garden, state park, or just walk through the neighborhood and you will see God’s handiwork through autumnal changes.
Do a leaf and tree study, collecting leaves to examine changing chlorophyll levels, and press collections into a nature journal. You can also do some bird and wildlife observations. California is an incredible state for bird watching during migrations, as the birds usually land or pass through our warmth for the winter, and lots of cooler climates are already too cool for them. You will start to see migration patterns and can talk about how animals adapt to changing weather and what food is available to them.
Fall Culinary Science
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.
-1 Corinthians 10:31
We can also call this “Life Skills” or “Home Economics,” but whatever you choose to name it, most of the time it is fun and delicious! If you visit a pumpkin patch or an apple farm, bring your hard earned produce back to your own kitchen and put together your own farm-to-table meal. Make a creamy pumpkin bisque, roast the seeds to put into a tossed fall-spiced salad, enjoy some “pork chops and applesauce” (if you know, you know!) made from the apples you bring home.
Use kitchen math, working with fractions or weights, comparing use with the metric system if you have a scale. Discuss the chemistry of food, oxidation (why apples turn brown), and how heat changes raw ingredients into tasty applesauce or hot cider.
Celebrate Reformation Day: Sola Deo Gloria!
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word.
-Psalm 119:9
October 31st marks Reformation Day—the anniversary of Martin Luther posting the 95 Theses in 1517. It’s a chance to focus your family’s attention on church history and, more importantly, on the Word of God.
There are tons of read-aloud books you can grab on Martin Luther, William Tyndale, or John Huss. You can even do a Hymn study on A Mighty Fortress is Our God (written by Luther) and feature a German dish for dinner and do a geography study, as well, to talk about where Luther was from and his travels.
Enjoy Thanksgiving and Early American History Studies
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Take time throughout November to explore the rich history of Thanksgiving. Find read-aloud books that give historical accounts throughout American history, including George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation or excerpts from William Bradford’s journals.
Start a family gratitude tradition by making a gratitude tree or journal or jar. Encourage everyone to participate and share things they are grateful for throughout the month, reading them together on Thanksgiving Day.
Host a Family Bonfire and Read-Aloud Night
The evenings are growing cooler and shorter, so embrace the cozy atmosphere indoors or around a backyard fire pit. Cuddle up in blankets, sip hot cocoa or cider (made from your very own picked apples!), and stargaze. Choose a classic book to read together by the fire or candlelight.
Zero-Prep: Everything noted here can be done without a single worksheet or formal discussion plan. The only real prep for these homeschooling field trips is packing snacks and water bottles! Just ask open-ended questions as you go and talk about the majesty of God He has revealed in nature. Observation is meaningful science, I promise, and they will remember the special time you spent connecting with them far more than they will remember anything written on a worksheet or found in a scavenger hunt checklist!
Grace Over Perfection: Do not avoid cooking with your kiddos. Yes, there will be a bigger mess, and yes, it will take longer to clean it up. But fractions coming to life in a recipe makes math instantly relevant! Tasting the food that they helped to prepare will build lasting memories and neural pathways that a textbook will never match!
A Word on Reformation Day:
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink, or with regard to a festival or new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ…
-Colossians 2:16-17
There are a lot of varying opinions on October 31st. Commemorating Reformation Day is simply a suggestion as a friendly alternative—or addition—for your family. There is rich Christian freedom to be enjoyed and countless opportunities to share the Gospel. However you choose to spend the day, keep your heart centered on Christ and rest in His peace rather than feeling stressed or conflicted.
But Does it Count? Did you do life with your kids? Did you converse, explore, and create together? Then yes—you taught and they learned!
CHEA Members: Be sure to login and visit the downloadable forms page to grab your field trip trackers, reading logs, and attendance sheets for your records.
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Jessica is a homeschool mom of four kiddos, ages 4 to 11, who was born and raised in Southern California. She and her family love nature walks, art, decaf coffee, and baking.
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