You guys, fall is RIGHT around the corner. Can you believe it? That means it’s time to get started on our fall crafts for kids!
I love so many things about fall. Bonfires, the smell of October, crisp fall air, and the falling leaves in bright colors are just a few of my favorite things. My all-time favorite part, however, is making memories with my kids.
Fall is the perfect time for family traditions and fun. Doing crafts is something we do for each season or holiday, so of course, there will be fall-inspired crafts.
This handprint leaves craft is one I first did years ago. I loved it so much I started doing it every year. I love seeing how much the kids’ hands have grown each year, and I can update their scrapbooks with the handprint leaves.
How to Make Handprint Leaves With Kids
This is a super simple craft that you can do with kids of every age. The required materials are minimal, and there isn’t much mess involved.
Using a clean paintbrush, paint the child’s hand orange.
Quickly and firmly place the child’s hand flat onto the white paper.
Carefully lift their hand, being careful not to smear the handprint leaf.
Repeat steps 2-4 for the red paint and yellow paint.
Allow the paint to dry.
Using a thin paintbrush and brown paint (or a brown marker) draw the stem lines onto the leaves.
What Do You Think?!
Tell me what you think of this easy fall craft! Which fall crafts do you plan to do with your kiddos?
Share pictures of your fall crafts for kids in the comments! Feel free to drop a link to your fall craft blog posts in the comments, too! I’d love to see them!
Check out other fall crafts and activities by clicking the following links:
While we’re on the topic of kids and fall, I want to remind you to label all of your child’s coats, jackets, snow pants, and anything else they might lose. I’ve spent too much time and money looking for or replacing these items, so I label them each year. If you want a label that will last, I urge you to visit dutchlabelshop.com. They offer custom labels that you can sew onto your child’s clothing and outdoor gear. You can even choose a label with your child’s photo.
Art is one of the oldest types of human communication and is a popular way to unwind. Wine and painting parties offer a great chance to learn how to express yourself artistically while enjoying a glass or two of wine.
Many noted experts have talked about the many benefits of art therapy to help with stress, depression, and anxiety. Paining classes provide you a safe and non-judgemental place where you can put your energy into your artwork and release tensions. Many people also find that they can effectively express their emotions through painting, which is highly therapeutic.
Makes People Appreciate Art More
People who have wine and painting classes or parties can make enjoying art and its history a lot of fun. If you are at an event with a knowledgeable person, they may talk about the type of artwork they are doing, as well as the artists that inspire their work. You can be encouraged to take part in more art-related activities. This provides a lot of personal enrichment.
Increases Self-Confidence
Many people may feel self-conscious about their artistic ability and may feel they do not have the ability to create something memorable. Wine and painting disprove this idea by being for everyone and intended to be enjoyed by people with many levels of skill in art. You will feel a sense of self-confidence and pride as you finish your piece.
Improves Your Fine Motor Skills
Learning to hold and use a paintbrush properly helps to regulate wrist and hand movements. It also helps with the connection between your brain and muscles. This is helpful for older adults as well as people who have health problems that affect fine motor skills.
Helps Socialization
Painting as you enjoy wine helps you to relax and talk to other people at the event. Those who go to these parties or classes alone often find it a breeze to make new friends. Those who go with friends find doing wine and painting classes and parties as a way to improve their current friendships.
Improves Your Mood
Creating art has many benefits, including on your happiness. Painting has been shown to make people live happier lives. Those who get involved in art are more likely to feel good about themselves. Also, think about the sense of pride that will flow through you when you finish an artwork!
In our face-paced world where there never seems to be enough time to get everything done, it is helpful to have a fun activity that gives you the chance to finish something memorable.
Helps with Concentration and Healing
People who work on paintings tend to enter a purer space where, in a strong state of concentration, they can make time pass without being aware of it. Physical pain often fades; many say it is almost like entering another dimension without leaving the body.
This is a concentration state that is called Alpha. One part of your brain is conscious while the other part is bringing the unconscious out. There is a higher level of creating because energy is being put into what is created. It is possible to spend hours on a piece and not get tired. Drinking wine while you paint can make you even more creative.
There are many benefits to wine and painting parties and classes that millions of people have come to enjoy in the last few years. Give it a try and you will see just how fun and beneficial wine and painting can be!
**I originally wrote this Fall Handprint Crafts post for my old blog, which I do not post to anymore. I decided to move it over here when I realized it was still being shared.**
Years ago, I worked as an infant/toddler teacher. I taught one-year-old toddlers, which was so much fun. Between my classroom of Wonderful One’s and my own babies at home, I did lots of simple crafts that could be used as keepsakes for years to come.
