Autumn is a great time to bring the outside indoors and use nature as a tool for crafting with preschoolers. Take toddlers on a trail walk and collect all kinds of natural items. From leaves to pine cones, works of art can be created with just a little bit of imagination! Here are some great ideas to get you started.
10 Fall Crafts for Preschoolers
1. Leaf Printing
Supplies: leaves, paint, art paper or card stock, container/pan (large enough for a leaf to be pressed flat)
To do: Coat the bottom of the container with a thin layer of paint. Toddlers will have fun picking different colors and spreading them around. Next, take a leaf and press it to the bottom to get one side of the leaf colored in paint. Carefully, remove the leaf from the paint container and have children press it onto the art paper, paint side down. Slowly remove the leaf and what is left is the leaf print! When everyone has completed their work of art, hang them around the room to dry and be showcased!
2. Button Twig Tree
Supplies: buttons, twigs, art paper or card stock, glue
To do: Glue twigs onto the paper to form a tree. Next, glue the buttons around the twigs to create leaves. Buttons can be big, little, one color, or many colors. Be creative. Carefully monitor toddlers with the glue and small buttons, as they like to put things in their mouth. Let dry and hang!
3. Glitter Acorn Necklace
Supplies: acorns with stems, glitter, bowl or plate for easy access to glitter, glue, paintbrush, string
To do: Paint the acorns with glue and coat them with glitter. Preschoolers will enjoy painting them and rolling them around in the glitter. Once dry, paint a thin layer of glue over top to keep the glitter intact (Mod Podge also works great). Help children use the string to tie a knot around the stem of the acorn. Add a little glue on the knot to help it stay in place. Trim the stem if it is too long, and tie the ends of the string together to create a necklace!
4. Pinecone Birdfeeder
Supplies: pinecones, birdseed, peanut butter, shallow bowl or container for seed, plastic knife or spoon, string or ribbon
To do: Preschoolers can coat the pinecone with peanut butter using the plastic knife or spoon. Once covered generously in peanut butter, they can roll the pinecone around in the birdseed to coat. Help them use the string or ribbon to tie around the top of the new birdfeeder and hang.
5. Walking Sticks
Supplies: a tall stick or branch, colorful duct tape, paint, ribbon, feathers, large beads, string or twine
To do: Toddlers can choose just one decoration, some or all to decorate their walking stick. Use the tape to create strips of color along the branch. Add feathers and beads attached to twine and tie around the stick. Help preschoolers embellish their walking stick for their next nature trail adventure.
6. Leaf Garland
Supplies: leaves, ribbon, glue
To do: Lay out a very long piece of ribbon. Have preschoolers glue different leaves all along the ribbon. When one side is full, let dry, flip over, and glue leaves to the other side. Let dry and hang!
7. Rock Monsters
Supplies: rocks of all sizes, paint, paintbrush, wiggly eyes, glue, grass
To do: Help toddlers select a rock and paint it their favorite color. Once the paint dries, have them glue on wiggly eyes. They can choose to leave their rock monster as is, or they can glue some grass on for hair, a beard or whatever else they can imagination.
8. Leaf people
Supplies: leaves, wiggly eyes, popsicle or craft sticks, glue
To do: Glue wiggly eyes onto the leaves. Then glue one leaf onto each craft stick. A simple craft that preschoolers are sure to enjoy.
9. Pinecone Mobile
Supplies: pinecones, paint, bowl or paintbrush, twine, hanger
To do: Paint the pinecones with a paintbrush or dip them into a bowl of paint.
Mix and match different colors. Let dry. Help preschoolers tie varying lengths of twine around the unpainted end of the pinecone. Then, tie the opposite end of the twine to the hanger. Add as many dangling colored pinecones as desired, and hang up to display.
10. Acorn Jewel Caps
Supplies: acorn caps, white school glue, markers
To do: Color the insides of the acorn caps with markers. Fill with white glue. Toddlers will enjoy watching the colors begin to swirl around. Let completely dry for about 48 hours, and the acorn jewel caps are ready for all sorts of imaginative play.