19 Fall Arts and Crafts for Kids That’ll Make Your Kitchen Table Look Like a Pumpkin Patch Parade

Introduction to Fall Crafts

Fall is a wonderful season for crafting, with the changing leaves, cool weather, and festive atmosphere providing endless inspiration for creative projects. Fall crafts are a great way to get into the spirit of the season, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. From simple projects like making a paper plate pumpkin to more complex ones like creating a scarecrow using a toilet paper roll, there are countless ideas to choose from. In this article, we will explore some of the best fall crafts for kids, including fun and easy projects that can be made using construction paper, pipe cleaners, and other common materials.

Fall is finally here, and wow, are we ready to break out the glue sticks and glitter! The leaves are changing, the air feels crisp, and our kids are just itching to make some fall crafts for kids (that will probably end up stuck to our fridge for months).

If your crew is anything like ours, you’re probably hunting for easy peasy fall crafts that don’t involve spending a million bucks or needing a fancy art degree.

These 19 fall crafts for kids are among the best ideas for sparking creativity and giving everyone some much-needed cozy-time together. The best part is how these crafts enhance the overall experience for both parents and children, making the activities enjoyable and memorable.

Whether it’s a rainy afternoon or just a “we need to burn off energy” kind of day, these simple craft ideas are going to save us all, especially the kids.

Let’s get those little ones’ tiny hands busy and make some memories we actually want to remember!

1) Pumpkin Painting Party – grab mini pumpkins and get messy with paint!

Let’s be real—pumpkin painting is our kind of messy fun. We just grab a bunch of mini pumpkins, set out every fun paint color we own, and let the kids go wild. You can also use a black marker for adding details like faces or designs on the pumpkins.

There’s zero pressure to make a masterpiece. If you want to step it up, try creating a little painting station with paper and supplies like baskets or crates for the supplies, just like in this party idea.

Anything goes—polka dots, googly eyes silly faces, or even donut designs!

2) Leaf Rubbing Art – use real leaves and crayons for cool nature prints

We’re obsessed with leaf rubbing art because it’s basically magic. Kids love collecting leaves, making this craft even more enjoyable. Grab some leaves from the yard (bonus points for ones with funky shapes) to collect leaves and place them under a sheet of paper.

Rub crayons on top and watch those hidden patterns pop out! It’s a super simple way to get creative and bring a little nature indoors.

If you want to get extra artsy, you can even try adding puffy paint or watercolor for more color pop, just like in this fun leaf rubbing craft.

3) Paper Plate Owl Masks – perfect for little hooters to create and wear

Who knew a paper plate could become the cutest owl mask ever? Coffee filters can also be used to add texture and creativity to the owl masks. We just need some plates, markers, scissors, and a bit of construction paper magic.

This craft is such a hit with the kiddos because they get to color, snip, and glue as much as they want, helping them develop fine motor skills. Masks on, giggles out!

For a simple step-by-step guide, check out these easy paper plate owl instructions.

4) Acorn Necklace Craft – glue acorns on string for a cute accessory

Let’s grab those adorable acorns the squirrels haven’t stolen yet and turn them into the cutest crafts for kids ever. Seriously, just glue your acorns onto a string—no fancy DIY skills needed.

This crafts for kids project is perfect for little hands, and we get to wear our art when we’re done. If we want to level it up, we can even paint the acorns before stringing them for a pop of color, like these sparkling acorn necklaces.

5) DIY Felt Ghost Garland – spooky but sweet Halloween vibes

Okay, who else is obsessed with cute ghosts? We seriously can’t get enough of this DIY felt ghost garland for fall .

It’s a total must for some spooky, but not-too-scary, Halloween décor. All we need is a little white felt, some black paint or markers for eyes, and string.

We just cut out a few ghost shapes, add faces, and string them up! If you want a quick step-by-step, check out this easy felt ghost garland tutorial.

It’s chill, mess-friendly and looks adorable wherever we hang it!

