4 Nature Crafts Kids Will Love This Fall

Walnut Shell Boats

With just a few crafty items, little ones can launch their own tiny vessel across a puddle or garden stream. To make your Walnut shell boat, you’ll need half of a Walnut shell, a toothpick, construction paper or a leaf, scissors, and either clay, playdough, or a bit of beeswax (to hold the mast). Get started by making your sail first. Either cut a small triangle of construction paper (or use your leaf), fold it slightly, and poke the top of the toothpick through it twice. Place a small ball of clay, playdough, or beeswax into the Walnut. Stick the toothpick mast into it to hold it upright. Now, you’re ready to set sail!

Tip: This craft isn’t suitable for those with nut allergies, but you can try using a citrus peel instead.

Potato or Apple Stamps

Turn your fall harvest into a lovely work of art. Children love learning with their hands, and this craft brings together pattern-making, texture, quiet focus, and repetition. Bonus points if you get your Apples from a local you-pick farm! For supplies, you’ll need an Apple or Potato (cut in half), paper or fabric to stamp on, paint, and a paper plate. Adults can go the extra mile and carve a star, leaf, or heart into the Apple or Potato, too! Otherwise, just pour a small amount of paint onto the paper plate, dip the halved fruit into it, and get to stamping.

Create Fairy Dwellings

There’s something about fall that sparks one’s imagination. Building fairy houses or placing fairy doors around your neighborhood or garden is a great way to share in the season’s wonder. Small items like figurines, mini doors, wood, sticks, moss, leaves, bark, acorns, stones, and cardboard cutouts can all come together with hot glue to make a mystical dwelling. Choose a spot for your fairy door or garden, including a flower pot, porch step, base of a tree, or garden corner. Use your imagination to bring it to life; use sticks for walls, bark for roofing, and moss for carpets. Don’t forget to leave tiny notes and goodies for any visiting faeries!

Fall Treasure Jar

Consider this a nature walk in a jar. Collect the magic of fall with daily family walks, and relish in your findings all season long. All you need is a clear glass jar with a lid, plenty of hand-collected items, and (optional) a ribbon or label. With each walk, pick up little items that grab your attention, like leaves, acorns, pennies, dried flowers, or whatever autumn splendor comes your way. Decorate your jar with a label and ribbon if you’d like, and keep it on a shelf or your nature table to enjoy all fall. This simple act of collecting, noticing, and preserving helps kids build their skills in observation and honor the shifting world around them.