Last Updated on September 23, 2025 by Audrey
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The leaves in our area have begun to change, which makes it the perfect time to get started on all the colorful leaf crafts! Autumn colors are so beautiful, but sometimes it seems they’re here and gone in an instant. Which is why I love the idea of trying to preserve them. I’m also a fan of any sort of natural decor for our home!
I also love that all of these activities get you outside first! My kids love going out and helping collect all the pretty leaves we find. It’s cool to see your kids begin to appreciate things like beautiful autumn foliage as you do activities like this with them!
While collecting your leaves for these fall crafts for kids, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Go out on a dry day so that there isn’t any moisture on the leaves.
- Collect newer leaves that aren’t dry and crinkly yet. (Sometimes we grab them straight off the tree!)
- Try to find a variety of colors and shapes.
- You can use the leaves right away, but if you want your projects to last longer, let them sit overnight to a few days inside a book or flower press to flatten them out a bit.
- Don’t let them sit for too long after collecting or they’ll begin to dry out and crisp up. If you can’t get to your project right away, you can store them in a plastic bag in the fridge or keep them inside the book where they’re being pressed.
Once you have your leaves, there are so many beautiful things you can make with them! Here are all of our favorite autumn leaf crafts.
1. Mobile
The thing I love about so many of these leaf crafts is that you’ll actually want to display them around the house when they’re finished! Autumn mobiles like this one that are made of real leaves look so much better than the store-bought ones! (But no judgement, I have also used faux leaves when I’m short on time!) The basic idea is to tie or glue your leaves onto string and hang them from either an embroidery hoop (like this one) or from a tree branch or stick (like this one).
The basic idea is to grab a branch (or collection of branches) and tie on strands of leaves. I dipped mine in beeswax to make them last longer (see below if you want to know how to do this!) and wove in a strand of fairy lights. It looked so pretty hanging in our dining room!
2. Leaf Collage
With just some leaves, paper, and glue, you can make gorgeous pieces of fall art! This is one of the easiest leaf crafts for the kids. Just collect leaves in a variety of shapes and colors, press in a book overnight, and glue onto some cardstock or cardboard! Sometimes we have trouble with our Elmer’s glue nozzles, so our preferred method is actually to paint a solid layer of mod podge onto our work surface, lay on the leaves, then layer over it again with more mod podge to seal it in!
3. Wreath
One of our leaf crafts is this fall wreath that you’ll actually want to display around the house (which isn’t always the case with kid’s crafts 😅.) It also makes a great keepsake! Just cut out a wreath shaped base from cardboard, then have your kids attach leaves using mod podge. Don’t forget to add a layer on top to seal it in!
4. Confetti
It’s no secret that we despise glitter in our house. Sure, it’s pretty and all that. But once it’s there, you literally cannot get rid of the stuff. It’s everywhere! Which is why I was super excited to discover the idea of nature confetti as one of our leaf crafts for kids!
This seems like a great alternative to glitter (not to mention much more environmentally friendly). It’s also super easy to make! I don’t know about your kids, but my little guy LOVES using the hole punch, so this is perfect for him. To make it, simply gather colorful leaves from outside and punch away! Use a regular hole punch plus a set like this for other fun shapes!
Once you have your very own nature confetti, there are so many fun things to do with it! It’s one of the simplest leaf crafts for kids, but I love that you can continue to use it in the future. Put it in birthday cards, use it for art projects, or decorate for outdoor parties!
5. Paper Mache Lanterns
This one might be the messiest (and most fun) of all our leaf crafts! Kids will love getting their hands dirty for this one, and the results are so pretty! See how we made ours here.
6. Glass Jar Lanterns
Another option if you want to make a lantern with fall foliage but don’t have the time for paper mache is to use glass jars instead! Grab some mason jars or reuse glass jars from your fridge, paint on a layer of mod podge, add your pressed leaves, and paint again with another layer of mod podge to seal it in! Add real beeswax tealights, LED tealights, or fairy lights inside for a cozy fall glow!
7. Leaf Sun Catchers
These sun catcher leaf crafts make a gorgeous window display on a sunny autumn day! For this one, you simply need embroidery hoops, contact paper, and pressed leaves, of course! Trace two circles on the contact paper that are slightly larger than the hoop you’re working with (you’ll trim it up later). Stick leaves however you’d like onto one circle, then cover it with the other, enclosing the leaves. Fit it through the two embroidery hoops and trim up any excess on the edges. Finish off with some raffia or twine to make a loop for hanging at the top!
8. Leaf Ghosts
We had to include a Halloween idea in our list of leaf crafts, and these little ghostie leaves are the perfect thing! They’re perfectly cute and spooky but super simple to make. See how we made them here!
9. Leaf Rubbing Collage
This one is sweet and simple! Arrange a variety of leaves under a piece of paper and rub different colored crayons lengthwise over the leaves to create a leaf collage!
10. Leaf Crowns
There are lots of different methods to create gorgeous fall leaf crowns, but this one is the simplest and doesn’t require any extra supplies! Alternately, you can use a circular strip of paper as a band and glue leaves onto that.
How To Preserve Leaves In Beeswax:
To make some of your leaf crafts last longer, you may want to try dipping the leaves in beeswax first. This gives them a nice, glossy sheen and helps preserve them. This way, your beautiful projects don’t just curl up and lose their brilliant colors after a week or so.
Materials:
- Beeswax: I recommend the pastilles like these as whole beeswax can be difficult to cut.
- Old crock pot -or- pot and old glass bowl for a double boiler setup: Anything that you melt beeswax in will essentially be ruined as dried beeswax is difficult to clean off. Make sure to use old dishes that you don’t need for other purposes. I didn’t have a small crock pot for that purpose (although you can often find them at thrift stores) so I used an old chipped bowl and created a double boiler on the stove to melt my beeswax.
- Tweezers: These are only necessary if some of your leaves don’t have long enough stems to hold with your fingers.
- Parchment Paper
- Leaves
Directions:
- Turn on crock pot or set up your double boiler and pour in the beeswax to melt.
- Once it’s completely melted, begin dipping your leaves in.
- After dipping, hold them up and make sure to let some of the excess wax drip off.
- Lay them down on the parchment paper to dry and repeat until they’re finished!
Conclusion
Whether you’re crafting with your kids on a cozy afternoon or looking for a project of your own, these fall leaf crafts are a wonderful way to celebrate the season. Simple, creative, and fun, they let you turn nature’s artwork into keepsakes and décor you’ll love year after year. Gather some leaves, pick your favorite project, and enjoy getting outside and creating together with your family during this season!
If you liked this post, check out our other fun fall ideas here!
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