Sure, winter is just around the corner, but there’s still some beautiful, vibrant color to be had out there! Now’s the time to capture some of that beauty and bring it indoors with some fun fall leaf projects you can do with your kids.
Get out with your kids and gather all kinds of foliage to work with.
Photo Credit: Cindy Nicita
The trick to making good leaf prints is to have the paint at the right consistency.
Photo Credit: Cindy Nicita
Elm leaves make lovely prints.
Photo Credit: Cindy Nicita
The final products are so pretty you might want to laminate them to use as Thanksgiving placemats.
Photo Credit: Cindy Nicita
I run a nature-based arts and crafts class for children called “Woodland Fairy School.” Recently the little nymphs and I enjoyed making some leaf prints. This is a great (and easy) opportunity to make something beautiful and teach the kids about the world that surrounds them. You don’t need a lot of supplies, just some washable paints, a soft pencil or crayons, leaves and paper (and stuff to clean up with when you’re finished).
Take your kids out on a leaf hunt to gather the leaves. Bring a basket or bag, and tell the children to search for leaves that aren’t dried up yet and have a nice shape. This is also a great time to talk about the different types of trees and how they all have different leaves. With a little instruction, you’re kids will be able to name the tree from which each leaf fell – from elms to maples!
Next, bring them inside and sort through the foliage to pick out the best leaves. This is a great time to talk about the different colors on the leaves and why they aren’t green anymore. (Here’s the skinny if you don’t know the answer yourself: Changing leaves are actually losing their chlorophyll. When a tree senses the declining temperatures that come with fall, it produces cells that close the water “tubes” that carry water through its trunk and branches. When the water supply is cut off, the tree no longer produces chlorophyll, which causes them to lose their green color. In fact, all the oranges and yellows we see in fall have been there all along – just hidden under the green.)
Next, get ready to paint. Clear an area on a table and set out some paper and washable paints. The paint consistency should be thin but still thick enough to stick to the leaf. Experiment by adding paint or water until you find that desired consistency. Then just use some paintbrushes to cover the veined side of the leaf with a thin layer of paint.
Once the leaf is painted on the one side, turn it over and press it completely on the paper. Make sure to press down all parts of the leaf, and be careful not to shift it on the paper or else the image will smear. Then slowly lift up the leaf to reveal your print. Repeat the process as many times as you’d like.
You can get creative with this little project, too. Try creating animal shapes using different leaf prints, or make a tree with them. Overlap your leaf prints using different color paints. Or frame one print with several other prints around it. Have fun and experiment – and let your kids unlock the secrets of their imagination!
Another neat project you can do with your collected leaves is making leaf rubbings.
First, select leaves with the most pronounced veining (for the best results). Next, place the leaf on the table, veined side up. Lay a piece of tracing paper or white copy paper on top of it. Then gently rub the paper over the leaf with a soft pencil or crayon until the leaf’s shape is revealed. Again, your kids can create as many designs with their rubbings as they can think up!
The best part of this entire leaf adventure is sharing time with your kids – and seeing how much they can learn while they’re having fun! So get out there before all the leaves blow away, and pick up some fall foliage. This fun will only last as long as the season!