Handprint crafts are always my favorite because, let’s face it, what parent doesn’t want to see their tiny toddler’s handprint when that tiny toddler grows to become a not-so-tiny child, teen, adult, etc.? I know that my little’s won’t be little for long, and I want every memory possible of how little they once were.
Without further ado, here are a few of my favorite simple handprint crafts for fall.
Simple Fall Handprint Crafts
1. Frankenstein handprint craft
For this cute little Frankenstein, you’ll just paint 4 of the child’s fingers black (do not pain the thumb), and the rest of the hand (not the thumb) green. Then, place their hands flat on the paper. Once the paint is dry, use a sharpie or other black marker to draw the face and the lines.
2. Handprint pumpkin with fingerprint stem
For this fall handprint craft, you will paint your little one’s hand orange and place it flat on a white piece of paper. Then, paint their pointer finger green and place that flat on the same sheet of white paper. While you wait for the paint to dry, cut an orange pumpkin shape and a green stem shape out of construction paper.
Once the paint is dry, you’ll cut around the handprint and around the fingerprint. Have your little one help you glue the handprint to the pumpkin shape and the fingerprint stem to the green paper, and then glue the stem to the pumpkin.
3. Handprint leaves
I love, love, love this one!! You’ll paint the child’s hand 3 separate times, once for a yellow handprint, one for red, and once for orange. You’ll put all 3 handprints on the same page, wait for them to dry, and then draw “stems” through the handprint leaves.
This one was so much fun and the kids really loved it. You’ll paint your child’s hand black (excluding the thumb) and put it flat on the paper but sideways. Then, you’ll do the same with the other hand, overlapping the palms of the hand. Once the paint is dry, add a white smile and googly eyes. You can even add a spider web to the craft, too.
Side Notes on Fall HandPrint Crafts
*If you don’t know what kind of paint to use, here is the link to what I use!
*Always remember to write the child’s name and the date somewhere on the craft (this could be on the back).
***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***
Final Thoughts on Simple Fall Handprint Crafts
You could really turn any Halloween or fall-themed idea into a fall handprint craft of some kind. You just have to be creative and use your imagination (or Pinterest, of course).
What do you think? Which ones are your favorite? Leave a comment and let me know!
I like to make holidays memorable for my kids. One way I do it is by doing holiday-themed crafts and activities in the days leading up to the holiday. My kids love it, I get keepsakes, and it offers an opportunity to discuss what the holiday means. 4th of July activities and crafts make the holiday more fun and exciting. Plus, there are plenty of ideas to choose from.
The 4th of July is always busy for us. We have a cookout the day of the holiday and another party the weekend after. It’s hard to talk about the meaning of the holiday with so much going on. Luckily, our craft time gives us that needed time to connect.
4th of July Activities and Crafts
This year we’ve done two crafts already, including:
4th of July Ripped Paper Wreath Kids Craft
These ripped paper wreaths were fun and easy. We used white paper, cut it into a circle (or close enough), and cut a round hole in the middle. Then, the kids ripped blue and red paper to glue on. I cut out stars to put on at the end. We hung the finished wreaths on the kids’ bedroom doors.
Handprint Firework Craft
This one is my favorite one we have made so far this year. It’s so cute, and I love handprint keepsakes. I painted their hands red before helping them put their hand flat on white paper. Then, using blue and red paint (separately so it doesn’t turn purple), they used their fingers to make the “fireworks” part. Super simple.
Other 4th of July Crafts and Activities
There are three other crafts I want to do with them before the 4th of July and one scavenger hunt.
Kids Blowers Patriotic Craft Idea
These patriotic kids blowers from Natural Beach Living are so cute. The kids can use them during fireworks displays to add more festivity.
Footprint Rocket Pop
I love this Footprint Rocket Pop craft from Tippytoe Crafts. It’s another keepsake for Mama and a craft the kids will love. It could be a general summertime craft, but with the red, white, and blue, it gives me patriotic vibes.
Painted Rocks
We want to paint some rocks like these Painted Rocks for the 4th of July created by Thrifty Nifty Things. I don’t know if this is popular everywhere, but where I’m from, people paint rocks and hide them for others to find. When you find a rock, you’re supposed to post a picture on the dedicated Facebook site and say where you found it. Then, you re-hide it in a new location. I want to paint them this weekend and hide them in the couple of days before the 4th of July. My kids LOVE hiding and finding rocks around town, so it’s perfect for them.
