by Laura Seddon

Created on: September 14, 2008

In the autumn, nature gets creative. What a great time to help the kids get creative too! A pleasant walk with your children is a fun way to collect the craft materials. Encourage the kids to collect leaves in a variety of shapes and colors. Make a game of finding many different types of leaves. Kids as young as three will enjoy learning the names of the different types of trees and how to identify them.

A very simple but satisfying craft for kids is leaf-prints. Apply poster paint to a leaf with a sponge or brush, now press it paint side down on a piece of paper. Lift the leaf to reveal the print. Another variation is to arrange leaves on a paper, lightly spray paint, then remove the leaves to reveal their negative image. Try these techniques with papers of different textures and colors. The results are beautiful!

Autumn placemats are a fun and useful craft kids can do. Have the kids choose a selection of their favourite leaves. An adult should do this part: Place the leaves between two sheets of wax paper. Cover with newspaper and press with a warm iron. Now have the children glue the leaves to eleven inch by seventeen inch stiff card. The card could be plain white, or use fall colors. Laminate with contact paper, and autumn has blown onto your dining table!

If you're looking for something to do with all those leaves you've raked up, have the kids make a scarecrow. You'll need some pantyhose, a pillowcase and a variety of old clothes. Stuff leaves into one pair of pantyhose to make the legs. Cut the legs of another pair to make the arms. Using the bottom you cut off the pantyhose, tie and stuff to shape a head. Finally, stuff the pillowcase with leaves to make the torso. Use twine to tie the parts together.

Try and have a variety of clothes available for the kids to dress their scarecrow in. Accessories really add to the fun; a corncob pipe, hats, gloves, scarves, old sunglasses are all great fun. Another, simpler method is to use an old pair of mechanics coveralls as the body. Straw makes great hair, as does scraps of yarn, or even long grasses. Encourage the kids to use their imagination for posing the scarecrow too. A scarecrow fishing, or a scarecrow digging in the garden is sure to give a smile!

Although autumn may bring a chill to the air, making fall-inspired crafts with your children is a sure way to warm their hearts.

Learn more about this author, Laura Seddon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.