6) Cotton Ball Scarecrow – soft and squishy fall buddy for the kids

Let’s be real, we love any fun fall craft that means more glue and less perfection. Our cotton ball scarecrow is a total win! Use a black marker to draw the scarecrow’s face, adding details like eyes and a mouth.

Grab cotton balls, some scrap fabric, paper, and let’s get squishing. We glue the cotton fluff onto a paper scarecrow shape, add fabric for a little hat, and call it adorable.

If you want more project ideas, there are loads of scarecrow crafts for kids.

Seriously, it’s so soft and squishy—perfect for tiny hands!

7) Pinecone Turkeys – turn pinecones into colorful feathered friends

Okay, who else has a backyard full of pinecones just begging for a glow up? Turning pinecones into turkeys is a fun fall themed craft. We can grab a few, toss on some googly eyes, and glue colorful feathers or even faux leaves on the back.

Boom—instant turkey. This project is super kid-friendly and barely makes a mess.

Need inspo? Check out these cute painted pinecone turkeys for a fun twist.

We get adorable decorations, and the kids get a reason to collect leaves and go on a mini nature scavenger hunt!

8) Autumn Color Wheel Wreath – blend reds, oranges, and yellows on paper

Let’s grab some red, orange, and yellow paper and channel our inner fall colors fairy! We just cut out leaf shapes and let the little ones arrange them in a color wheel.

No need for perfection—this is the messy magic we live for. We get super creative mixing colors and trying to make our wreaths pop.

It’s the perfect project for giggles, sticky hands, and a touch of chaos. Beautiful color wheel wreaths are created, showcasing the engaging and fun aspects of these hands-on experiences. For more inspiration, check out this fun fall leaf color wheel wreath idea.

9) Fingerprint Leaf Trees – tiny fingerprints make the coolest fall trees

Okay, is there anything cuter than a fingerprint leaf tree? Nope! You can even use a free leaf template for this project.

We just grab some paper, paint, and start dotting our fingertips all over. Using watercolor paints can add a beautiful effect to the fingerprint leaf trees. The messier, the better—honestly, we’re just here for the giggles and colorful fingers.

This project totally reminds us of all those fall fingerprint crafts we see online, but with our own vibe.

If the leaves get smudged, just laugh it off and keep going.

10) Paper Bag Pumpkin Puppets – acting and crafting all in one!

We love crafts that double as playtime, and these paper bag pumpkin puppets are the perfect craft for combining playtime and creativity. It’s scissors, glue, and giggles all at once.

Grab some brown paper bags, orange paint, and a marker. We let the kids go wild making pumpkin faces.

Once they dry, we’ve got instant puppets for a kitchen table puppet show or just silly storytelling.

Get more pumpkin puppet ideas at this pumpkin puppet craft tutorial.

11) Salt Dough Leaf Ornaments – bake and hang those fall finds

Okay, let’s get our hands messy making salt dough leaf ornaments! We just need salt, flour, white paper and orange construction paper for color—nothing fancy, promise.

Roll out the dough, grab some fresh leaves, and press them in for those cute prints. Cut out shapes and pop them in the oven to bake.

After they cool, we can paint them wild or keep things chill. Tie on a string, hang them up, and boom—our own fall art gallery with beautiful leaf ornaments that we created!

For even more crafty ideas, check out these leaf salt dough crafts.

12) Apple Stamping Art – dip cut apples in paint for funky prints

Who doesn’t love a fun craft that’s a little messy and super cute? For apple stamping, slice apples in half and start dipping the cut side into paint.

We can use red, green, yellow—whatever colors make us happy! Using yellow paint can add a vibrant touch to the apple stamping art. Each apple print turns out a little different, which is half the fun.

Check out more ideas for apple stamping art to get inspired. Let’s roll up those sleeves and fill our paper (and maybe the table) with funky apple prints!

13) Pop Art Apple Craft – bold and bright apple designs to show off

Can we talk about how fun it is to turn apples into art? This pop art apple craft is all about big colors and fearless designs. Creating your own puffy paint can add a fun and textured element to the pop art apple craft.

The kids can go wild and there’s no “wrong” way to do it. Grab some paper, bold markers, and let’s channel our inner Andy Warhol.

If you need inspo, check out this Warhol-inspired apple project! These apples seriously pop and look so cute on the fridge.

14) Maple Leaf Suncatchers – catch the light and celebrate fall colors

Let’s grab some colorful tissue paper and clear contact paper—this maple leaf suncatcher project is about to make our windows look so cute. Using a free printable leaf template can make the maple leaf suncatchers even easier to create. We just cut out leaf shapes, stick on the tissue pieces, and seal them up.

It’s seriously easy, super pretty, and perfect for showing off those autumn vibes. If you want more creative ideas, check out these fall leaf suncatchers for extra inspo.

Let’s get crafty, make a mess, and turn our windows into a fall festival.

15) Acorn Doll Fashion Show – make tiny outfits for little acorn dolls

Let’s be real, our acorns need to slay this fall runway! Making tiny outfits for acorn dolls is a fun and engaging activity for older kids. Grab a few acorns, add some felt, fabric scraps, or yarn, and suddenly these little friends are ready for a serious fashion moment.

We love getting creative with wild hats, funky dresses, and making each doll look totally unique. Bonus points if we give them a catwalk on the kitchen table!

Find more inspiration on this adorable acorn doll fashion show idea.

16) Stuffed Bat Crafts – cute, not creepy! Make bats with felt and stuffing

Let’s turn bat time into craft time! Making stuffed bat crafts is the perfect way to combine crafting and playtime. We only need some felt, stuffing, and a little stitching know-how to make these adorable plush bats.

You can totally skip the sewing machine and do it by hand—no shame in our bat game! Felt bats are soft and huggable, not scary at all.

Personalize them with shiny eyes, silly fangs, or any wild color you like. If you want to check out a step-by-step guide, this stuffed fabric bat tutorial is a lifesaver.

17) Pumpkin Picture Frames – decorate frames with fall leaves and stickers

Pumpkin picture frames might just be our new favorite craft with paper plates. Using popsicle sticks can add structure and creativity to the pumpkin picture frames. Grab blank frames, glue on a bunch of colorful leaves, slap on some small pumpkins stickers, and boom—we have the cutest fall photos ever.

It’s not about being perfect, just about making memories (and maybe a little mess). The kids love choosing their favorite stickers, and we get to display something homemade and full of love.

Want some extra inspo? Check out these adorable pumpkin frame ideas!

18) Leaf Chalk Art – giant leaf shapes filled with colorful chalk

Can we talk about how fun it is to make giant leaf chalk art? Drawing a tree trunk can serve as a foundational element for the leaf chalk art. Grab some big leaf templates, plop them down on black paper, and go wild with colored chalk.

This is the perfect excuse for us to get messy—no judgment here! Smudge the chalk out from the edges of the leaf, and the colors look like they’re glowing, seriously.

Want to see how easy this is? Check out this fall leaf chalk art project for the lowdown.

19) Thanksgiving Scene Cardboard Kits – easy DIY with pumpkins and trucks

Can we talk about how cute these Thanksgiving scene cardboard kits are? Editors at Good Housekeeping recommend these Thanksgiving scene cardboard kits for their simplicity and fun. We get to deck out little pumpkin patches and mini trucks—hello, tiny fall festival right on our table!

There’s zero shame in loving a low-mess craft, and this one totally delivers. Kits like these from Walmart give us everything we need, and the kids can mix and match pieces however they want.

Perfect for keeping little hands busy with toilet paper crafts while the pies are baking!

Educational Crafts

Many fall crafts are not only fun but also educational, helping kids develop important skills like fine motor skills, creativity, and problem-solving. For example, making a fall tree using a paper plate and green paint can help kids learn about colors and shapes, while creating a cute craft like a leaf finger puppet can teach them about textures and patterns. Additionally, fall crafts can be a great way to learn about the season itself, with projects like making a paper bag scarecrow or a popsicle stick pumpkin teaching kids about the harvest season and the importance of farming. Some other educational fall crafts for kids include making a sunflower using sunflower seeds and a paper plate, creating a fall collage using leaves and glue, and making a pumpkin using a small pumpkin and some paint.

