Autumn is the season when nature spoils us with colours, scents and tiny treasures. A walk through the woods or park at this time of year always brings something special: chestnuts that shine like marbles, pinecones crunching under your feet, acorns with their cute little caps, and leaves in every shade of gold, red and orange.
Children don’t just see these finds as natural treasures – they see them as building blocks for their own world of imagination. Crafting together with materials from nature is more than just a creative activity. It’s a way to connect children to the seasons, teach them to notice details and give their imagination free rein.
Here are five fun autumn craft ideas to try together!
1. Acorn and pinecone people
Acorns and pinecones are wonderful natural elements to craft with – for example, to make a little figure! Start with a sturdy pinecone as the body, glue an acorn on top for the head, and draw a friendly face with a black marker. Dried oak leaves make perfect arms (for a person) or wings (for an angel).
Want to make it even more fun? Place your little character in half a walnut shell and it becomes a tiny boat! This craft encourages children to invent stories about their ‘forest folk’ and the adventures they might have.
You’ll need:
- A few pinecones
- Acorns (with or without caps)
- Dried leaves
- Glue and a black marker
- Optional: half a walnut shell
Make it a wonderfully creative autumn!
2. Leaf garlands
With just some wool or string and a handful of colourful leaves, you can make a cheerful autumn garland. Carefully pierce small holes in the leaf stems and thread them together. Hang your garland in the window, on a doorframe or even outside on a branch.
You can also make several shorter garlands and join them together to create one long festive chain – the perfect seasonal decoration!
Benefits of making leaf garlands:
- Children practise fine motor skills
- You use natural, free and sustainable materials
- The garland can be refreshed or added to whenever you like
Want to bring those autumn vibes into your home? Then be sure to visit our garden centres in Haule and Hommerts!
3. Leaf animals
With leaves and a few berries, you can create the most adorable animals! Choose a large leaf as the body of a mouse, add a berry for the nose and draw whiskers and eyes with a marker. Small, colourful leaves can become ears or wings.
You can make all sorts of creatures – mice, hedgehogs, fish or even imaginary ones that live only in the autumn woods. This craft is perfect for children who love both drawing and making things, as it combines shapes with creative details.
Fun variations:
- A hedgehog made from one large leaf with smaller leaves for spines
- A butterfly with two large leaves as wings
- A fish with small round leaves as scales
Make it a creative and colourful autumn!
4. Pinecone toadstools
With a bit of paint, pinecones can be transformed into cheerful toadstools. Look for sturdy cones with a wide base. Make a “cap” from a wooden bead or a small ball of clay and paint it red with white spots. Place your creation in a layer of moss or soil in a small pot – and voilà, you’ve got a charming autumn decoration!
Children can make several and create a whole toadstool forest together.
Tip: Let the paint dry completely before displaying your toadstools, so they stay beautiful for longer.
5. Mini autumn scenes
A bowl, wooden box or even a glass jar can become the stage for a mini autumn landscape. Cover the bottom with moss, then add chestnuts, acorns and pinecones, along with twigs or dried flowers. You can also add your handmade figures (like the acorn and pinecone people from tip 1).
The best thing about this project is that it never has to be “finished” – children can add new treasures from each woodland walk and update their display week by week.
Why crafting with natural materials is so valuable
Crafting with leaves, acorns and chestnuts isn’t just a fun creative activity – it also has lots of developmental benefits. It helps children build fine motor skills, learn to work together, and realise that beautiful things don’t always come from a shop.
It also brings them closer to nature, fostering a sense of care and respect for the environment and the changing seasons.
Collecting your materials together
Gathering materials is just as much fun as crafting itself. Turn it into an autumn adventure – go for a woodland walk and let the children choose what they find beautiful. Think of chestnuts, acorns, pinecones, twigs, leaves, moss and berries.
Make sure to only collect items that have fallen naturally, and leave mushrooms and living plants where they are, so the balance of nature stays intact.
With these five craft ideas and a bag full of autumn finds, you’ll bring the outdoors inside. The result: cosy afternoons full of creativity, laughter and wonderful memories.
So put on a warm jumper, head outside together, and let imagination run wild in your very own autumn art studio!