Although the daytime temp is still 80+ degrees with 98% humidity, the leaves have started to change color and pumpkin spice has emerged once again. Fall is sure to be here soon! If you and your kids would like to help usher in Autumn with some fall crafts, check out this list of simple ideas.
Five Quick and Easy Fall Crafts
Leaf Painting: It doesn’t get simpler than this. Simply gather leaves (or purchase fabric ones if you prefer), brush on some Autumn-y colored craft paint (think red, brown, orange…), and press onto construction paper or printer paper. You could put them randomly around the page, or create a wreath by pressing the leaves in a circle, then cut it out and hang it.
Alternative idea: press the painted leaves onto rocks for fun Fall-themed painted rocks to put in your garden or hide around the neighborhood.
Pinecone Bird Feeders: If your yard is anything like mine, there are pinecones scattered about it year-round. Gather some up to turn into bird feeders. A quick tip: attach the string/yarn/twine you plan to hang it with before doing anything else; this will give you something to hold onto and is easier than trying to work around whatever you put on the pinecone. Using a small plastic knife or spatula, smear peanut butter (or alternative) all over the pinecone, being sure to get between all the little “petals.” Once it is coated, roll the pinecone in a bowl filled with birdseed, and VOILA! All that’s left is to find the perfect place to hang your DIY feeders so you can watch the birds (and if we’re being honest, squirrels) enjoy your craft.
Alternative idea: Instead of using a pinecone, halve and core an apple, then fill it in with peanut butter and birdseed.
Autumn Suncatchers: Using an Exacto knife, or by folding a piece of black construction paper in half, cut out the Autumn shapes of your choice (leaves, pumpkins, bats, apples, turkeys, etc). You want to have the outline of the shape. Place the black outline on a piece of clear contact paper (shelving paper). Tear or cut Fall colored tissue paper into small pieces (1-inch x 1-inch or smaller) and place them in a single layer on top of the contact paper (inside the outline, and slightly overlapping to fully fill it in). Once the layer is complete, top with another piece of contact paper, face down, and trim around your shape. Tape to windows that get a lot of sun.
Paper plate Owls: If you are making owls, you will first need to paint 2 paper plates brown. Once this is dry, cut one of the plates in half, and tape/glue/staple one to each side of the second paper plate to resemble the owl’s wings. Using construction paper, cut out large white circles and smaller black circles for the eyes and a small orange triangle for the beak.
Alternative idea: Make bats instead! If you are wanting a bat, it’s the same basic process, only painting the plates black instead of brown; use smaller eyes placed higher on the body and no beak.
Paint Pumpkins: I saved the simplest, and often the most-enjoyed, idea for last. Paint miniature pumpkins. That’s it! Get each kid one or two small pumpkins, give them brushes and craft paint, and set them loose. Additionally, you could provide them with stickers, glitter, feathers, pom poms, googly eyes, etc to enhance the craft-tivity!
Alternative idea: Make this mess-free (or less mess) by putting your pumpkin in a large Tupperware container or gallon bag, adding in several squirts of paint, sealing it up, and letting the kids shake them up to coat the pumpkin in paint.
What are some super simple fall crafts your kids love doing?
And if you love fall as much as I do, find out about fall festivals, date ideas, crafts, and recipes in and around Atlanta by checking out All Things Fall.