4th of July Scavenger Hunt
I fell in love with this 4th of July Scavenger Hunt Printable from Women With Intention on Pinterest. I’m bummed that the link didn’t work, and the website no longer exists, so I can’t download it directly from who created it. Later tonight I’ll make a scavenger hunt printable to use at home on the 4th of July and maybe a second one for the larger party the weekend after.
Recap: 4th of July Activities and Crafts
How do you teach your kids about holidays? Are you doing any fun crafts or activities with them for the 4th of July? Tell me about it in the comments!
Yesterday was my husband’s birthday. It was not exciting at all… he got his gift early (last) week, which was a circular saw and the rest of his gifts won’t be here until tomorrow because I’m a crappy wife and ordered them late. He went to work, after work he rushed home to grab Sylas and Josie and then rushed to Nevaeh’s choir concert, while Liam and I went to my nephew’s high school graduation.
After the choir concert, Chris rushed back to our side of town to pick Peyton up from the school when he got back from his Macinack field trip. By the time we all got home, it was 9 pm and we hadn’t done anything fun all day. Sylas asked about 10 times when we were going to the park for daddy’s birthday because we always have Sylas’ parties at the park. LOL.
I knew ahead of time that Chris’ birthday wouldn’t be very “special”, so the littles and I took some time to make him a couple of homemade gifts.
***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***
I helped the kids make him some handprint crafts. Josie made a birthday cupcake using her hand, and then the flames on her “candles” are made from her fingerprints.
Sylas and Liam made little monsters. Sylas used his hand (minus the middle finger) to make his monster, and then I added the eye and mouth myself. Liam made a monster using his foot, and then I added the smile and eyes. I helped Liam make polka dots on his monster, too.
Sylas and Josie also did some free art time and they both chose to make pictures for daddy. They’re so sweet and I’m trying to help them understand that they should try and make daddy feel special on his birthday like he does for them on theirs.
Josie’s artwork for daddy, it’s two different spaceships.
One of Sylas’
Sylas’ other one… this one is a tall tower, a dragon, and rain.
So then MY DIY project for Chris was a date night jar. We struggle with finding things to do when we are stuck at home and I always want to bond more than we do during a normal week.
We ALWAYS talk about having more date nights but with the kids, it’s really hard to find the time.
I decided to create a “Date Night” jar, full of things we can either do at home or (with a little planning ahead) find a babysitter for a couple of hours while we do something quick but fun.
I used a mason jar (I buy mine on Amazon) to hold the date night ideas. Then, I made a tag for a label, used a hole punch to make a hole in the tag, and slipped it onto twine before tying the twine around the neck of the bottle.
When we are wondering what we should do to have some fun, we just draw a date from the jar and go with the first one we pulled out. The ones that require a babysitter or a little planning ahead, I marked with a different color so that we know to avoid those ones when we know we are stuck at home.
No more sitting around wasting time on our phones or cleaning when we want to bond and spend time together… now we have plenty of ideas. 🙂
Are there any free/cheap date nights you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments. 🙂
My toddlers are obsessed with the big bad wolf right now, Josie especially. Her favorite is The 3 Little Pigs but she’s also really enjoying Little Red Riding Hood.
We read the books pretty often and I also found a couple YouTube videos of each story that the kids really like.
They agree on the same Little Red Riding Hood video, so that’s good. I don’t have to sit through two different versions of the same cartoon.
Anyway, Josie asked to make a wolf with paint and of course, I said yes. I never pass up on an opportunity for crafts. I sometimes regret that afterward when there’s a mess to clean up but it’s worth it.
She used brown paint on a paper plate for the wolf’s head and then I helped her cut out construction paper in the shape of a snout, teeth, eyes, ears, and nose.
She glued all the shapes together and put them on the paper plate.
It turned out sooooo cute!! I love it and so does she.
She’s been walking about the house with it in front of her face and growling. She thinks it’s hilarious.
Share your most recent crafts with me in the comments! I’d love to take a look. 🙂
My 10-year-old came rushing through the door after school a couple weeks ago excited to tell me about his newest school project. The kids in his class each had to choose an animal and create a 3-D figure of it. He already knew what animal he wanted to create and, after a little research on different materials he could use, he decided on a paper mache diamondback rattlesnake.
Peyton is amazed by snakes, especially diamondback rattlesnakes. He loves to watch YouTube vlogs about them and can list so many random snake facts, so I am not at all surprised he chose to create one.
