As the leaves turn golden and summer fades away, it's time to get creative! Fall is the perfect time to get your children crafting with fun and engaging crafts for children. It helps keep kids busy and away from screens, and it also helps foster creativity and self-expression.
In addition, creating something together can be a rewarding experience for the entire family—you get to bond with each other while making memories that will last for years to come.
From easy paper projects to more complex seasonal decorations, you and your little ones can have fun in plenty of ways. And with so many great crafts ideas for children, there’s no reason why this season can’t be one of the most creative yet.
Craft Idea #1: Leaf Painting
Ready to get creative with your kids this fall? Look no further than leaf painting for fun and easy crafts for children that are sure to help the family bond.
All you need are leaves, paint, paintbrushes, and paper.
To create a leaf painting, collect different leaves around the area.
Then, teach your little ones how to arrange them into interesting shapes on their paper.
Once they have a design they like, show them how to carefully trace over it with a paintbrush.
Let their creativity run wild by experimenting with different painting techniques, such as dry brushing, sponging, and stippling. The result is beautiful colorful paintings with unique textures.
With some imagination, your children will have endless possibilities for creating nature-inspired masterpieces!
Craft Idea #2: Paper Plate Scarecrow
Next, learn to create to make some truly unique decorations—the classic paper plate scarecrow!
You need two paper plates, construction paper, glue or tape, and yarn.
Start by gluing the facial features onto one of the plates.
Next, attach strips of golden brown construction paper to represent the hay sticking out from his head.
Once this is done, cut the second plate in half, and glue a plate half on each side of the first plate to form arms. Tie pieces of yarn around each arm for hands.
Finally, let your children’s imaginations run wild when decorating their new scarecrow—they can add colorful leaves, feathers, buttons, or anything else they want!
This fun family activity will have everyone feeling the fall spirit.
Craft Idea #3: Pinecone Bird Feeders
Moving away from paper plate scarecrows and onto other popular children's fall crafts, pinecone bird feeders are a great way to get the kids involved in nature.
Not only do pinecone bird feeders bring birds right into your backyard, but they’re fun, easy, and require minimal materials!
To make these special treats for feathered friends, you'll need pinecones, string (or twine), peanut butter, and birdseed.
First, tie a length of string around the top of the pinecone so it hangs like an ornament.
Next, spread some peanut butter all over the cone—don't forget the inside!
Roll the peanut butter-covered cone in birdseed until it's completely coated, and hang it outdoors on a nearby tree branch.
Now, wait for some hungry birds to come snack!
Not only will making this craft together provide quality family time, but it can also help teach kids about the different types of birds that visit their homemade treat station.
It’s also incredibly satisfying to see wildlife enjoying something you created—it creates a real connection with nature, so why not try making these pinecone bird feeders?
Craft Idea #4: Apple Stamping
Apple stamping is an easy and entertaining project that will create beautiful art pieces to give any room a festive autumn feel.
Your little ones can spend hours creating wonderful masterpieces with just a few simple supplies: apples, paper, and paint.
First, cut an apple in half and help them make different shapes by cutting off parts of the apple.
Then, use it as a stamp on different colors of construction paper.
Kids will find themselves captivated by the process while their creativity runs wild. And when all is said and done, hang up their works of art around the house and watch them glow with pride!
Craft Idea #5: Pumpkin Seed Art
Fall crafts for children can be extremely rewarding, and pumpkin seed art is the perfect activity!
This craft requires just a few materials: pumpkin seeds, glue, and paper.
To begin this easy project, gather enough pumpkin seeds to fit on your chosen piece of paper.
Next, use a small amount of glue to attach each seed to the paper until you form a design or pattern. If you want more texture, try gluing two seeds together before attaching them to the paper.
Finally, let everything dry fully and display it proudly!
Pumpkin seed art is an excellent way for little ones to have fun while they explore their creativity.
Craft Idea #6: Handprint Tree
Another fun children's fall craft is a handprint tree.
