31 Autumn Crafts for Toddlers
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Are you looking for some crafty ideas to keep toddlers entertained during the autumn season?
Today, I have 31 autumn crafts for toddlers that will spark their imagination, improve their motor skills, and offer many hours of creative fun.
From cheerful scarecrows to pumpkins, colorful leaves, wreaths, and festive Thanksgiving dinner placemats, you’ll have endless ideas to keep your toddlers busy crafting all season long!
1. DIY Salt Dough Ornaments
Source: craftsyhacks.com
DIY salt dough ornaments are a blast to make with the kids! This creative craft lets you shape and design anything your imagination dreams up, making it fun and versatile.
After mixing and baking the dough, cut it into fun shapes using cookie cutters. Then let the little ones decorate them with paint, glitter, and beads.
2. Fall Fingerprint Tree
Source: mommyevolution.com
This craft is a wonderful way to celebrate the beauty of fall and create a lasting piece of art that showcases the changing leaves.
Take the kids on a nature walk and collect small twigs and sticks. Arrange them in a tree shape on white cardstock paper.
Then use finger ink pads like these to make rainbow colored fingerprints around the tree for the leaves.
Find more fall crafts for toddlers here.
3. Easy Paper Pumpkin Craft
Source: kidpillar.com
Get the kids into the spirit of autumn when you make these eye-catching pumpkins to decorate your Halloween event or Thanksgiving dinner table.
This easy craft is a great way to practice fine motor skills and uses orange and green construction paper like this, green pipe cleaners, twigs, and everyday craft tools.
4. Popsicle Stick Scarecrow
Source: craftingwithkids.net
Turn popsicle sticks into (non-scary) scarecrows with googly eyes and big smiles. This easy craft is great for toddlers as they have fun gluing, painting, and sticking.
Make the little ones proud and hang the scarecrows on a wall to be admired by your guests.
5. Thanksgiving Placemats
Source: eventstocelebrate.net
Keep the kids busy while Thanksgiving dinner is cooking. They’ll be so excited to see their handmade placemats proudly displayed at each guest’s seat.
Cut Kraft paper into placemat sizes and use cutout paper leaves or stunning colored faux autumn leaves like these to decorate the mats.
The kids can add family and guest names, drawings, and other decorations as their imagination takes over.
6. 3D Tree Craft
Source: familyfocusblog.com
As a crafter, I love the thrill of turning ordinary, everyday items into something spectacular!
And, this craft does just that – it uses boring brown lunch paper bags to make awesome 3D trees. Follow the steps to twist the bag into a tree shape and then add colorful autumn leaves.
7. Newspaper Leaf Garland
Source: redtedart.com
Collecting autumn leaves in the park is a fabulous bonding family experience. For this project, you can use real leaves, printed leaves from the template, or even draw them yourself.
Trace the leaf shapes onto newspaper and color them with paint or a set of wax crayons like these.
Cut out the leaves, punch a hole in the top, and string them up as a beautiful autumn decor garland in your home. Find more easy fall crafts like this here.
8. Candy Corn Pom Pom Craft
Source: themindfultoddler.com
Have fun with your toddlers when you create these adorable candy corn pom-pom crafts to brighten up your walls for the autumn season. They’re cheerful, colorful, and guaranteed to bring smiles!
You need paper plates, googly eyes, and small colorful pom poms like these. Follow the steps for oodles of fun, bonding time, and creativity!
9. Paper Plate Scarecrow Craft
Source: kidpillar.com
This lovable paper plate scarecrow is ideal for toddlers ‘cause he is not scary!
Shreiya from Kidpillar provides a step-by-step tutorial on how to make this smiley scarecrow, complete with googly eyes and a bright orange hat with fringes.
He is ultra-cool and just waiting to become part of a table centerpiece.
10. Paper Mache
Source: craftsyhacks.com
Take a nostalgic trip back to your childhood with the squishy, mushy, squeezy, messy fun of paper mache. It’s fun and easy to make and can be used as a base for a myriad of projects.
My recipe uses all-natural ingredients, and my blog post gives detailed steps on how to make it. Roll up your sleeves and get started!
Find more fall crafts for kids.
11. DIY Apple Tree Thumbprint Magnet
Source: familyfocusblog.com
I can’t mention autumn without the word ‘apples’. So, here’s my next craft – a delightful DIY apple tree thumbprint magnet, perfect for celebrating the season.
Trace the outline of the tree, branches, and pot onto an index card. Then let the little ones have fun finger-stamping apples onto the tree branches.
When you are done, attach adhesive magnets like these and decorate your fridge with their awesome creations!
12. Thanksgiving Turkey Craft
Source: eventstocelebrate.net
Here’s a fun, low-cost project to keep kids busy on a cold autumn afternoon.
Make adorable Thanksgiving turkeys using brown paper bags, self adhesive googly eyes like these, and colored construction paper.
Decorate your entranceway and let the turkeys welcome your guests!
13. Turkey Handprint
Source: themindfultoddler.com
Handprints can be re-imagined in so many ways, but this turkey is one of my faves and is soooo easy to do with your toddlers!
Start with the messy part of painting hands and creating the print.
Then wash hands and decorate the fingers with fall-colored feathers. Add a googly eye, a tiny beak, and legs, and you have a fabulous turkey artwork to hang on the wall.
14. Conker Snake Counting Tool
Source: redtedart.com
Combining craft with learning is a win for me! This conker snake project creates a wonderful tactile little toy that doubles up as a counting tool.
Head out on a family walk and gather 10 chestnuts for the project. Follow the step-by-step instructions to wire them together to create a wriggly snake with googly eyes.
15. Torn Paper Fall Tree Craft
Source: littleladoo.com
These bright colors are sure to spark the artistic talent of your toddlers as they explore their creativity.
