11 Fun and Easy Fall Crafts for Preschoolers

The fall season is a wonderful time to introduce children to changing leaves, cozy colors, and festive themes through fall crafts for preschoolers. Whether at home or in a classroom, these projects aren’t just fun—these fall crafts for preschoolers help with important developmental milestones like fine motor skills, shape recognition, and color mixing.

At Primary Beginnings, our 5-star Raleigh preschool team believes that hands-on fall crafts for kids are an essential part of early childhood education. These activities encourage creativity, foster imaginative play, and help children connect with the natural world around them. Join us as we share our favorite easy, fun preschool fall crafts.

Why Fall Crafts Matter in Early Learning

Fall kids crafts are more than just seasonal fun. By incorporating easy crafts and art projects into the autumn season, children:

• Strengthen fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and painting
• Learn about the fall season, including weather, harvest themes, and nature
• Express creativity with simple fall craft ideas that build confidence
• Enjoy fun fall activities that support imaginative play and group collaboration

This preschool fall craft is ideal for toddlers as it provide the perfect mix of education and entertainment, while supporting their motor and cognitive development stages early in life.

Easy Fall Crafts for Preschoolers

Each project below is designed for preschoolers, offering simple steps and safe materials so they can enjoy the opportunity to explore their creativity. These craft ideas are great for home or school, with options for sensory exploration, classroom décor, and holiday themes. Join us as we share our favorite fall crafts for preschoolers.

1. Fall Leaf Potato Stamp

This classic fall leaf craft is a sensory-rich activity that lets kids play with shapes and autumn colors while building hand strength. This is a fun fall craft for teaching color patterns and textures.

Supplies:

• Potatoes (long and firm)
• Orange, red, and yellow paint
• White paper
• Paintbrushes

Instructions:

1. Press the potato onto paper to stamp colorful fall leaves.
2. Cut the potatoes in half. Carve simple veins into the cut side.
3. Let kids paint the carved side using brushes.

2. Puffy Paint Pumpkin

This sensory pumpkin craft is a puffy paint project that combines sensory play and art. It’s a perfect craft for a rainy October day, allowing toddler aged children to engage in a messy, exciting fall craft for kids. This is one of our favorite fall crafts for preschoolers as it combines sensory with a 3-D effect.

Supplies:

• White shaving foam
• Clear glue
• Red and yellow paint (for orange)
• Decorations like googly eyes, glitter, or pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

• Let kids paint pumpkins on paper and decorate with fun textures.
• Mix equal parts glue and shaving foam until fluffy.
• Add orange paint to create pumpkin color.

3. Paper Plate Pumpkin Faces

This paper plate craft with personality allows kids to explore emotions, shapes, and storytelling. It’s one of the easiest paper plate crafts, making it a top choice for fun pumpkin crafts that promote silliness and fun for kids.

Supplies:

• Paper plates
• Orange paint
• Black construction paper
• Glue, scissors

Instructions:

1. Let kids create silly faces with the pieces.
2. Paint the plate orange.
3. Cut black paper into eyes, noses, and mouths.

4. Paper Bag Scarecrows

Paper bag scarecrows are a fun and creative way to bring harvest themes into your preschool curriculum. This fall themed favorite is a great craft to encourage kids to work with creative freedom, with some minor assistance from adults.

Supplies:

• Brown paper lunch bags
• Scraps of fabric or colored paper
• Yarn, googly eyes, cotton balls
• Glue and scissors

Instructions:

1. Use construction paper hats and googly eyes for finishing touches.
2. Stuff the paper bag and fold it over to form the head.
3. Glue on yarn for hair and add paper clothing and facial features.

5. Contact Paper Leaf Collage

This nature inspired autumn craft project blends outdoor play with crafting, encouraging children to collect leaves and explore textures. This is an ideal fall craft for preschoolers who love the outdoors.

Supplies:

• Clear contact paper
• Real fall leaves
• Framing paper or cardstock

Instructions:

1. Seal with another sheet and frame with colored or construction paper.
2. Stick leaves onto the sticky side of contact paper.

