Whether you’re looking to get crafty with natural materials or simply be inspired by nature, here are some fun ways for kiddos to tap into their creativity this fall.
Painted Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins is a lot of fun, but it can also be incredibly messy, and with small children, mom or dad generally end up doing 95% of the pumpkin carving. Painting pumpkins is a great alternative that is pumpkin gut-free and no sharp carving tools required!
Painting a goofy or spooky face is always a classic, but the range of pumpkin painting ideas is nearly endless. Older kids may do better with acrylic paint, but for the littles, keep things easy and opt for washable paint.
Leaf Turkeys
Making a leaf turkey is a simple craft that children of all ages enjoy and can be done with just a few inexpensive materials. You’ll need some brown and orange construction paper for the turkey’s body and beak, a pair of googly eyes, scissors, and glue.
This is a good project once the leaves start turning colors since you’ll want to head into the yard to grab around a dozen leaves for the turkey’s feathers.
Thanksgiving Cards
Nurturing gratitude in kids is important for helping them grow into healthy adults, and everyone loves getting a hand-written card.
It doesn’t have to be something elaborate. Your child could draw a festive picture, the favorite activity of the person they’re giving the card to, or simply write a message expressing gratitude for this person in their life. The important thing is helping kids to recognize and express thanks to friends and family.
Leaf Rubbings
Leaf rubbings are a super easy craft… and one more way to make use of all those leaves that have fallen in the yard.
You’ll need:
- Crayons
- White paper
- Leaves of various shapes and sizes
Peel the paper off your crayons and place the paper over your leaves. You can either do each leaf individually or arrange them in a pattern.
Hold the crayon sideways and gently rub it over the paper area on top of the leaf to reveal the leaf’s texture underneath.
Thanksgiving Table Art
Most people don’t have the chops or time to go all out Martha Stewart style when it comes to making a Thanksgiving table centerpiece. Getting your kids involved in the decorating is a great way to keep them busy while they’re home from school and, hopefully, free you up to focus on the meal.
Here are a few easy craft ideas for kids that double as table art:
- Have kids paint funny faces and glue paper feathers on gourds and baby pumpkins to create mini turkeys
- Fill soda bottles with colorful popcorn kernels or dried beans and use them as candle holders
- Gather up colorful leaves and have kids place them between two sticky pieces of contact paper to make placemats
- Use some paint, construction paper, and cardboard rings to make festive napkin rings for the big meal.
These craft ideas will not only keep your crew busy and having fun but give your home a festive touch of fall.
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