Now that autumn is once again upon us, it’s a good idea to take a quick look at some craft ideas that will keep your little ones interested and engaged for hours at a time. Let’s examine eight unique suggestions and the benefits of each.
1. A Leaf Lantern
As the team at Happiness is Homemade notes, one excellent suggestion involves creating autumn leaf lanterns. Take a large transparent glass bowl and glue multicoloured leaves to its exterior. Place a candle inside to create a truly seasonal effect.
2. Apple Stamps
Why bob for apples when you can create a banner that will last for years? Cut an apple in half and dip it into the coloured paint of your choice. These images can then be stamped upon the flags of an otherwise boring banner.
3. Leaf Prints
Similar to the activity mentioned above, encourage your child to collect leaves from the garden. These can then be used to make prints in either paint or clay. You could also ask your little one to identify which type of leaf they have found. This is a unique learning game and it can be used to gauge progress in accordance with the Educater EYFS assessment guide.
4. Tissue Paper Trees
Grab a handful of pipe cleaners and purchase tissue paper in autumn colours. Children can then glue this tissue paper onto the pipe cleaner “stems”; creating a one-of-a-kind tree within a matter of minutes!
5. Scarecrow Finger Puppets
This next suggestion is also a worthwhile option if you will be throwing a party for your little one. Using nothing more than popsicle sticks and a few swatches of paper, it is simple and fun to create scarecrow finger puppets. This is also an excellent opportunity to teach children about the importance of following sequential instructions (such as applying the glue before the paper).
6. Autumn-Themed Suncatchers
Another interesting concept that has been highlighted by Messy Little Monster involves crafting suncatchers. Cut out the middle portion of a paper plate. Cover this section with clear plastic film. Children can then glue leaves to this “window”. The end result will be an item that imbues your entire room with a fall flavour.
7. Napkin Rings
This activity is innovative due to the fact that your child will be creating a functional device. Autumn napkin rings can be created by cutting a paper towel roll into sections. Additional supplies such as ribbons, glitter and even acorn shells can be used to decorate these rings.
8. A Leaf Hedgehog
This final suggestion is easy and a great deal of fun. Provide your child with a lump of clay and allow them to fashion it into the rough shape of a hedgehog. They can then place the stems of collected leaves into the clay; essentially crafting a personal autumn-themed pet from scratch.
Note that these are only a handful of autumn craft ideas that are ideally suited for children. As always, never be afraid to think outside of the box!
