12 Fall Crafts for Preschoolers You Can Do at Home

Can you smell the pumpkin spice in the air?

Tis the season for fun Fall crafts!

There are so many Fall craft ideas I find it hard just to pick one or two. Whether you prefer apples, Fall leaves, or Halloween crafts, we have 12 fun Fall crafts for kids of all ages!

Celebrate the seasonal change to autumn by creating these fun and colorful crafts with your little one.

Related: The Ultimate Fall Bucket List for Kids and Families

Fall Art Using Natural Materials

Nature supplies some of the best art materials! Apples, pumpkins and corn cobs are all great tools to create the perfect autumn craft. Here are a few easy Fall crafts that use natural materials!

1. Apple Stamping

To create this beautiful Apple Print craft with your little one, you’ll need fresh apples, paint and construction paper. Instead of normal paint brushes, painted apples pressed against paper create abstract designs and patterns! 

Supplies:

• 2-3 apples
• Paper plates
• Washable paint
• Knife
• Construction paper

Instructions:

1. Cut the apples in half crosswise and dry with a paper towel. 
2. Pour a small amount of paint onto the paper plates. Use as many colored paints as you have apple halves.
3. Show your toddler how to gently dip the apple into the paint and stamp it onto the paper. 

2. Corn Rolling

Corn Rolling is one of the easiest Fall crafts for kids. Not only is it easy, but it promotes fine motor skills and makes a neat-looking piece of art!

Supplies:

• Dried ear of corn
• Washable paint
• A shallow pie tin or paper plate
• White or other light-colored construction paper

Instructions:

1. Show your child how to roll the corn cob in the paint like you would a paint roller.

2. Next, have your child roll the corn cob across the paper and watch it create various patterns!

3. Glow-in-the-Dark Pumpkins

Pumpkin painting is the perfect Fall arts and crafts activity for little ones too young to carve pumpkins. You can use pumpkins of any shapes and sizes and any type of paint. Glow-in-the-dark paint to make it a spooky Halloween decoration!

Supplies:

• Pumpkins
• Glow-in-the-dark paint
• Base paint (optional)
• Paint brushes

Instructions:

1. If using a base color, paint the pumpkin the base color and allow it to dry.
2. Use the glow in the glow-in-the-dark paint to create patterns, faces or drip designs.
3. Charge the paint using a UV or black light.
4. Set them in the dark and let them glow!

4. Potpourri Pinecones

Pinecones make a great Fall decoration and this craft smells delicious, too! Pinecone potpourri is a great sensory project for an autumn-themed crafty morning! 

You can also use these instructions to create the Halloween bowl featured in the picture as a bonus art activity.

Supplies:

• Pinecones
• Newspaper or cardboard
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Glue
• Cinnamon, cloves or other spices
• Paintbrush
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Plastic bowl (one for each spice)
• Small basket or decorative bowl

Instructions:

1. Take a walk to collect pinecones or purchase a bag from a local craft store. If purchasing, make sure you buy unscented ones.
2. Cover your work area with newspaper or cardboard.
3. Mix a half cup of school glue and half a cup of water.
4. Put a bit of each spice you're using in a bowl.
5. Have your child coat the pinecone in the water-and-glue mixture using a paintbrush.
6. Roll the pinecone in the spice mix, making sure the entire pinecone is covered.
7. Set aside and dry!
8. Once dry, arrange the pinecones in a festive Fall dish or bowl. 

Fall Tree Crafts for Preschoolers 

No Fall activity list is complete without tree-inspired art! Here are some of the cutest autumn crafts for toddlers and preschoolers featuring trees and leaf art!

5. Leaf Rubbings and Printing

Nature lovers will have a blast collecting leaves to create colorful rubbings and prints. Leaf rubbings are a fun way to teach your little one how and why the leaves change colors. 

Supplies:

• Leaves of different sizes and shapes.
• Crayons
• Thin paper

Instructions:

1. Place one sheet of paper on the table or work area.
2. Have your child arrange their leaves in a pattern or design. Or they can choose to do one leaf at a time.
3. Place a second piece of paper over the top. Thinner paper works best.
4. Holding the crayon horizontally, show your child how to gently rub over the leaf to make the pattern appear on the paper. 

6. Sponge Leaf Painting

Sponge leaf painting is a fun craft activity to teach children about colors and mixing. You can easily adapt this idea for any time of the year by changing the colors used. For Fall, use autumn colors to create a one-of-a-kind sponge painting that looks like Fall foliage.

Supplies:

• Construction paper
• New kitchen sponge
• Fall paint colors
• Paper plates
• Scissors
• Small container with water
• Newspaper or cardboard

Instructions:

1. Cover the work area with newspaper or cardboard.
2. Dampen an unused kitchen sponge and cut it into one-inch strips. 
3. Add a few drops of different colored paint to each paper plate.
4. Dip the sponge in the water. Squeeze out excess water and dab the sponge into the paint. 
5. Show your child how to dab the sponge onto the paper to create the look of Fall foliage. 

