Fall is a pretty wonderful season in Oregon. The leaves and the weather can still be gorgeous, and it is the perfect time to CRAFT! Fall is a great time to explore nature. Children can collect leaves, acorns, and pinecones to use in their crafts. This hands-on experience encourages them to connect with their environment and appreciate the changing seasons. It is fun for the whole family!
First, get some supplies! Craft Warehouse is a Pacific Northwest run-and-operated independent craft store with 7 locations located in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. They have everything you need and a ton of stuff you will convince yourself you need. Craft Warehouse also has some amazing tips and projects on its website and in its stores. Another great option is Scrap Creative Reuse. SCRAP is a donation-based creative reuse store and donation center in town. Along with the ever-changing and diverse store items, SCRAP also provides a range of educational opportunities within the community.
Now onto the fall crafts! There is a brief description of how to create the craft. Then there is a link for an in-depth description of what is needed for the craft and how to do it.
Leaf Rubbings– Collect different types of leaves and place them under a piece of paper. Then, using crayons or colored pencils, gently rub over the paper to reveal the leaf’s texture and shape. Check out a tutorial here.
Air-Dried Clay Ghosts– Grab some air-dried clay and roll it out in a circle. Make three holes (eyes and mouth). And lay out the rolled-out clay over a ball. Check out a tutorial here.
Pinecone Creatures– Gather pinecones and let your kids turn them into adorable creatures by adding googly eyes, pipe cleaners for arms and legs, and craft foam or felt for mouths and noses. Check out a tutorial here.
Autumn Collage– Collect fall leaves, acorns, and small twigs. Provide glue and paper, and let your kids create beautiful collages by arranging these natural materials on the paper. Check out a tutorial here.
Apple Stamping– Cut apples in half horizontally to reveal the star-shaped core. Dip the cut side in paint and stamp it onto paper to create apple-shaped prints. These can be turned into apple-themed artwork or used for greeting cards. Check out a tutorial here.
Paper Plate Scarecrow- Have kids paint a paper plate with a scarecrow face and then use construction paper or fabric scraps to make the scarecrow’s hat, clothing, and straw hair. Check out a tutorial here.
Pumpkin Decorating– Decorate small pumpkins with paint, markers, stickers, or even fabric scraps. You can also use glue to attach googly eyes and create pumpkin characters. Check out a tutorial here.
Fall Wreath– Collect colorful leaves, pinecones, and small branches. Glue them onto a cardboard ring (cut from an old cereal box) to create a beautiful fall wreath. Check out a tutorial here.
Fingerprint Trees– Draw a tree trunk and branches on paper, and have kids use their fingers to create the leaves using fall colors. Each fingerprint becomes a colorful leaf. Check out a tutorial here.
Corn Husk Dolls– Soak corn husks in water to make them pliable, then let kids create dolls by tying them together with twine. Add facial features with markers or small pieces of fabric. Check out a tutorial here.
Knitting Loom Ghosts– Use a round knitting loom and use some white yarn. Basically, it is a knitted hat with eyes you put on it. Make the eyes out of yarn, felt, or googly eyes. They are easy and so cute. Check out a tutorial (to make a hat) here.
Autumn Leaf Garland– Collect or make leaves, punch holes in them, and thread them onto a string to create a colorful leaf garland to hang around the house. Check out a tutorial here.
Fall-Themed Suncatchers– Create suncatchers using translucent contact paper and tissue paper or even real leaves in autumn colors. Cut the tissue paper into shapes and stick them onto the contact paper for a vibrant window decoration. Check out a tutorial here.
Fall offers a variety of themes and inspirations for crafts. Kids can create projects related to Halloween, Thanksgiving, or the changing colors of the leaves. These themes make crafting more exciting and relevant.
Have you made any of these crafts before? Are there ones that your family typically makes during autumn? Share your favorite crafts with us.
Johanna is married with two kids, three dogs, three cats, one leopard gecko, several chickens, and a few fish. She has been in the Pacific Northwest since the dream was alive in the 90s but has Southern roots and hails from Arkansas. The family spends a lot of time at some sort of sporting event for the kids. Johanna likes to fast craft, garden, host parties, and bake. Johanna and her crew go hard traveling, DIY-ing, and are always up for a new adventure or challenge.
