Now that fall is here and the weather has gotten slightly chillier, especially after school, our kids have started asking us to craft with them more in place of all the playing outside they’d usually do. Of course, they still love running around in the fresh air in any weather, all year long, but some days it’s just more comfortable to stay in and get creative instead. We like to keep them engaged with the seasons by making something that’s fall themed even when it’s a little too chilly for them to actually go out and experience the fall weather.
If you’re feeling just as intent as we were, if not more, on doing something fun fall themed crafts with your kids this season, check out these 15 fantastic ideas, designs, and tutorials that we’ve come across so far in this year’s search for inspiration and guidance!
1. Painted autumn leaf monsters
Like ours, are your kids the kind of little artists who almost always prefer a craft when it lets them do some kind of creation with rather unconventional supplies? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll get just as much of a kick as we did out of the way Messy Little Monster suggests using brightly coloured paints and googly eyes to transform fall leaves gathered from the backyard into funny little monsters!
2. Autumn leaf sun catchers
Have we really caught your attention with this whole concept of making awesome project with fall leaves but you’re just not sure that the monsters are the direction your kids will want to go in, since they usually like making things that they can hang up on display? In that case, we think you simply must take a look at how Clare’s Little Tots made these beautiful fall leaf, paper plate, and wax paper sun catchers!
3. Air dry clay leaf bowls
If your kids are going to sit still for a whole afternoon and practice the patience it takes to start and finish a project, would you rather help them make something that they can form from scratch themselves, right from start to finish? In that case, we’d be willing to bet that you’ll get along very well indeed with something like these air dry clay leaf bowls outlined in simple detail on Emma Owl! We love the way they painted theirs in all different fall colours, just like all the different shades of leaves outside.
4. Leaf decoupage bowls
Are you actually looking for something a little more challenging to make with your kids because, even though you do want to put their creative work on display, you’d love to help them create a piece that you might actually keep out and use throughout the whole season? Then we think you’ll very intrigued indeed to see how impressively but simply this delicate and stunning fall leaf decoupage bowl was to make! Christine’s Crafts has all the details for you to make one of your own.
5. DIY tissue paper and fall leaf luminary
Just in case we really caught your attention with this whole idea of doing a little bit of fall leaf themed decoupage but you’re not quite sure your kids are ready for the bowl we showed you above just yet, here’s a slightly simple alternative that uses the same basic techniques! Check out the tutorial on Education Possible to see how these DIY fall luminaries made with tissue paper and leaf-shaped tissue cutouts were made.
6. Tissue paper fall tree craft
Are you totally feeling this whole tissue paper crafts idea but you also just haven’t felt quite convinced by any of the ideas we’ve shown you so far? Then here’s another one for your consideration! Check out how I Heart Crafty Things made this adorable tree, filling in the leaves by scrunching little pieces of tissue paper in fall colours and sticking them down for awesome texture.
7. Paper plate and seed sun flower
Of course, leaf themed crafts aren’t the only kind of crafts you can make with your kids! We also liked the concept of making something sunflower shaped in order to celebrate the gorgeous sunflowers that grow tall in our front yard every autumn. That’s why we thought this lovely paper plate, popsicle stick, and real sunflower seed project outlined in detail on The Resourceful Mama was such a good idea.
8. Popsicle stick scarecrow magnet
Do you actually find that your kids tend to do the best with paying attention through a whole crafting process when they get to make some kind of fun character that they can name and display? That’s true in our house as well, which is why we though these adorable popsicle stick scarecrow magnets outlined in detail on Today’s Creative Ideas were such a good idea. They’re also mixed media, which is always a hit in our house as well!
9. Fall tree with potato stamp leaves
If you and your kids have never tried potato stamping crafts before then we’re very sorry to have to tell you that you’ve been missing out on something very fun indeed! Remedy that situation now by giving these awesome potato leaf stamped tree paintings outlined in fun, clear detail on How Wee Learn a try. They’re shockingly simple but a whole lot of fun to do, all at once!
10. Cute pinecone and felt hedgehogs
Perhaps we’ve actually still got you scrolling through our list thinking about how much you loved the idea of crafting with actual elements of nature that your kids gathered from your backyard but you’re just not sure you’ve seen the idea that has you feeling entirely convinced yet? Then here’s another suggestion for your consideration. Grab some pinecones and check out how The Mad House made these adorable little homemade hedgehogs from pinecone and felt!
11. Pom pom apple tree
Where we come from, one of the most exciting parts of fall is the fact that all of the apples start to ripen perfectly on the apple trees. That’s why we always make sure to take our kids apple picking! You can celebrate that part of the season in just a few simple steps by making this adorable pom pom apple tree art outlined in easy detail on Crafts on Sea.
12. Candy corn man
Are you a part of the kind of family who loves candy corn so much that you can all be found snacking on it all autumn, even long after Halloween is over? Well, we’re just like that as well, so we’re sure you can understand just how funny we thought this tutorial from Meaningful Mama was! They show you step by step how to make a funny candy corn man with paper and paint.
13. Wax paper leaf sun catchers
Did we actually pique your interest quite well when we started talking about the idea of making a fall themed sun catcher but you’re also convinced that your kids might be able to handle a more unique design than just the rounded paper plate kind like they’ve made countless times before? In that case, we have a feeling you might get along a little better with something like these tissue and wax paper leaf cut out sun catchers featured in full detail on eHow!
14. Autumn leaf collage
If you’re going to help your kids start crafting with actual fall elements gathered from the natural scene in your backyard, would you rather also use the project as an opportunity to teach them about all the different kinds of things they might see there? Then we’d be willing to bet that this next idea from The Imagination Tree might be right up your alley! Check out there tutorial to see how they made this rather artistic looking autumn leaf collage on simple cardboard.
15. Foil printed fall tree art
Have you actually fallen in love a little bit with the concept of creating visual texture in different ways but you’re still looking for a technique that your kids have never tried before? Then grab the tinfoil out of your kitchen cabinet and dip it in some paint to give this awesome foil printed fall tree art concept outlined in detail on Play Teach Repeat a try!
Have you made other kinds of fantastic fall crafts and DIY projects with your kids before that they really enjoyed but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about what you created and how you did it or link us to photos of your finished work in the comments section!