6. Apple Scented Play Dough

Add sensory exploration to your lesson plans with this tactile apple craft that supports sorting, rolling, and shaping.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 2 Tbsp cream of tartar
• 3 Tbsp coconut or cooking oil
• 3 Tbsp apple pie spice
• Red and green food coloring

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients, add oil and hot water.
2. Divide into two batches—color one red, one green.
3. Let kids form apple tree shapes, or use cookie cutters.

7. Coffee Filter Leaf Art

Combine art and science as your little one watches fall colors blend and flow in this easy fall leaf craft made with coffee filters. It’s a magical fun activity for kids to observe and learn the value of color mixing.

Supplies:

• White coffee filters
• Washable markers
• Spray bottle with water
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Cut out leaf shapes and hang in a window.
2. Let children color filters with fall colors.
3. Spray lightly with water to see the ink blend.

8. Popsicle Stick Fall Trees

This fall tree project uses popsicle sticks and colorful materials to let children build their own miniature forest. It’s a fantastic way to practice fine motor skills and explore fall-themed color palettes. Encourage children to notice how trees change in the fall season and mimic those changes in their art.

Supplies:

• Popsicle sticks (regular or jumbo size)
• Brown, red, orange, and yellow paint
• Glue
• Tissue paper or colored paper
• Optional: cotton balls for clouds or grass, hot glue (adult use only)

Instructions:

1. Tear or cut tissue paper into small pieces and glue them on as fall leaves.
2. Paint the sticks brown for the trunk and branches.
3. Arrange and glue them into a simple tree shape.

9. Handprint Pumpkin Craft

A handprint craft makes a meaningful keepsake for families while helping children practice scissor skills, tracing, and shape recognition. This is a simple fall craft with big sentimental value.

Supplies:

• Orange and green construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glue
• Optional: googly eyes, pipe cleaners for vines

Instructions:

1. Cut and glue a green stem, leaves, or curly vines from green paper or pipe cleaners.
2. Trace the child’s hand multiple times on orange paper and cut out the prints.
3. Glue them in a circular pattern to form a pumpkin shape.

10. Pipe Cleaner Apple Trees

This apple craft uses soft materials to create a 3D tree full of tiny apples. It’s a fun way to combine math, art, and sensory exploration. Children can practice counting apples, sorting by color, or even storytelling around their apple tree creations.

Supplies:

• Brown and green pipe cleaners
• Red pony beads or buttons
• Optional: playdough base to stand the trees

Instructions:

• Thread red beads onto the ends of the branches to look like apples.
• Twist brown pipe cleaners into a tree trunk and branches.
• Wrap green pipe cleaners around the branches as leaves.

11. Sunflower Seed Art

Celebrate harvest time with this nature-inspired fall preschool craft that focuses on textures and patterns. This autumn craft is not only beautiful but also helps preschoolers engage in fun fall activities that involve sorting and sensory input.

Supplies:

• Cardstock or paper plates
• Yellow tissue or construction paper for petals
• Brown paint or brown paper for the flower center
• Real or faux sunflower seeds
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Optionally, mount the artwork on a stick or hang it as a wall decoration.
2. Create a flower base with petals and a center using cut paper or paint.
3. Glue sunflower seeds in the center to mimic a real sunflower.

Enjoy Fall Crafts for Preschoolers and 5-Star Learning in Raleigh

At Primary Beginnings, our preschoolers explore fall fun through crafts, outdoor adventures, music, and seasonal learning. We believe fall crafts for preschoolers help connect creativity with cognitive development, allowing children to express themselves while developing new skills.

If you're looking for a preschool where your child can grow, explore, and learn through fall crafts, play, and discovery, contact us today to learn about our five-star early learning programs in Raleigh.

Call our North Hills Drive location at 919-785-0303, our Spring Forest location at 919-790-6888, or our Falls of Neuse location at 919-785-0303. Or fill out our online contact form to schedule your visit and learn more.