When he decided to create the paper mache diamondback rattlesnake, I was beyond excited myself because I love paper mache and literally hadn’t done it since I was in middle school art class (using the balloon method, where I created a pig with fins and painted it sparkly purple and pink).
Honestly, I wasn’t very experienced in paper mache other than the few times I had done it before, and a paper mache diamondback rattlesnake was much bigger and more detailed than anything I had ever made.
Materials Needed to Make a Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
A stack of books, a tall cup, or something of similar height
This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.
Getting Started on the Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
We needed a base to start with, of course, so we used paper towel rolls and toilet paper rolls to make the shape of a diamondback rattlesnake. I showed Peyton how to cut the tubes width-wise (but not all the way through) so that we could curve the tubes into the shape he wanted, being careful not to cut all the way through.
When we got a few cardboard tubes of each size cut, he began creating the shape he wanted for his diamondback rattlesnake. He used tape (generously) to hold the tubes together and to keep the curves he wanted, and then we stuffed the tubes with paper towels as we went along so that they wouldn’t collapse when we started adding the paper mache.
Peyton wanted the head to be higher than the body, so we used a paper towel roll to create the area that ascended up to the head. This was the hardest part because we couldn’t figure out how to get it to stay up without propping it on books. We tried pipe cleaners, paper clips, and extra tape, but nothing worked and the head kept sagging. All of those items did help a little, but it still wasn’t staying where we wanted it. I’ll explain how we dealt with this a little later.
Making the Diamondback Rattlesnake Head, Tail, and Rattle
After getting the shape down the way he wanted, we started brainstorming how to make a diamondback rattlesnake head, tail, and rattle.
We decided to keep using the cardboard tubes, but this time we cut a slit lengthwise, only about 2 or 3 inches down, and only on one side so that we could overlap the cardboard tube, making the opening at one end more narrow. This is how we planned on making the tail and the rattle.
To make the head, he drew the head shape on cardboard and cut it out. Then, we folded up 3 paper towels and then cut those to the same shape as the head and taped them to the bottom of the cardboard head shape. This made the head nice and thick without cutting a bunch of cardboard.
Keep in mind: the paper towel doesn’t have to be cut perfectly, the paper mache will smooth out any uneven edges.
Once all of this was in place, we started on the paper mache.
Paper Mache Recipe – Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
There are a few different ways to make paper mache, but I used the flour, water, and cooking method. The measurements were 1/4 cup flour and 1 1/4 cup water. I also added a tablespoon of salt to keep bugs and mold away.
If you don’t want to make it, you can always buy it on Amazon. I’ve used this kind in the past (my first time making it from scratch was for this paper mache Diamondback Rattlesnake), and I absolutely loved it.
I brought the mixture to a slow boil on the stove and then set the timer for 3 minutes. It was a little chunky and I worried about that, but it went on super smooth and dried completely.
While the paper mache mixture was cooling, Peyton ripped pieces of newspaper into long strips. These strips were to dip in the mixture and stick to the snake base.
How to Apply the Paper Mache
When the paper mache is ready and cool, dip pieces of newspaper in it until they are completely covered. Remove any access paper mache, and apply in a single layer on your project.
The first layer of paper mache took the longest time to dry, about 8 hours or so. We only did one layer and then let it dry completely. Layers 2 and 3 we did at the same time, and those took about 6 hours to dry. We did 4 layers total, give or take a little in areas that didn’t need as much or areas that needed just a little more.
How to Form and Hold the Paper Mache Shape
We used a cup to prop the head on while it was drying since we couldn’t get it to stay in place with anything else. I was hoping for the best here, and it actually worked. After the first layer dried, the head stayed up on its own! However, when it wasn’t supported we could see the cardboard tube bending in the wrong directions underneath the paper mache and newspaper, so I left the cup in place to avoid tearing and breaking. After the 3rd layer dried, the head stayed up on its own with no problem at all!!
I also used a cup to hold the rattle in an upward position while it dried. It kept wanting to lay down, but the cup did the trick there, too. It’s all about getting the paper mache animal to dry in the exact position you want it to permanently be in.
The crease (pictured) is where the snake was bending without support under its head. After a couple more layers and drying completely, the head had no trouble staying up.
I was worried about it not being strong enough, so I had Peyton add a 4th layer using white paper. This final layer only took about 4 hours to dry. The plain white paper was helpful when it was time to start painting because there wasn’t any print to cover up.
