Get inspired by nature with 15 autumn arts and crafts ideas to try with your little ones to introduce children to the wonders of the changing seasons. Gather colourful leaves and fallen pine cones to take advantage of natural materials and create autumnal decorations or handmade gifts to share with friends and family.
Read on as we share our favourite crafts to try this autumn. From sensory playdough play to handmade birdseed ornaments, there’s an idea for every child!
1. Pinecone Animals
Create a wonderful woodland scene featuring felt foxes and pine cone owls in a few simple steps. Gather felt, glue and googly eyes and pick your favourite woodland creature to assemble around a pine cone body base. Carefully use scissors to cut and stick felt features to complete a set of adorable pinecone animals with furry ears and bright tails.
2. Blooming Autumn Flowers Experiment
Our Blooming Paper Flowers free download makes this science experiment easy to try for children of all ages. Prepare this activity by printing out the template and colouring in the flowers. Next, carefully cut out the flowers and lightly fold the petals towards the centre of each flower. Drop the closed paper flowers into a dish of water and watch as the paper fibres absorb the liquid and capillary action opens the petals like magic!
3. Pine cone Roll Painting
Use pine cones, conkers and other natural materials to roll, stamp and flick across a Tuff Tray Paper Pad. The paper pad fits snuggly into our Tuff Tray making it easy to explore nature painting without the materials rolling away. Explore other unique textures and colourful patterns by wrapping loose leaves around the end of a stick to create a DIY paintbrush to add more details. Once finished, tear away the paper sheet to start again.
4. Paper Autumn Garland Decoration
Decorate your space with a colourful handmade garland. Begin by drawing a selection of leaves, mushrooms and acorn shapes onto coloured paper and cutting them out carefully. Use a marker to add finer details then lay out each piece in the order you would like to hang them. Secure everything in place using tape and string, then hang up each end to display this fun seasonal decoration.
5. DIY Clay Leaf Bowls
Get crafty with clay and make autumnal-themed trinket bowls to share as gifts or display as decorations. To make your bowl, start by rolling clay to a thickness of 0.5cm and cutting out a leaf shape. Pull away the excess clay and use clay tools to mark extra details such as the veins on each leaf. To get the perfect curved shape, place the clay inside a small bowl to dry and finish by painting and adding a light coat of PVA glue to varnish the bowl.
6. Eco-Friendly Leaf Confetti
Collect a handful of dry leaves in different colours and use a hole puncher or scissors to cut them into smaller confetti pieces. This eco-friendly craft is sure to keep children busy as they practice their scissor skills and strengthen smaller hand muscles. Re-use the confetti to create collages or DIY confetti poppers. Need more coloured leaves? Try using our Small Coloured Leaves pack for a range of colours to use in this biodegradable craft.
7. Hanging Birdseed Ornaments
Get an up-close look at garden visitors by creating handmade birdseed ornaments. To make your own, mix 2 packets of unflavoured gelatine with 1/4 cup boiling water. Stir until dissolved then add 3/4 cup of birdseed into the mixture. Use shaped cutters to mould the ornaments and create a hole using trimmed straw pieces. Leave them to set in the fridge overnight before hanging them somewhere safe and quiet for wildlife to enjoy!
8. Pom Pom Tree Painting
Practice fine motor skills while sparking discussions about the changing seasons with a pom pom tree painting. Our Jumbo Tweezers are the perfect size for little hands to practice pincer grip actions as they pick up pom poms to dip into paint. Children will also develop hand-eye coordination as they layer colours to create trees full of autumn leaves.
9. Cinnamon-Scented Playdough Recipe
Add a sensory twist to playtime by creating cinnamon-scented playdough with the following ingredients: 2 cups plain flour, 1 cup salt, 3 tablespoons cream of tarter, 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Mix all the ingredients and slowly add 2 cups of hot water and a few drops of food colouring until the dough reaches a smooth consistency. Once ready, use loose parts found on nature walks for mark-making or bring out durable Sensory Play Stones to stamp leaf prints into the dough.
10. Paper Hedgehog Craft
Autumn is a busy time for hedgehogs as they prepare for winter by building cosy nests and finding enough food to last them through the colder months. Spark conversations about hibernation, seasonal changes and habitats by crafting 3D paper hedgehogs. Create colourful paper spikes by folding small strips of craft paper and glueing them onto a hedgehog-shaped body.
11. Cardboard Nature Frames
Take some time to appreciate the beauty of autumn through portable nature windows. Let children get creative with their cardboard frame designs, making sure to draw at least one viewing hole. This activity is fun for all ages and a simple circle can make a magnifying glass frame. Prepare the frames by carefully cutting out the holes to look through and take them outside to observe the colours and textures of autumn.
12. Autumn Tree Lantern
Upcycle an empty jar into a decorative lantern to brighten up autumn evenings. Start by cutting out a tree silhouette to fit snugly inside the jar and sticking it in place. Next, decorate the jar with tissue paper and set aside to dry. Once ready, place an LED Tea Light inside the jar or hold a torch underneath for a safe way for children to enjoy their autumn lanterns. Experiment further with dried flowers and cellophane materials to explore colours and shadows.
13. Paper Plate Mushrooms
Autumn is the perfect season to go on a nature walk to spot the many different types of mushrooms that grow in our gardens and woodlands across the UK. Get inspired to create your own colourful mushrooms using paper plates and a splash of paint. Cut each paper plate in half and decorate both sides with paint or tissue paper. Next, staple both halves together and attach them to cardboard roll stalks to stand the mushrooms up to display.
14. Whiteboard Marker Floating Leaves Experiment
Make leaves float on water by using dry-erase markers and adding water in this exciting early years STEAM activity! Draw leaves onto a glass or ceramic dish and slowly add water to make the leaves magically float to the surface. Use a straw to move the shapes around or press a piece of paper on top to transfer the drawing. This activity works as the oily silicone polymers in the markers stop the drawings from sticking to the dish.
15. Autumn Leaf Printing
Try printmaking with paper, paint and a handful of dry leaves. For best results, collect dry leaves that are not too fragile to handle and apply a thin layer of paint to one side. Carefully press the painted side of each leaf onto a sheet of paper while the paint is still wet to transfer the print then peel the leaf away to reveal vibrant textures and leaf shapes.
We would love to see which of these 15 autumn arts and crafts ideas you’ll be making this season! Tag us on social media or use the hashtag #ExploreWithEYR to share your creations!
