Autumn is a brilliant season for crafts. There are loads of natural resources at your disposal from pinecones, conkers and acorns to leaves in all manner of shapes, sizes and colours. Not to mention it’s the home of one of the craftiest holidays of the year: Halloween. There’s so much to do, it’s hard to know where to begin. So we’ve put together eight of the most educational and inspirational Autumn craft ideas:
Acorn Friends Decorate little acorns with acrylic paint. Holding the tiny stem and painting such a small surface is great for developing the fine motor skills of young children.
Floating hand! Freeze some water in a rubber glove and pop it in a fruit- punch bowl for a great Halloween party feature and fun science experiment.
Autumn shadow box Using the lid of a show box, cut a frame in the top and place a sheet of tightly pulled cling film at the back. Seal with tape. Place a variety of autumnal leaves, sticks and petals on the cling film and cover completely with a layer of PVA glue. Dust with a sprinkling of glitter for extra decorative charm. Allow to dry and hand in front of a window. By day, your autumnal leaves are immortalised and come evening they cast enchanting shadows around the room. Great for creative expression and connecting with nature.
Salt dough leaf prints A great way to get creative, explore imprints and colours and to learn about making salt dough too!
Make a friendship bracelet Using twine and a mixture of conkers and acorns, explore the nature of giving and friendship with a lovely friendship bracelet. Be sure to dip the pierced acorns and conkers with varnish. Get decorative by throwing a few wooden beads in the mix and maybe a sprinkling of glitter. This is another great craft for focussing on the beauty of nature.
Leaf rubbing Explore texture by placing leaves under a sheet of paper and rubbing an autumnal coloured crayon over the top. Simple yet effective
Make Halloween cards Halloween is a holiday that is rich in history and culture, take the opportunity to talk about the magic as you make cards to share with family and friends. A real celebration!
Carve Pumpkins A true Halloween tradition, pumpkin carving dates back to the 1800s when it was thought that the “jack-o-lantern” would ward off evil spirits. Now, they are carried around by guising (trick or treating) children, adorn doorsteps to welcome guisers or simply decorate homes. Carving kits are cheap to pick up and easy to work with, so you can get really creative and save the innards for a delicious pie or soup!
