5 Fun Autumn ESL Activities to Spark Conversation

Autumn has always been my favourite season. Back in the UK I loved the crisp mornings, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and the cosy evenings that seemed to invite reflection. There was always something special about the light at that time of year, as well as the food and traditions that brought people together.

Now that I’m living in Thailand, I miss those autumn days. The heat here is constant, and although I enjoy it, there’s a part of me that longs for the smell of bonfires, the colours of golden leaves, and the comfort of a hot drink on a chilly afternoon. For me, autumn represents both endings and beginnings, which makes it such a rich theme for conversation in the ESL classroom.

If you’re looking to bring a seasonal twist into your lessons, here are five fun Autumn ESL activities that work well with adult learners and spark plenty of natural conversation.

1) Autumn ESL activities with seasonal vocabulary

Autumn vocabulary is rich with images and emotions. Words and collocations like crisp air, golden leaves, cosy evening, harvest festival, comfort food, and nostalgia open the door to interesting discussions.

Rather than just drilling vocabulary, get students to connect it to their own lives. Ask:

• What’s your first memory of autumn?

• What does “comfort food” mean in your culture?

• Do you think autumn feels more like a beginning or an ending?
  

These simple prompts allow learners to personalise the language, making it stick more naturally.

2) Traditions and Festivals

Autumn is celebrated in different ways across the world. In the US, families gather for Thanksgiving. In China, people share mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Across Europe, harvest festivals have been held for centuries.

A nice activity is to share short descriptions of these traditions and ask students to match them to the country. Afterwards, encourage them to compare with any festivals or celebrations in their own culture. This sparks curiosity and gives everyone a chance to learn something new.

3) Memories and Nostalgia

Autumn has a way of making people reflect. Shorter days and familiar smells often trigger strong memories. In class, you could ask students questions such as:

• What is the strongest autumn memory from your childhood?

• Does a particular food, smell, or sound remind you of this season?

• Do you agree with the idea that endings can also be beginnings?
  

These sorts of reflections often lead to thoughtful conversations, which work particularly well in small groups or pairs.

4) Autumn Food and Comfort

Food is one of the best ways to talk about culture. Ask your students what seasonal food is popular where they live. Share examples from Britain such as apple crumble, roasted pumpkin, or Sunday roasts.

A short writing task could be: Describe the taste and smell of your favourite autumn dish. You’ll often get creative responses, and it’s a good way to build descriptive language skills.

5) Reflections and Looking Ahead

Finally, autumn is a season that reminds us to pause before winter and take stock of the year so far. As a closing activity, invite students to complete the sentence:

• “Autumn reminds me to…”
  

This works well as a short piece of writing or a speaking prompt at the end of a lesson. It often brings out thoughtful and sometimes surprising responses.

Bringing it all together

Autumn is full of colour, comfort, and culture, which makes it an ideal theme for sparking conversations in English lessons. You can keep it light with vocabulary and food, or go deeper by talking about traditions and personal memories. For me, even though I can’t experience autumn in Thailand, teaching it allows me to reconnect with a season that means a lot.

If you’d like ready-made resources that cover vocabulary, culture, food, and reflective questions, you can download our Autumn ESL lesson plan. It’s designed for intermediate learners and brings together many of the ideas mentioned above.