Autumn is a wonderful time to collect leaves. As the cooler weather approaches, leaves turn a rainbow of colours. The next time you're out walking, why not take an empty shoe box or bag with you to collect some leaves. You can make beautiful crafts using Autumn leaves.
While out walking, collect different leaves. Get a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Try not to be too greedy, collect only the leaves you think you might use. Remember that fallen leaves are good for the soil. Also, don't take leaves off trees on private property.
Once you have collected your leaves and have them at home, gently wash them, allow them to dry, then press them between the pages of a big book. To further preserve your leaves you can iron them between two sheets of wax paper. (Please ask a grown up to help you with the ironing.)
Craft Ideas:
| 1. | Lay some of the leaves you have collected under a blank sheet of paper. Colour across the paper with a crayon using long strokes – like magic the outline of the leaves will appear. Use a variety of colours. |
| 2. | Make a leaf booklet. Use the best from each type of leaf that you collected. Glue one leaf per sheet of paper. Label the leaf and write something about it. |
| 3. | Leaf pictures: Use a variety of leaves, big, small and different colours to make animals, sceneries or anything your imagination can come up with. Once you have laid out your picture on the paper, gently glue each leaf into place. When collecting leaves for this craft, make sure to get smaller leaves that can be used for eyes, ears & noses, etc. |
Squigly, I have another idea for leaf pictures.
| 1. | Collect colorful leaves and lay them on a piece of waxed paper. |
| 2. | Use a table knife to shave some crayons into little slivers and sprinkle them onto the waxed paper with the leaves. |
| 3. | Then put another piece of wax paper on top and have your mom or dad iron it between newspapers. |
| 4. | Hang it in a window, it's like stained glass. |
Have the children trace their hands onto construction paper. Make sure that the paper is the color of leaves such as red, orange, brown, green, etc. After they do that, cut them out and write their names in big, black letters on the handprints. Take several pieces of brown construction paper and create part of a tree. Then staple the handprints to the top of the brown construction paper as if they were leaves. At the bottom of the tree, create a big basket in which other leaves are.
Take coffee filters and cut into the shapes of leaves. Provide cups of liquid watercolors in orange, yellow, red, and brown. Have children use eye droppers to place watercolors on the filter leaves. The colors blend together for wonderful fall leaves. Create a tree trunk out of brown wrapping paper or butcher paper. Add leaves to the branches and also at the base of the tree. My 2 1/2 year olds loved this creation. Everyone was successful!
Please do NOT link directly to the images here. To place them on your Web page or document, right click on the desired image (click and hold for Mac users) to download the leaf to your computer.
When the leaves start to fall and the crisp air is calling you outdoors, try this fun and festive craft to get you in the mood for autumn! Make it even more special by pairing this activity with some warm apple cider and your favorite fall treat!
- Mix glue with paint or food coloring, or use colored glue thinned with a little water.
- Paint the glue onto one sheet of wax paper.
- The paper should be well coated with glue.
- Have your child stick colorful leaves onto the paper.
- If you like, add other natural objects.
- Sprinkle glitter over the leaves.
- Paint glue onto the other sheet of wax paper, then place it on top of the first sheet.
- Press the sheets together, punch a hole near the top, then use string to hang the picture in a window.
When you are happy with your creation, paste him with tacky craft glue unto poster board. Then press him for a week or two between sheets of newspaper, under some heavy books or a cutting board weighted with a brick.
- Glue and liquid tempera paint or food coloring; or thinned colored glue
- Paintbrush
- 2 equal-size sheets of wax paper
- Colorful leaves
- Flowers, pine needles, and other natural objects (optional)
- Glitter
- Hole punch
- Piece of string, less than 12” in length.
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