3 Steps to a Simple Fall Bucket List

Tanya Koob

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September is one of my favorite months of the year, and it’s not because the kids go back to school (though that certainly gives one cause to celebrate as well.) For me, September is all about new chances, fresh starts, and opportunity for change. Call it a “second January” if you will, because a new school year calls for updated goals, resolutions, and plans for success.

We’ve already made some big modifications in our household with a change of schools to launch the new season, and my 6 year old is having to adjust to full-day school now that he’s in grade one. With more time in school, comes less time for playing outside, less time for friends, and less time spent with family. Fortunately, I’ve come up with an easy system to ensure we continue to spend quality time together as a family to protect our outdoor time, and to help us make the most of our weekends. I call it “the monthly bucket list.”

Here’s how we create a monthly bucket list.

First, grab a piece of paper or a piece of colorful construction paper and draw a bingo or tic-tac-toe grid. The number of lines in your grid is up to you, but I suggest starting small to begin with. After you get used to creating bucket lists (or perhaps if it’s a big month with lots of exciting things to do), you can expand your grid to include more boxes.

Second, connect all the lines so that you have a page full of boxes. A simple tic-tac-toe grid for example, would have nine boxes.

Third, fill each box with something you want to do together as a family this month. This is your bucket list. Don’t worry if you didn’t start right at the beginning of the month. You can always draw a bigger grid and cover all the Fall months in one big bucket list.

Suggestions for things to add to your Fall bucket list

Visit a farm, pumpkin patch, or corn maze.
Go for one last beach day.
Go for a family bike ride.
Take a fall hike to see the leaves change.
Learn to… (use the monkey bars on the playground, pump a swing, play a new sport…)
Visit your local zoo, amusement park, or other park before it closes for winter.
Invite a family from school over for dinner.
Plan a Halloween Party.
Have a picnic with new friends from your child’s class.

While creating lists may seem like a lot of work, monthly goals can actually simplify your life and create more focus. You don’t have to plan out your entire year in January, be super organized, or even use an enormous amount of creativity. If the kids are old enough, include them in the planning as well and the month’s family fun will be planned out in a few short minutes.

I post my monthly bucket list on the fridge and we use it as inspiration when we can’t think of something to do after school. It helps us prioritize family bonding in our free time. Meanwhile, my son loves our bucket lists because they give him at least nine reasons to be excited for the upcoming month.

I’ve been creating monthly bucket lists for close to a year now, and it always amazes me when I look back at the end of each month, and see how many fun things we did together as a family. I no longer have to live with regrets that we let a whole season go by without really making the most of it. I can honestly say that we are passionately embracing every day together, while having a blast doing it.

3 Steps to a Simple Fall Bucket List

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