I love crafts that use items you collect from around the
house or yard. I'm known for asking family and friends
to save things for the kids and I to use! Here are a
couple of easy Autumn crafts:
A Pumpkin Patch
Each child will need:
one clean foam tray from meat packages, produce etc.
shredded green paper
orange pom poms
wiggle eyes
chenille stems in green or black
Green paint-any type of paint will do
craft or Elmer's glue
Brush a layer of glue on the foam tray and press on the
paper shreds. (if you didn't have green paper to shred,
you could use white or other colors and then spray paint
it green or use leftover Easter grass-an even simpler idea
is to just paint the foam green and forget the paper.) After
you've created your "pumpkin field", then glue the pom
poms down where desired on the foam tray. Allow them to
dry. Next decorate the pumpkins with tiny wiggle eyes
and cut the chenille stems to glue on the top for stems.
Get creative and let the kids draw a mini scarecrow on heavy
paper, cut him out, and glue to their "pumpkin field".
This is a great craft for classrooms, groups or fall parties.
An Autumn Mobile
You'll need:
one paper plate for each child
an extra paper plate for the paint
paint brushes
kitchen sponges cut thirds or fourths
brown, green and orange paint
yarn, raffia or ribbon in autumn colors
artificial or real colored leaves
Optional: acorns, tiny pinecones or other seedpods
Fold the paper plate in half and staple a few times along
the edge. Paint the plate brown on both sides and allow
it to dry. Place a small dab of orange and green paint on
another paper plate. Take a piece of sponge and dip in one
of the colors, then lightly dab it around the 1/2 paper plate
you painted earlier. You want all three colors to show, so
don't make the sponging too heavy.
After your base is painted and dried, punch four holes
in the straight part of the paper plate-so the top of your
mobile will be the rounded edge of the plate,and the
bottom is straight. Make sure the holes are spaced
evenly. (great chance to let the kids use a ruler!) Now
punch one hole directly in the middle of the top of the
plate-this you will tie a string to for hanging when you
are finished. Cut pieces of yarn, raffia or ribbon (we
used raffia) the same size-length can be 6-12 inches or
so. This part you can vary by threading 3 or 4 pieces
through each hole and let them dangle, OR glue acorns,
seed pods or a leaves on the end of the raffia, and let
that hang down.
FINISHING: Glue real or fake leaves to the plate. You
can make a collage, cover the entire plate or glue them
to the edge. This looks neat in a window, so do both sides.
Hang by threading a piece of ribbon or raffia through that top
hole you made. You can really vary this craft and allow the
kids to get creative. It's really a special craft if you plan a trip
to the park and let them gather their items, then come home
and make the craft.
About the Author:
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three, a freelance writer and
owner of OldFashionedLiving.com.
