Ingredients
- 13 sheets of 8.5-by-11-inch white or light-colored paper
- 6 sheets of 9-by-12-inch construction paper in fall colors
- 1 sheet of 12-by-18-inch brown kraft paper
- 1 box of 24 washable crayons
- 1 set of 6 washable tempera paints, 2 fluid ounces per color
- 3 paintbrushes, 1/2 inch wide
- 1 bottle of washable school glue, 4 fluid ounces
- 1 glue stick, 0.74 ounces
- 1 roll of painter’s tape, 3/4 inch wide
- 1 pair of child-safe scissors
- 1 pair of adult scissors
- 1 package of 12-inch wooden craft sticks
- 1 ball of cotton twine, 10 feet
- 1 pack of 12 self-adhesive foam shapes
- 1 package of 20 small paper cups or recycled yogurt cups
- 1 sheet of 12-by-18-inch clear contact paper
- 1 clean glass jar, 12 fluid ounces
- 12 dry leaves, assorted sizes and colors
- 6 pinecones, 2 to 4 inches long
- 12 acorns or large acorn caps
- 1 cup of small natural pieces such as seed pods, twigs, or dried grass
- 1 washable tablecloth or drop cloth, 3 by 5 feet
- 1 box of paper towels
- 1 package of child-size smocks or 2 old adult shirts
Instructions
- Cover the table with a drop cloth.
- Set out the tablecloth, paper towels, smocks, and all thirteen activity areas.
- Keep the natural pieces in shallow cups for easy selection.
- Begin with leaf rubbings by placing a dry leaf vein-side up under a sheet of paper, holding it with painter’s tape, and rubbing with a crayon.
- Paint leaves with thin layers of washable tempera.
- Make paper pumpkins by cutting orange paper into circles, folding them, and gluing them together at the center.
- Create pinecone creatures using paper eyes, foam shapes, and scraps of construction paper with a dot of glue.
- Build a nature collage on brown kraft paper, arranging leaves and twigs without glue before securing them.
- Cut leaf shapes from construction paper for the gratitude tree; draw a trunk on brown paper.
- Make pumpkin stamps with paper cups dipped in orange paint.
- Prepare a leaf mobile by taping twigs to a longer craft stick and attaching leaves with twine.
- Decorate the glass jar with tissue paper or small paper leaves using school glue.
- Make an autumn crown from brown kraft paper, securing it with painter’s tape and adding paper leaves.
- Allow painted and glued items to dry properly.
Notes
Kids should be supervised, especially around small objects that pose choking hazards.
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