This craft requires only a few basic materials: paint, paper, and decorations such as markers and glitter!
First, have your child dip their hands in the paint and press them onto a piece of paper until you’ve created branches for your tree.
As they add more prints from different colors, it will look even better.
Once you’re done with the main part of the project, you can use extra decorations such as markers or glitter to personalize it further.
With this fun fall activity, kids can express themselves while creating something that will last forever!
Craft Idea #7: Ghost Windsocks
If you're looking for another fun and easy fall craft that requires very few materials, ghost windsocks may be just what you need!
You only need tissue paper in various colors (black and white work best), glue, string or ribbon, and other small decorations.
To get started, cut out a ghost shape from black tissue paper (or make it spooky by cutting two different sizes).
Then, use glue to attach contrasting pieces of tissue paper around the edges. You can add eyes, a mouth, and even a hat—let your creativity go wild!
Once all the decorations have been added, attach string or ribbon to the top to hang it outside.
With this easy craft, you can create a variety of ghosts ranging from silly to scary—perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit. And for a truly eerie effect, try hanging several windsocks together!
Craft Idea #8: Acorn People
With the change of season comes a wealth of fun crafts for children, and we've got another one that's sure to be a hit: acorn people!
You will need acorns, paint, a glue gun, pipe cleaners, and bits of fabric or felt (optional).
To make your acorn people, start by painting facial features or clothing onto the acorn.
Then use the glue gun to attach two small circles from pipe cleaners to form the arms and legs. You can also use bits of fabric or felt to create clothes and accessories like hats, scarves, or even jewelry!
You can create an entire family of unique characters that your child will love playing with throughout autumn. They also make great decorations!
Let your imagination run wild when it comes to customizing these little critters. Who knows what amazing creations await?
Craft Idea #9: Harvest Corn Collage
Next, let’s move on to a craft celebrating the fall harvest season: a harvest corn collage!
Kids of any age can create masterpieces with corn husks, colorful construction paper, string and ribbon (optional), and glue in this project.
Start by gathering corn husks from your local grocer or farmers' market.
Next, cut different shapes (like circles, triangles, and squares) from the construction paper.
Glue the shapes onto the corn husks to make different patterns. You can also use materials such as string and ribbon to create interesting textures and designs.
With such easy-to-follow instructions, children will have lots of fun crafting their own harvest corn collage!
Craft Idea #10: Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is like a treasure map for the modern age, and it's a fantastic way to get kids outdoors enjoying some fresh fall air!
To make your DIY version of this classic game, you'll need the following:
- A list of items that can be found in nature (like leaves, feathers, acorns)
- Pencils or pens
- Paper bags or baskets
- Prizes or rewards (to give when all the items are collected).
To start the hunt, have each kid choose a different item from the list, and then let them explore! Depending on their age, you can set time limits or boundaries, so they don't wander too far away.
For added fun, see if they can find multiple versions of one item—such as leaves in five colors—without going over the time limit.
At the end of their adventure, don’t forget to reward their hard work with something special!
Conclusion
As a busy parent, figuring out how to entertain your children during the fall season can be challenging. But with these ten awesome DIY fall crafts for children, you'll have plenty of ideas for fun activities to keep them entertained and teach them new skills.
And don’t forget about ghost windsocks or scavenger hunts—they're perfect for some outdoor fun in the cooler weather!
In addition to keeping the kids entertained, crafting together as a family provides quality bonding time that everyone can enjoy. And studies show that creative play helps boost self-confidence among young children. It also encourages problem-solving skills, which are essential to success throughout life.
From leaf painting handprint trees to apple stamping and acorn people, there's something here that every child will love, so why not take advantage of this opportunity to have tons of fun this autumn? All you need is creativity; these easy DIY projects will do the rest!
And if you’re still looking for more, you can always find plenty of other enjoyable crafts ideas for children on our site.
Thank you for publishing such great ideas!
Best,
DeCarlo Duling