Fun Fall Crafts for Kids

While the weather gets colder, stay warm and cozy with these fantastic indoor crafts in fabulous fall colors. Try these with your class or with your kids at home over Thanksgiving break!

Fall Luminaries

Use these warm and inviting luminaries to decorate your classroom or let your students take them home as gifts! This craft will help younger children work on their fine motor skills, while older children will have fun using creativity to make their luminaries more elaborate.

What You Need:

Mason Jars

Mod Podge

Colored Tissue Paper

Brown Construction Paper

Paintbrush

Candles (tea candles are the perfect size!)

Wet Wipes (or wet paper towels)

1.Tear your colored tissue paper into small strips. 

2.Cut a tree shape out of brown construction paper. (You can make your tree as simple as the photo above or add more branches, etc.)

3.Using your paintbrush, coat the outside of your mason jar with mod podge. Then quickly adhere the tissue paper and the tree to the mod podge before it dries. You might want to do this part in sections since mod podge dries pretty quickly. You may want to keep wet wipes or a wet paper towel handy since the mod podge will also make your hands pretty sticky!

4.After you have attached all of your tissue paper, put a final coat of mod podge over everything.

5. Stick your candle inside the jar, light it, and turn off the lights for a fantastic fall display. You may want to use battery operated candles with young children, or you can simply forgo the candles and display your colorful mason jars without. 

Pumpkin Moon Sand

Tactile activities are great for young children, and this one smells just like pumpkin pie! Using play sand and a few ingredients from your kitchen, you can make this engaging sensory tool for hours of play!

What You Need:

Play Sand (4 Cups)

Corn Starch (2 Cups)

Water (1-3 Cups)

Pumpkin Pie Spice (1 Tsp)

Orange Food Coloring or Powdered Paint (optional)

1.Mix play sand, pumpkin pie spice, and corn starch together in a large container.

2.Add desired amount of coloring or paint.

3.Slowly mix in water until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. More water = slimier consistency. Less water = play dough consistency. 

4.Use scoopers, buckets, or hands only to play in the sand. When finished, leave your moon sand in an uncovered container to dry. (Do not seal it until it is completely dry, or there will be mold!) Once it is dry, you can seal it in a closed container or plastic bags. Just add water the next time you want to play!