Although autumn is a beautiful time of the year, it also brings with it lots of rain. So, you’re more likely to be stuck indoors. It’s therefore essential to have some family activities lined up so you don’t all go stir-crazy.
Why not take the opportunity to collect lots of pretty leaves on your next country walk and keep them aside for crafting? Here are lots of ways you can turn dry Autumn leaves into a craft activity.
A Leafy Lantern
Create an autumn leaf lantern by first flattening a selection of leaves between some heavy books and leaving them overnight. Next, help them cover a glass jar with white glue, let them stick down their first leaf and paint over it with glue again. Repeat the process until the whole jar is covered and make sure all the leaves are coated with glue. White craft glue dries clear, so you’ll be able to see all the leaves perfectly. Once it’s fully dry you can put a tealight inside and marvel at the glowing lantern they’ve created.
Pretty Leaves
A simple idea for little ones is to decorate the leaves they’ve collected to make them even more pretty! Use glitter (if you’re brave enough) or silver and gold markers to make them sparkle! They can then stick them in a scrapbook or use them to make an autumn feature window.
Autumn Wreath It Up
Don’t want to fork out for an expensive autumn wreath for your front door? Help the kids make one themselves! Get a paper plate and cut out a circle in the centre so you’re left with a ring shape. Help them apply white glue all around the edge and then instruct them to stick their most beautiful leaves on it until there’s no paper showing. If you’re all pleased with the end result, your relatives might like a homemade one too!
Fall Into A Sensory Tray
Team up with older siblings to set up an Autumn sensory tuff tray for their preschool-age brother or sister. You could include autumn leaves, conkers, acorns, pinecones and anything else interesting you find on your walk. Add in some soft toys such as squirrels or hedgehogs and the kids can make up their own adventures or stories.
Leafy Leaf Rubbing
We all remember doing leaf rubbings when we were young so why not show your kids how to do it too! If you’re struggling to remember the technique, here's what you do: Put your chosen leaf down on a hard, flat surface, put a thin piece of paper on top of it, hold it still and use the long side of a wax crayon to rub all over it. Ta-dah – I’m sure that jogged your memory!
The great thing about encouraging your children to do crafts with leaves is that you won’t have to worry about raking them up in the garden as the kids will get there first! The bad news is that your house will be filled with them…