For mum, this is an easy, no-mess, budget-friendly craft ideal for chilly autumn days. Convinced? Let’s get started!
Download the tree template or draw your own. Let the kids tear colored construction paper like this into small pieces. Then have fun sticking – there are NO rules, each artwork will be unique and special.
16. Hedgehog Paper Craft
Source: kidpillar.com
Get little hedgehogs out of hibernation and into your home. This fun project will spark kids’ interest in animals and nature.
This simple design uses brown, white, and pink craft paper and everyday craft supplies. I love the cute heart nose and the spots on the spines.
17. Fall Wreath Craft
Source: mamaofminis.com
Grab a paper plate and some faux leaves to create a fun and colorful fall wreath. This is an easy, hands-on project that lets toddlers craft their own little slice of autumn magic.
I love to hang these wreaths on my front door to give guests a cheerful fall welcome.
18. Easy Corn Craft
Source: mamaofminis.com
Teach kids about the work farmers do in the fall, harvesting golden crops from the fields. This is the perfect project to spark their imagination while learning about this age-old tradition.
You will need white and green construction paper, yellow and white tissue paper like this, glue, and scissors to create a fun corn craft to decorate your walls.
19. Fall Leaf Suncatchers
Source: foxfarmhome.com
This project is a family favorite because it lets us keep the warm, vibrant colors of autumn inside our home right through the chilly winter months.
Use the leaf template in the blog post to create a fun-filled suncatcher to hang in front of a window.
20. Acorn Craft
Source: foxfarmhome.com
Autumn is not complete without acorns and this is a fun and easy craft for toddlers to welcome in the season.
Download the acorn template and follow the steps. When cutting, I always ensure that toddlers use small kid-safe scissors like these.
Hang the smiley acorns in your entranceway to delight your guests.
21. DIY Fall Wreath Craft
Source: honeyandlime.co
Here is an awesome project that will have the kids beaming with pride when you hang their DIY wreaths on the front door.
Head to the dollar store to get paper plates and faux fall leaves. Use as many different colored leaves as possible to make your wreaths really pop and stand out. The more color, the more fun.
22. Leaf Art Animals Bugs and More
Source: homanathome.com
Are the kids bored? Here is a fun and easy craft that requires very little preparation. Head out for a walk in the park and collect autumn leaves.
Draw fun cartoon shapes on blank paper and stick on the leaves to decorate your insects, fish, dragonflies, cute dogs, birds, and more!
These all-purpose glue sticks are great for kids. They are easy to handle, non-toxic, and mess-free.
23. Colorful Fall Tree Popcorn Craft
Source: alittlepinchofperfect.com
Get popping this autumn with these fun fall trees! They are so cool to look at – I have dozens all over my fridge.
And, get ready to snack on delicious popcorn while you make them (there goes the diet).
Katie from A Little Bunch Of Perfect cleverly uses Ziplock bags to add paint to popcorn – take a look – it’s a clever no-mess technique that’s easy for kids to do.
24. Squirrel & Acorn Sewing Cards
Source: seamwhisperer.com
Make these adorable squirrels and acorns, perfect to add to your autumn decor. Download the designs and use yarn or ribbon to thread through the punched holes.
This is the perfect autumn hands-on activity for toddlers and kids, and a fun idea to introduce sewing in a kid-friendly way.
25. Handprint Fall Tree
Source: littleladoo.com
Do you have nostalgic handprint crafts from your toddler days? I bet you do! I certainly have some of mine that have become cherished family keepsakes.
Add to your kid’s collection and make these fabulous handprint fall trees. For this project, you need fun squeezable brush paints like these that add vibrant autumn colors to the tree.
As a bonus – squeezable paints help young children develop muscle control and improve the dexterity of their fingers and hands.
26. Apple Tree Name Craft And Counting Activity
Source: thekindofcraftymom.com
Apple tree name craft is a fun and easy way to help your preschooler practice spelling his or her name. It can also be adapted to be an educational counting activity.
Follow the simple steps to personalize the apple trees with your kid’s names and match them to their level of numeracy.
27. Handprint Fall Leaves Art
Source: taminglittlemonsters.com
Here I am talking about handprints again! This time, we are turning them into colorful fall leaves to include in your autumn decor.
A fun handprint and some simple lines drawn using Glam Pop Sharpies like these become glorious fall leaves that will excite the kids and spark their creativity.
28. Popsicle Stick Scarecrow Fall Craft
Source: ohmy-creative.com
Add fun to your table centerpiece with these super-cute little popsicle stick scarecrows.
Adults can use the glue gun and toddlers will have a blast painting and decorating. No fall season is complete with scarecrows, so get started.
29. Fall Leaf Tree Craft
Source: mommyevolution.com
I LUV this project because it uses real fall leaves and real twigs. It’s the perfect reason to get the kids out of the house and into the park for a nature walk.
While you craft, teach kids why fall leaves change color. Then, they can decide which fall leaf ‘personality’ they are. The blog post explains these concepts in easy language that kids will understand.
30. Leaf Fine Motor Activity
Source: lorenaylennox.com
Lorena from Bilingual Beginnings offers an unusual take on leaf craft.
After collecting leaves on a fun nature walk, she shows little ones how to create an imprint of their shape and veins using Crayola crayons.
The aim is to practice fine motor practice, sensory stimulation, and of course – have loads of fun.
31. Fingerprint Apple Tree Art
Source: taminglittlemonsters.com
My last autumn craft for toddlers captures the joy of crisp, sweet, fall apples – who can resist? Download the Leafless Tree printable and gather paper and paints.
Create the tree canopy with green paint. Then let the little ones dip their fingers into colorful finger paints like these and dot on the leaves.
Make it more fun by practicing counting as they make the apples!