7. Button Apple Tree

These apple trees are as cute as a button! You can use blank paper or this free printable template featuring the design pictured. This adorable apple craft is the ideal project to frame and give as a gift!

Supplies:

• Various-sized green buttons
• Small red buttons or apple-shaped buttons
• Apple tree template printed on cardstock, linen paper or paper with a tree trunk drawn (or have your child create a tree trunk on their own!)
• School glue
• Paintbrush (optional)

Instructions:

1. Have your child create the tree's crown by adding red and green buttons and gluing them in place.
2. You can cover the entire area in glue with a paintbrush or have your child add glue to each button as they place it. 

Fall Coloring Crafts for Preschoolers 

Red, yellow, orange, dark green, plum and brown are the colors we associate with Fall. They also make an excellent basis for any preschool Fall craft! 

These next few easy Fall crafts for kids feature the glorious colors of autumn and are perfect for toddlers and older kids!

8. Suncatchers

Suncatchers are a fun Fall craft and a beautiful way to decorate your windows! Leaf suncatchers are popular, but you can also make them pumpkin, acorn or apple-shaped!

Supplies:

• Contact paper
• Multicolore tissue paper
• Scissors
• Leaf template (optional)

Instructions:

1. If using the leaf templates, print them on cardstock and cut them out. You will need two copies of each template for each leaf.
2. Place one of the templates onto clear contact paper.
3. Cut or tear the tissue paper into small pieces.
4. Place the tissue paper on the contact paper.
5. Attach the second template to the back and cut away excess contact paper.

Alternatively, you can supply your child with a large piece of contact paper and allow them to place the tissue paper all over. 

Then, attach a second piece of contact paper to the back and cut out seasonal shapes like leaves, pumpkins or acorns!

9. Coffee Filter Flowers

Mums are the quintessential Fall flower. But if you lack a green thumb like I do, make your own basket of mums using coffee filters, pipe cleaners and markers. 

These adorable DIY flowers stay fresh year-long and make the perfect gift!

Supplies:

• Bleached coffee filters
• Fall-colored washable markers
• Small water dish
• Cookie sheet
• Eye dropper
• Green Pipe cleaners

Instructions:

1. Using Fall colors, have your child color on white coffee filters.
2. Once colored, place the coffee filters on a cookie sheet or cutting board so the colors won’t stain your table.
3. Have your child drip tiny drops of water onto the colors using the eye dropper and watch them spread. 
4. Allow coffee filters to dry, then attach a green pipe cleaner to each filter to create a stem. 

Unique Fall Crafts for Preschoolers 

Traditional Fall crafts and activities are great, but we also have some out-of-the-box ideas you may have yet to see or try! These unique activities offer a twist on traditional preschool crafts!

10. Playdough Jack-o-Lanterns

As a teacher, anything using playdough was a favorite of mine. I made playdough regularly with my class and we used it to make all types of creatures and creations. 

Making playdough jack-o-lanterns with kids develops fine motor skills, creativity and an all-around adorable pumpkin craft you can dry and keep or rebuild over and over!

Supplies:

• Orange playdough. DIY pumpkin spice playdough is perfect!
• Items to make faces: googly eyes, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, buttons, Mr. Potato Head pieces, marbles, etc.

Instructions:

1. Make the playdough (or open the containers if you went store-bought!)
2. Teach your child how to roll the playdough into pumpkin-shaped balls.
3. Let them create!

11. Mason Jar Luminaries

A mason jar luminary is a lovely leaf craft that will light up your home and the heart of anyone you give it to! A fun twist on the tissue paper suncatcher idea, this beautiful craft can work as a night light or porch decoration.

Supplies:

• Mason jars
• Fall-colored tissue paper
• Brown construction paper
• Battery operated tea-light 
• Modge Podge
• Paintbrush

Instructions:

1. Apply a coat of Modge Podge to one side of the jar
2. Have your child add tissue paper until the entire side is covered.
3. Repeat until the jar is completely covered in colored tissue paper.
4. Use brown construction paper to create tree trunks and limbs.
5. Apply a final layer of Modge Podge over the entire jar.
6. Allow jars to dry completely.
7. Add a battery-operated tea light (or real candle under adult supervision)

12. Pistachio Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are the perfect Fall animal! They are cute fluffy and fit right in with acorns and pumpkins. This adorable craft is a fun alternative to the traditional turkey craft. 

Supplies:

• Pistachio shells
• Black or brown pom-pom
• One googly eye
• Scissors
• Glue
• Hedgehog template

Instructions:

1. Print the hedgehog template on cardstock paper and cut it out.
2. Apply glue around the outer edge of the template and show your child how to add the pistachio shells pointing outwards.
3. Continue adding the shells in rows until the entire body is covered.
4. Use glue to add the nose and eye. 
5. Use a marker to add a mouth (optional)

If you have a nut allergy in your home or don’t feel like dealing with pistachio shells, you can use coffee stirrers, straws, twine or foam leaves! 

If you’re feeling crafty this Fall, pick one of these fun and adorable autumn crafts to make at home with your kids! And for more seasonal crafts for Fall, check out our 10 Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids!