Easy Fall Leaf Crafts and Activities for Kids

When the leaves start to fall it is officially the best time for crafting in my opinion :). Autumn leaves create a beautiful base for so many fall crafts and art projects and we have rounded up our favorite leaf art ideas and activities for kids of all ages! While autumn leaves create fun colors for these projects, many of them can be done using leaves in any season, so don’t worry if it’s summer time- you will still find many fun leaf art ideas here!

Fall Leaf Lanterns

Create glowing autumn leaf lanterns by pressing and gluing real leaves onto glass jars. When you add a tealight or small LED candle inside, the colors glow through the leaves, highlighting their fun patterns and shapes. This is one of our favorite fall leaf projects and they make beautiful decorations for fall!

fall leaf lantern close up on the counter with more leaf lanterns in the background

Fall Leaf Window Clings

Turn colorful fall leaves into fun window clings and suncatchers for your windows! This easy craft uses autumn leaves to make beautiful fall decorations that catch the light and can be reused year after year!

Fall Leaf Bookmarks

Preserve your favorite fall leaves using cardstock and contact paper and turn them into fall leaf bookmarks! This is a fun and creative way to create a practical fall gift for friends and teachers!

hand holding fall leaf bookmark with other bookmarks on the counter in the background

Fall Leaves Flashcards & Coloring Sheet

A printable set of leaf identification cards paired with a coloring sheet that turns learning into play. Kids can match, color, and explore different leaf types, sparking curiosity about the trees and plants around them.

coloring sheet and fall leaf identification cards on table

Leaf Printing

This leaf printing activity is a colorful process-art activity where kids paint leaves and press them onto paper to reveal each leaf’s beautiful texture and shape. It’s so cool to see the leaves vein patterns printed by the paint and it allows kids to see the details hidden inside every leaf. This would be a fun leaf craft for younger children and can be done in spring or summer!

Leaf Chromatography Experiments

This leaf chromatography experiment is a fun leaf science activity for kids! Kids use chromatography to separate the pigments inside leaves, revealing all the yellows, oranges, and greens tucked away inside. It’s an easy science experiment that shows kids how leaves colors change through the seasons.

jars of leaves and paper towels sitting on the counter for the leaf science experiment

Leaf Spray Painting

Use leaves as stencils and spray watercolors over them to make bold outlines and silhouettes. Kids will love this leaf spray painting activity and seeing the outlines of the leaves they have chosen. It’s a fun craft to do outside in spring or summer as well!

leaves on a piece of paper that has been spray painted

Leaf Rubbing Art

Creating leaf rubbings is a classic nature craft that is so simple to do and doesn’t require anything other than a leaf, a sheet of paper and crayons. By placing leaves beneath paper and rubbing over them with crayons, kids uncover the hidden patterns of the leaf veins and shapes.

leaf rubbings on a clipboard outside next to crayons and leaves

Leaf Art Butterfly

This fun leaf art butterfly craft takes collected leaves and twigs to build your own butterflies! You can take it a step further and create all different types of leaf animals and it is one of our favorite crafts in the fall season!

Fall Leaf Scavenger Hunt

Head outdoors for a fun adventure collecting leaves of different shapes, sizes, and fall colors. This fall scavenger hunt activity is a fun way for kids to work on identifying different colors and color matching. It also requires little supplies and is a fun leaf activity for toddlers and preschoolers!

child gluing down nature item to the green color swatch page on nature scavenger hunt

Tissue Paper Leaf Suncatchers

While these tissue paper leaf suncatchers don’t use real leaves – they would also be a fun craft for fall and come with free leaf templates!

I hope you found the perfect autumn leaf craft and if you want to share what you create we would LOVE to see! Please tag us on instagram @foxfarmhome – it makes our day to see what you’ve been inspired to create!