Making Eyes For a Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
After Peyton finished the 4th layer, we made the eyes. Peyton had the idea to use a teal-ish colored playdoh mixed with a bit of black paint. Once it was completely mixed, he rolled the playdoh into eye shapes. We used the chunky part of the paper mache (the chunks were handy, after all!) to hold the eyes on. Then we ripped small squares of newspaper to cover part of the eyes and make them blend into the head.
Painting a Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
When the paper mache was completely dry, Peyton began the painting. I didn’t help him with this part except to get the underneath areas that would be visible.
He mixed colors to create the base color and painted the whole snake that brownish/tanish color. He used that same color, added more white, and did the lower part of the snake with the lighter color. This is because a Diamondback rattlesnake gets lighter in color near the bottom.
Next, he used black and white to make diamonds on the back and to put slits in the eyes.
Final Thoughts on Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
He did such a good job!! I’m so proud of him for working so hard on this project. At school, he has to display it for the class and give a two-minute speech. The speech is about the diamondback rattlesnake habitat, what they eat, where and when they sleep, and a fun fact.
This could be a fun project at home for your big kids! Peyton plans on displaying his in his bedroom when he brings it back home. It’ll keep them learning and being creative, and will definitely fight boredom!
Which paper mache animal do you think your child would choose to make? Let me know in the comments!
Every year I ask my mom, “what do you want for Mother’s Day?” and every year she says, “oh nothing. Maybe just a hanging basket of flowers.” And every single year I get frustrated because that is what she gets from EVERYONE! Does she really need 7 hanging baskets with flowers? No, absolutely not. But… she loves them and she is stubborn so I follow suit and get her yet another hanging basket.
I am also stubborn, though, and I refuse for that to be the only thing we show up with on Mother’s Day. This year, I kept it simple. My babies love to create artwork and give it as gifts so that’s what we did!! The babies are happy that they got to paint, I’m happy that we will be taking something more than just a hanging basket, and my mom will be happy that she got homemade crafts from her grandbabies.
To get started, I just gave the babies some blank paper and paint and let them go to town creating whatever they wanted. Once their paint dried, I turned those random paintings into something more.
These are the crafts we made for my mom this year. Sylas painted the vase with the flowers. To make this, he did free paint for the vase and when it was dry, I sketched a vase shape onto the back of it, making sure to get the coolest pattern and the least amount of blank spots from his painting and cut it out.
Next, I cut a sponge into the shape of a flower and JoJo and Sylas took turns dipping the sponge into the paint before placing the sponge on the paper. When they were finished, I added the green stems and the yellow in the center of the flowers and glued the vase on. I LOVE the way it turned out.
The Mother’s Day Handprint Flowers were even easier. I simply used paint for the babies handprints (Liam was not participating very well so his doesn’t look much like a handprint) and yellow hearts for the center of the flower, and Sylas helped me add the green stems and leaves.
The Mother’s Day Heart Card was Josie’s free paint craft. Once hers was done, I cut it into a heart and glued it to a piece of construction paper. On the inside, all of the babies “signed” their name.
Who says you have to go all out to make a mama (or a grandma) happy on Mother’s Day?!
I’m a sucker for handprint artwork. I love looking back on the tiny little handprints made into some cute design. My kids have been interested in frogs lately, so we made handprint frogs!
They painted their own hand green. I let them do this part themselves because let’s face it, kids love to paint themselves so why not let them when there is a fair chance?
I helped them press their hand onto the paper so that we could get the whole hand print the first time. Sylas insisted that he do that part himself, too, so I mostly let him. I just pushed the tips of his fingers down to make sure we got the whole thing.
Once we got the handprints, I let the kids free paint while I added the little details that they are still too little to do themselves.
I added green circles with paint for where the eyes are, a green oval for where the mouth area is, and a smiley face. Then I cut out circles with white paper for the eyes. The circles for each frog were different sizes since the frogs were all different sizes. I wanted to make sure the eyes weren’t way too big or way too small for them. Then I used a sharpie to make the black part of the eye. You could also use googly eyes but I don’t have any on hand (surprising, but it happens) so I used paper.
Once the paint dried, Sylas and Josie (with my help) cut the tongue, curled it, glued it on with a glue stick, and added the eyes. We curled them by wrapping them around a pencil. I curled the tongue for Liam’s frog.
Aren’t they the cutest? I made the oval on Liam’s a little too wide so I might have to re-do his later, but I still love it!
Have your littles made any cute crafts lately? Tell me about them in the comments and leave a link if you’ve blogged about it! I’d love to see them.
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Josie’s artwork for daddy, it’s two different spaceships.
One of Sylas’
Sylas’ other one… this one is a tall tower, a dragon, and rain.
