The sky is blue, the breeze cools, and the leaves drop from the trees. This is the perfect weather to take your autumn-inspired crafts outside. We’ve collected 10 great nature-based arts & crafts ideas that your children can enjoy this fall, including leaf turkeys and fun pumpkin art.

Wreaths made of twigs and Leaf Leaves

Bright oranges, yellows, and reds are all falling from the trees. Who can resist gathering them up for a craft project? You can display leaf and twig wreaths on your front door until Thanksgiving. Make this wreath with your children by getting them to gather the best leaves. Then attach them to a twig wreath that you bought at the store using a hot glue gun. Or create your twig wreath by using a wire coat hanger, florist wrap, and a wire coat hanger. This simple and fun way to add crafty color to your day.

Leaf Turkeys

Everyone knows how much fun it is to create DIY turkeys. Children trace the outline of their hands onto paper and then make turkeys from leaves. Make leaf turkeys using maple leaves. Glue the leaves onto construction paper. Then, please have your children decorate their turkeys with feathers (chestnut, alder, or pebble feathers) and other natural decorations.

Pinecone Bird Feeders

The winter is coming soon for migrating birds, but even those feathered friends who can withstand the colder months are getting ready. With your children, create pinecone bird feeders to help your backyard birds increase their energy reserves. Then, have your children collect pinecones from the yard. Next, tie a string around each pinecone and roll them in peanut butter, oats, or cornmeal. Working with your fingers to evenly spread the peanut butter mixture around the pinecone may be necessary. Once the peanut butter mixture is evenly distributed, coat the whole thing with birdseed. Enjoy watching the birds eat your creation.

Hay Scarecrows

Because scarecrows can be functional and fun, they make a great autumn art project. Make scarecrows with your children using sticks and hay. Then let them decorate their scarecrows with the clothes they have outgrown. Once the scarecrows have been completed, please place them in the garden’s autumn garden to keep deer and birds away.

Pumpkin Art

Carving pumpkins is a right of passage. But who said there was only one way to create art with pumpkins. Allow your children to be creative and not carve. Get out all their art supplies, and let them decorate their pumpkin with paint, glitter glue, pipe cutters and pipe cleaners. Your uncarved pumpkin can be displayed indoors or outdoors until Halloween.

Crafting with Corn

Late summer corn harvests are delicious and fun to craft with. You can help your children create corn crafts by taking out the kernels from the corn ears and letting them paint each one in fall colors such as orange, burgundy, and gold. Use glue sticks and construction papers to help your children create imaginative images from the corn kernels. The design possibilities are limitless.

Gourd Birdhouse

Bottle gourds are harvested in autumn and dried to make the perfect birdhouse. Start by drilling a 2-inch hole into the gourd. Next, remove any pulp or seeds. Next, clean and paint the exterior of the gourd with an exterior paint. After the paint has dried you can give the craft to your children and let them paint over the original paint base. Drill a few quarter-inch holes in the bottom and at the top to allow you to string a leather strap. The birdhouse can be hung from a tree so that the entire family can see it and wait for them to move in.

Tree Decoration

Let your children put a “coat on” their tree to celebrate the season. You can go to the craft shop to pick up yarn or ribbon in seasonal colours. Then, let your children wrap the trunk of your tree with the materials to create a “coat” to keep it warm during winter. You can decorate small branches with thread or pipe cleaner, but make sure the tree is not disturbed and that it is kept in a gentle wrap.

Acorn Necklaces

Make fun and unique acorn necklaces together with your children. To make the necklace, you will need to drill a hole in the cap of each acorn. Next, string or thread a piece of yarn through the hole. Then, pass the necklace to your children and let them decorate it with glitter and paint.

Birdbaths made from recycled materials

Birdbaths are essential at any time of the year but especially during winter when birds may have difficulty finding water. Make it a family tradition to make birdbaths each autumn using materials found around the house. These can be made from plastic milk cartons, trays that catch water from flowerpots, or any other material that is appealing to birds. Your children can decorate the birdbaths using natural materials. Then, place them in your yard and fill them with water throughout the winter and fall.