Why Fall Arts And Crafts Are Totally The Best

Fall isn’t just pumpkin spice everything—hello, it’s also the best season for school crafts to pull out those glue sticks, pom-poms, and all the colored paper. One little project can lead to hours of fun and creativity for kids. Our homes end up looking like craft supplies exploded, but honestly, that’s part of the magic.

How Autumn Inspires Creative Chaos

Let’s be real: something about crunchy leaves and chilly weather just calls for a craft day. The colors in fall are so wild—deep oranges, firetruck reds, even those moody purples.

Nature itself hands us the best supplies like acorns, pinecones, and leaves. Using materials like leaves to create decorations resembling sunflower petals can add a beautiful touch to fall crafts. Instead of buying all new stuff, we can grab what’s right outside our door.

When the days get shorter and it’s too cold for the park, breaking out craft projects is basically our superhero move. Kids get to try painting, stamping, cutting, or literally gluing a mountain of stuff together.

Sometimes it’s organized (ish). Sometimes it’s just glitter everywhere. Either way, we all laugh through the mess, and the creativity goes off the charts.

For even more ideas, you can check out these easy fall crafts for kids for inspo.

Boosting Kiddos’ Confidence With Every Project

Watching our kids glue googly eyes on a paper plate and call it a turkey? Priceless. Each little creation is actually the perfect craft for boosting kids’ confidence and gives them a sense of “Hey, I did that!”

When they see their art taped on the fridge or hanging in the window, you better believe their faces light up like jack-o’-lanterns. Crafting is low pressure—there’s no single “right” way.

That means kids can mess up, start again, and still feel awesome about what they make. We celebrate every crooked scarecrow and wild, glittery pumpkin because those little moments build big confidence.

Even the goofiest heart arts and crafts matter. For more ways to boost your child’s confidence while having fun, check out these fantastic fall art projects for kids.

Parent Hacks For Stress-Free Crafting

Keeping craft time fun (and not a tornado zone) is our mission. Masking tape is an essential tool for securing templates to paper during the setup process. We’ve got tricks for prepping with stuff we swear by and handling the not-so-cute side of creations—aka the mess.

Must-Have Supplies To Make Life Easier

Let’s talk supplies that actually make our lives simpler—no fancy stuff needed. Orange balloons can be filled with rice to create fun stress balls for kids. Here’s our starter kit:

• Washable markers, glue, and paint. Our secret weapons. If paint gets on the wall, nobody’s crying.
• Q-tips and cotton balls. These make awesome paintbrushes for tiny hands and are total lifesavers for sponge effects. Kids LOVE them, and yes, they’re cheap.
• Paper plates. Plates become palettes and glue trays—just toss when you’re done.
• Tape and glue dots. Way less drama than glue sticks.
• Plastic tablecloths. Yup, we lay these out for every project, and clean up just means folding and tossing.

Bonus hack: Grab a cheap hair dryer for quick glue drying. Your sanity (and their art projects) will thank you.

More on clever material hacks? Peek at these fall crafts for kids.

Organizing The Mess (Or At Least Pretending To)

We know it’s never going to look like those perfect Pinterest setups. Honestly, that’s fine with us! Organizing craft supplies is especially important for preschool-aged kids to keep things simple and accessible.

The trick? Keep it real with easy systems.

Bins with big labels—think “sticks” or “feathers”—make a difference. Clear shoeboxes help too since you can actually see what’s inside.

No more mystery goo lurking at the bottom. That alone feels like a win.

We stash wet projects on a drying rack. Sometimes, we just grab a cookie sheet nobody really uses.

Command hooks let us hang finished art right away. Fast display means instant pride, and way less art mountain on the counter.

We make clean-up part of the fun with a race—who can toss scraps into the bin fastest? If we miss something, well, it’s “abstract art.”

Shhh, that’s our story and we’re sticking to it.