Peanut butter and jelly are a classic childhood food pairing. However, in the fall, my kids prefer pairing peanut butter with pinecones and inviting the squirrels and birds to a feast. When the weather turns cooler, we gather pinecones, roll them in peanut butter and birdseed, and then hang them around the back yard as an edible art show.
As moms, this time of year offers us an abundance of craft ideas to do with our little pumpkins…and all those cute little pumpkins at the patch, too! Harvest your child’s creativity with these 12 art activities for preschoolers for fall.
A Crop of Ideas Using, Well, Fall Crops
1. Pumpkin Patch Picasso – Grab a small pumpkin, some paints or stickers, and let your little one decorate. This is one of those art activities for preschoolers for fall that makes a great playdate idea, too.
2. An Apple-solutely Sweet Print – If apple picking is one of your family fall traditions, save one or two of those Crimson Crisps for this idea. Cut an apple in half at the core. Lead your child to dip each half in washable paint and press the apple-shaped stamp down onto thick paper or a canvas. Make more “stamps” with other fruits and vegetables traditionally harvested in the fall, such as potatoes, carrots, and celery.
3. Let the Good Times (or Corn on the Cob) Roll – Turn corn into a paint roller! Give your child an uncooked corn on the cob and invite her to roll it in paint. Then, let her roll the cob on a canvas. You can also cut the corncob in half and invite your child to use it like a paintbrush. It’s large enough for even a young toddler to grip and practice using those fine motor skills as she presses the end into paint and onto paper.
Just Gonna Leaf These Here
4. Let Fall Rub Off on You – Create a leaf rubbing using fall foliage. Place a leaf under a piece of white paper. Ask your child to gently rub a crayon on the paper to reveal the leaf pattern. Try it with different leaves and colors.
5. An Artful Hunt – Go on a Fall Scavenger Hunt and collect colorful leaves, sticks, pinecones, acorns, and other 
treasures your child finds to pocket along the way. Then use everything to make a nature collage together. Snap a photo to capture your creation. Or grab a plate and let your child pretend to be a chef, creating a culinary masterpiece from your scavenger hunt. Snap a photo like the influencer you are!
6. The Crown Glory – Collect leaves, twigs, fall wildflowers, and other natural finds to create whimsical fall crowns for your little prince or princess.
7. The Eyes Have It – Googly eyes just make everything better. Take orange, yellow, red, or brown construction paper and cut out large leaf shapes. Then use crayons and googly eyes to make leaf people. Glue on a craft stick and let the pretend play begin!
Hands Down Favorite Art Activities for Preschoolers for Fall
8. Your Child’s Handiwork – Using a fall leaf-colored paint, paint your child’s hand. Then, lead her to press her full hand on paper to create a handprint leaf. You can also use our L VE YOU printable to create a fall-themed version for your home.
9. Take a Dip into the Season – On a piece of thick paper, draw the outline of a tree trunk and branches. Then, let your
child dip his finger in red, yellow, and orange paint before dabbing it on the tree limbs to create fall leaves. Instead of fingertips, you can also use cotton swabs or the eraser end of an unsharpened pencil.
10. A Trace of Fall – Trace your child’s handprint on red, yellow, and orange construction paper. Cut out the handprint “leaves.” Then, help your child glue the “leaves” on a paper plate to create a colorful fall leaf wreath. (Then try saying “Fall Leaf Wreath” five times fast for some added good times.)
You’ve Got This in the Bag
11. Puppet People – Using a small, lunch-sized paper bag, create scarecrow puppets. You’ll need crayons, stickers, and googly eyes, of course. Instead of scarecrows, you could create pumpkin puppets instead.
12. It’s the Great (Paper Bag) Pumpkin – Stuff a paper bag with crumpled newspaper or recycled mail. With the full bag, create a round shape. Then, ask your child to color or paint the bag orange. Paint on a green leaf or two at the top, or add some black cutouts for a jack-o-lantern effect. Try using bags of different sizes and create a pumpkin family!
And, hey, art activities for preschoolers for fall don’t need to involve lots of materials. Print these fall coloring pages, grab the crayons, and let your child create a masterpiece in the back seat while you drive around looking at the foliage together. You can even see when the trees will peak in your area.
Which art activities for preschoolers for fall do you love to create with your little one?
