11 easy autumn leaf crafts and activities for kids

If you’re looking for autumn leaf crafts to enjoy with your children, we’ve got plenty of simple ideas to help you make the most of colourful fallen leaves. From leaf animals and autumn wreaths to leaf rubbings and leafy prints, these nature crafts will inspire toddlers, preschoolers and older children to get creative. They’re also a fantastic way to help your family explore nature and enjoy the changing seasons together.

1. Simple leaf printing for kids

Printing with leaves is a fun way for children to create all sorts of interesting patterns.

You will need

• fallen autumn leaves

• paper or card

• paint

• paintbrush

How to make

1. Hunt for leaves that are different shapes and sizes. Flat leaves are best because it's tricky to get a clear print from curled-up ones.

2. Choose your paint. Use seasonal shades like yellow, orange and red or pick your favourite colours.

3. Paint the bumpy side of a leaf (look for the raised veins) and press it firmly onto your paper.

4. Gently peel the leaf away to reveal a colourful print.

5. Repeat with different leaves and colours to create a pattern or picture.

You can display your leafy art around your home, or make autumn cards to send to family and friends.

2. How to make leaf animal pictures

Wild animals can be very shy and it's hard to spot them in the woods. So have a go at making your own animal pictures with autumn leaves.

You will need

• fallen autumn leaves

• seeds

• card

• glue

How to make

1. Go on a leaf hunt. Keep your eyes peeled for leaves shaped like a hedgehog's snout, an owl's feather, a squirrel's bushy tail or a fox's face.

2. Press the leaves between the pages of a heavy book for a few days. This will help to flatten them so they stick to the card more easily.

3. Glue the leaves to your card and build up a picture of your chosen animal.

4. Use acorns, conkers or other seeds to make eyes and noses.

Why not create a whole woodland scene filled with leafy animals?

3. How to make leaf rubbings with crayons

Leaf rubbing is a classic autumn craft that might evoke fond memories from your own childhood. It’s also a fantastic way to help youngsters learn more about leaves.

You will need

• fallen autumn leaves

• paper

• crayons

How to make

1. Lay some leaves on a table with the veins facing up.

2. Carefully place a sheet of paper over the leaves.

3. Using the side of a crayon, colour over the paper until you see leaf shapes and patterns magically emerge. Try to capture all the details including the leaf stalk, veins and crinkly edges.

This activity helps children explore leaf shapes, sizes, colours and textures. You can also encourage them to spot similarities and differences between their chosen leaves.

4. DIY autumn wreath using leaves and twigs

If you enjoy creating your own seasonal decorations, have a go at making this leafy wreath for your family’s home.

Older children might enjoy the challenge of weaving thin, bendy sticks to make the base of the wreath. They can then get creative and attach natural items such as leaves, seeds or feathers to make it unique.

For younger children, a ring of card is easier than weaving twigs together. You can leave the card plain or paint it an autumnal colour, then stick fallen leaves on top. Keep it simple with just a handful of leaves or layer lots of leaves on top of each other. Once the glue has dried, hang up your wreath with a piece of ribbon.

5. How to make an autumn leaf crown

I make golden leaf crowns with my daughter every year. It's a lovely activity that we enjoy doing together and she adores wearing her crown as she roams through the woods.

Leaf crowns are super simple to make and your child can express their creativity with their own design.

You will need

• fallen autumn leaves

• card

• scissors

• double-sided sticky tape

How to make

1. Cut a strip of card long enough to fit around your child’s head.

2. Add double-sided sticky tape to one side of the card. You can use glue, but tape is less messy so it’s a better choice if you’d like to make your crown while you’re outdoors.

3. Collect fallen leaves and stick them to the strip of card. You can even add berries, acorn cups or small conkers as jewels!

4. Fasten the ends of the cards together and it's ready for your child to wear.

6. How to build a nature mobile with sticks and leaves

This leafy nature mobile makes an eye-catching decoration for a child’s room or play space, and it's lots of fun to make together.

You will need

• a stick

• leaves, pine cones, feathers

• ribbon or string

• scissors

How to make

1. Choose an interesting stick that’s sturdy enough to hang several objects from.

2. Gather colourful leaves, pine cones, feathers and other natural treasures that catch your child’s eye.

3. Cut lengths of ribbon or string and tie each item securely to the stick.

4. Hang your mobile up somewhere your child can enjoy it every day.

7. Make leafy superhero masks

Do your kids love superheroes? If so, they'll love collecting natural treasures to make their own leafy masks.

You will need

• fallen autumn leaves

• card

• scissors

• glue

• ribbon

How to make

1. Cut a mask shape out of card and snip out two eye holes.

2. Stick colourful leaves to the card.

3. Attach some ribbon so you can fasten the mask around your child's head.

Now your child is ready for a superhero adventure in the woods!

8. Funny leaf faces for kids

This craft is another firm favourite in our family. It makes us all laugh a lot!

Simply gather natural bits and bobs, then arrange them on the ground to create funny faces. Give them leafy hair, helicopter-seed moustaches or berry mouths, and experiment with different expressions too. How about a happy face, a surprised face or a sleepy face?

For an extra challenge, why not create your whole family? Put everyone's names in a hat and ask each person to draw one out, keeping their choice a secret. Then, using their natural treasures, everyone creates a portrait of the person they picked. Once you've finished, see if you can guess who's who!

9. Leaf fireworks: a Bonfire Night nature activity for kids

If your children enjoy fireworks for Bonfire Night and Diwali, spark their imaginations with this autumn craft and make your own fireworks using fallen leaves.

Collect the brightest leaves you can find and arrange them on the ground in dazzling firework patterns. From whooshing rockets to spinning Catherine wheels and starry Roman candles, the possibilities are endless!

You can even build a pretend bonfire from sticks and add fiery leaves to look like flickering flames. 

10. Boost early literacy with giant leaf letters

This activity is lovely for little ones who are learning their letters, and it's a fun way to take literacy outdoors.

Simply grab some sticks and help your child make an outline of the first letter of their name. Then help them gather fallen leaves, seeds, feathers and other natural treasures to fill it in.

11. Make a rainbow with colourful autumn leaves

Rainbows and autumn leaves are both known for their vibrant colours, and this craft combines the two.

Head out on a leaf hunt and keep your eyes peeled for vivid reds, bright oranges, sunny yellows, gorgeous greens and deep purples.

Once you've gathered your leaves, lay them out in a semi-circle on the ground to create a cheerful rainbow. When you've finished, why not take a photo and send it to friends or family to brighten their day?

Inspire young nature lovers

If you and your kids have enjoyed these seasonal crafts, take a look at our family membership for things to do all year round.

When you join, we’ll send your children activities through the post every season to help them learn more about trees and wildlife. And as Woodland Trust members, you'll play a vital role in inspiring young nature lovers and helping us safeguard the UK’s woods and trees for future generations.