Use a couple ingredients that you can find right on your porch and build a phenomenally fun fall craft with your kids today!
I have obviously been enjoying the best season of the year — FALL! And, now that I have a toddler, I am constantly trying to find fun ways to keep us both busy before naptime!
I am also always on the hunt for new crafts that are kid-friendly, require few supplies, and fit the season! And, this cute Build-A-Fall-Man checked off all the boxes! I mean, what could be better than building a snowman in fall?!
But, this can be more than just a fun craft! You can also use it as a teaching moment! Some other applications of this craft for older kids can be:
- Fall Science Project for Homeschoolers
As you identify different leaves, you can talk about the various trees they came from, and why their colors change from green to red, yellow, orange, and brown in the fall! This is also a fun addition to any fall or tree-themed science project board!
- Yard Clean-Up Treasure Hunt
As you rake leaves and pick up sticks, why not make it into a treasure hunt? Have your kiddos find their favorite leaves and sticks and acorn hats to save for this fun craft! This method is great for making work into play!
- Sunday School Craft
Whether you’re talking about God’s creation, giving thanks, or how God never “leaves” you, if you spend additional time collecting and pressing leaves for your classroom, this is a very easy, minimal mess, minimal supplies craft perfect for a large group of children, too!
Be on the look out for 10 Fall-Themed Five Minute Bible Lessons coming soon!
So, here’s what you’ll need:
- Assortment of leaves and twigs from outside
- Construction Paper
- Glue
- Tape
- Googly Eyes (optional)
- Markers (optional)
Here’s What to Do:
Step 1: Go Outside!
Take your kiddos out to the porch and collect your favorite leaves and twigs!
Optional Step:
Now, my daughter and I just collected fresh leaves and stuck them on the paper — she is pretty young still, and won’t mind if this craft is no longer displayed after a couple days. But, if you want to prep this craft ahead of time or preserve it for longer, go ahead and collect your leaves, then press them between pages of a heavy book. After a couple of days, you can then take out your iron and ironing board, press the leaves between two pieces of wax paper, place a towel on top, and iron over your leaves. This will transfer the wax onto your pressed leaves and preserve their color and shape for months and even years! Either way, pressing your leaves is a good idea if you want a better shape and an easier time of gluing them onto the papers. Fresh leaves tend to curl up.
Step 2: Glue the Leaves
Once you’ve collected all your fall treasures, come inside, grab a piece of construction paper and a glue stick and begin gluing your leaves in the rough shape of a person. Start with a head, torso, legs, & feet. Have fun mixing and matching colors!
Step 3: “Stick” on the Arms
Here’s where your twigs come in! Once you have the basic body shape settled on your paper, you can add some twiggy arms to the sides of the torso. I found that the easiest way to secure the twigs on paper was some simple scotch tape. We then chose to cover the tape with some more leaves, to give our little fall man some shirt sleeves 🙂
Step 4: Accessorize
Now that you have the body parts in place, you can begin to accessorize using googly eyes, markers, and leaf stems to give your fall man eyes and a mouth, and maybe even a walking stick, shoes, hat, or whatever else your kiddo feels would complete his ensemble!
Step 5: Show Him Off!
Once you’ve finished your Fall Man, be sure to pin him up proudly onto your fridge or art wall! And, share a picture with your friends; after all, you just built a Fall Snowman!!
I hope you and your kids or class enjoy this craft as much as me and my toddler did! Let us know in the comments what you think and what other crafts you’d like to see in the future! Don’t forget to subscribe to our email, too, to stay up-to-date on lots of exciting new content!
