5 Educational Fall Activities and Crafts for Kids

It’s fall, which means it’s time to celebrate apples, leaves, and everything pumpkin! Welcome the season with these snacks, crafts, and other fun fall activities.

Pinecone Artwork

pinecone turkey with feathers

Start by decorating pinecones. Use any kind of craft supplies you have at the house, and let the kids go wild. These will make for lovely accents throughout the house too. We made pinecone turkeys with paper, craft feathers, and of course, googly eyes. Use kid-safe glue (instead of hot glue), and this is a craft that kids can do with minimal supervision. To add a little learning as you hunt for pinecones, check out this article on what a pinecone is. Did you know there are male and female pinecones?

Fall Leaf Globe

mason jar filled with water, sticks, and confettiSensory jars are a great way to teach the senses and have fun at the same time. You probably have most of the items for this craft around the house, and you and your child can go on an adventure outside for anything you don’t have. Add water to an empty mason jar and add apple pie spice or cinnamon to teach smell. Add yellow or orange food color, and watch the dye mix with the water. Then add nature bits like sticks, leaves, pieces of a pinecone, etc., and teach the touch sensory.

Leaf Rubbing

orange, yellow, and red leaves traced on paper

Bring the colors of autumn inside with this simple leaf rubbing activity using colorful fall leaves, crayons, and printer paper. After you collect all of the leaves, cover one leaf at a time with a piece of printer paper. Slowly, use different color crayons and rub it over the top of the paper to see the outline and details of the leaf. You can learn the basic structure of a leaf during this activity too. Label its various parts and teach your child their function.

Decorate Pumpkins

painted pumpkins

Whether you prefer to carve, paint, add stickers, or use any other medium, decorating pumpkins is a traditional fall activity that extends to Halloween. You can even use the pumpkin as your literal canvas, and have each member of your family write something they are thankful for this season. The possibilities are endless!

Pumpkin Investigation Station

open pumpkin with test tubes and tray

Set up a pumpkin investigation tray the next time you carve a pumpkin! Even if you don’t carve pumpkins, this science tray is perfect for fall learning. It makes a great hands-on fall science activity too. There is so much to see, smell, and feel on this tray. Roast the pumpkin seeds when you’re done to continue getting your kids thinking and exploring!

Share your favorite fall craft in the comments section below!

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