Fall Crafts for Kids: 5 Stunning Ways to Use Leaves

Introduction

The leaves in our area have begun to change, which makes it the perfect time for some great fall crafts for kids! 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 little dude and I loved going out and soaking in the beautiful fall colors while collecting our leaves. 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. (We actually cut ours off the tree since not many had begun to fall yet.)
• Try to find a variety of colors and shapes!
• You can use the leaves right away or let them sit overnight 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.

Once you have your leaves, there are so many beautiful projects to choose from! Here are some of my favorite ways to use autumn leaves in these five fall crafts for kids:

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1. Mobile

Like all of our fall crafts for kids, this one is super simple and looks gorgeous when finished! 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).

Have fun finding a place to hang your creation! Try out on the porch, a corner of the house, or above your your kid’s bed!

2. Leaf Collage

With just some leaves, paper, and glue, you can make great pieces of art, which makes this one of the easiest fall crafts for kids! Then end result is sure to be something your little one will want to hang up once it’s finished. This project is easiest if you flatten the leaves out a little before beginning.

After you collect them, let the leaves sit for a few hours or overnight in a large book. Afterwards, they should be ready to go. Grab a piece of paper that’s a little heavier, like water color paper.

Using Elmer’s glue or modge podge, have your little one begin gluing leaves wherever they please! If you really want to seal it in and preserve the colors, have them paint a layer of modge podge over the top once all their leaves are in place.

3. Garland

Garlands are one of my favorite ways to decorate, so I love coming up with a customized one for each season! There are so many options that would make great fall crafts for kids (pine cones, acorns, etc.) but we’re obviously going for leaves on this one.

This is one of my favorite tutorials for a real leaf garland.

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 fall 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!

Once you have your very own nature confetti, there are so many fun things to do with it! It’s one of the simplest fall 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. Luminaries

I’ve seen some gorgeous luminaries made with all sorts of nature bits, but fall foliage might just be my favorite. Which is why the last of our fall crafts for kids is a luminary made with autumn leaves. The warm, colorful glow from these creates the perfect cozy vibe.

Here’s a super simple one to do with kids.

Once it’s finished, you can use these indoors on dark fall evenings, outside while you play in the yard, on a nighttime walk, or to add an extra glow to an autumn campfire.

How To Preserve Leaves In Beeswax:

To make some of your fall crafts for kids 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:

1. Turn on crock pot or set up your double boiler and pour in the beeswax to melt.
2. Once it’s completely melted, begin dipping your leaves in.
3. After dipping, hold them up and make sure to let some of the excess wax drip off.
4. Lay them down on the parchment paper to dry and repeat until they’re finished!

Conclusion

Now your leaves are ready to go for these fall crafts for kids! Have fun getting outside with your family and enjoying the colors of the season!

If you liked this post, check out our other fun fall ideas here!