Fall is such an amazing time of year. There are so many awesome family-friendly activities, from apple picking to pumpkin patches to those beautiful autumn colors. Sure, those early back-to-school days can be hectic, but the weekends are earmarked for outdoor fun. It’s definitely the season when little ones are bringing home a range of goodies perfect for projects.
This autumn, get those creative juices flowing with easy and fun fall crafts for kids. Not only will these crafty projects keep children of all ages busy, but they are also ideal for moving the house from the summer vibe to fall. Don’t worry if you’re not super artsy. These projects are simple and inexpensive to make. So, start saving those toilet paper rolls!
Fall crafts for kids
Craft projects are a wonderful way to spend a rainy afternoon or keep the younger ones occupied while the older kids are doing homework. Arts and crafts projects are great for the whole family, too. So, if you have a family craft night on the calendar, these are perfect to kick autumn into full gear and make good use of those art supplies you have in the closet.
Autumn windsock
If you don’t have a craft stash and you have toddlers and school-aged kids, it’s time to start putting one together. It a fantastic go-to for those moments when the kids are bored and need something to do.
When you’re looking for a low-stress and mess-free fall craft, try these windsocks. All you need are toilet paper rolls, string, crepe paper, paint markers, glue sticks, and fall-colored construction paper.
- Have the kids use brown paint markers to dress up the toilet paper rolls. If you don’t have paint markers, regular markers and crayons do the job, too.
- While the rolls are drying, have kids cut different lengths of crepe paper using yellow, orange, and red.
- Kids can also use yellow, orange, and red construction paper to draw and cut leaves to decorate the toilet paper rolls. Paper scraps are great for this.
- Once the rolls are dry, glue the leaves on the toilet paper rolls, making sure to put some all around the rolls. Kids can also paint on leaves with paint markers, too.
- Use a hole punch to make a hole on opposite sides of the rolls for hanging. This will also let the kids know where the top of the windsock is.
- Glue crepe paper strands along the inside of the opposite end of the rolls. More strands make for a fuller windsock. A fall color pattern is nice but allow the kids to get creative here. Some kids may want a more eclectic look.
- Allow to dry before threading a piece of string through for hanging.
These autumn windsocks are great for hanging inside or out. If you’re putting them outside, aim for areas where they won’t get wet or bring them in when the raindrops fall.
Apple painting
Kids love to paint, and if you’ve gone apple picking, there’s a surplus. Apple painting is fun to do with kiddos of all ages, but toddlers and preschoolers especially will love this age-old craft. All you need are apples and washable paint. Paint outdoors if you can. If that’s not possible, cover the table with a dollar store tablecloth you can toss when the kids are finished.
- Cut apples into various pieces. An apple half makes nice apple prints, but let kids experiment too by using different shaped pieces.
- Put fall colors like red, yellow, orange, and brown on paper plates. You can have other colors, too. Some kids may want to make blue and green apples.
- Any type of paper works, but finger paint paper is best.
- Have a plate of apple slices kids can use to paint with.
- Allow to dry before hanging.
Sure, kids can use the apple halves to make paint apples or even little pumpkins, but this is the type of fall project where you step back and let the artistic juices take over. Kids of all ages need these types of projects to explore their own creative expression. If they use finger paint or larger construction paper, let it dry and then laminate it. This project makes for colorful placemats when the family gathers for Thanksgiving.
Fall rock garden
Fall gardens can look a little sad. So, why not give them a shot of color with some rock painting with a fall vibe. Most kids probably have a collection of rocks on the front porch or stashed in a bag in the garage. Give them new life with some paint. You can even use those shells the kids were picking up all summer. If you don’t have a rock or shell stash, you will find rocks at the craft store or online. Before you start the painting process; it’s important to wash and dry the rocks and shells unless they’re from the craft store.
- Give kids an assortment of brushes and fall colors to paint with. Be sure to use washable paint and cover the painting surface with a throwaway plastic tablecloth.
- Kids can have a blast painting the different shaped rocks with fall colors.
If kids want to do something more structured, they can paint rocks orange and give them a jack-o’-lantern face once the base coat dries. Older kids, tweens, and teens may want to look to the internet for a bit of inspiration and create scarecrow, skeleton, or owl rocks. Remember, with fall crafts like these allow kids to experiment. All the colorful rocks are going to look amazing in a garden, in a basket, or in a bowl on the dining room table. The end result of this fall craft for kids makes for a whimsical centerpiece for Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Autumn is the perfect time to get those creative juices running with fall crafts for kids. The awesome thing about these arts and crafts projects is that they are fabulously simple. Kids of all ages can do them, too. You may even want to get everyone involved and have a fall family craft night.
