Fall Nature Activities for Kids

4 Easy Fall Nature Activities for Kids to Enjoy This Season

By: Knowledge Crates

Fall is the perfect season to get outside, explore nature, and enjoy some fun, creative activities with your little ones. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing, and there are so many natural treasures to discover! Here are four easy fall nature activities for kids that will get yours excited about the beauty of fall and spark their creativity!

1. Paint Your Pumpkins!

Pumpkin painting is a classic fall activity, and itโ€™s always a hit with my kiddos. Itโ€™s simple, fun, and perfect for kids of all ages. The best part? We use washable paints from our Knowledge Crates, so the fun can be repeated again and again. Plus, this way, you can wash off the paint later if you want to carve the pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns!

Pumpkin Painting Outdoor Activity

What Youโ€™ll Need:

Pumpkins (any size works, but smaller ones are easier for little hands to paint)

Washable paints

Paintbrushes

Old newspapers or a tablecloth (for easy clean-up)

Instructions:

1. Set up your painting area by spreading out some old newspapers or a plastic tablecloth. This will catch any spills and make clean-up easier. Better yet, do your activity outdoors!


2. Choose your pumpkins. Let your child pick one or two they like the mostโ€”small ones are great for little hands.


3. Let your childโ€™s creativity shine! Encourage them to use different colors, patterns, and even mix paints to see what new shades they can create. They can make their pumpkin look like anythingโ€”a rainbow, a monster, or even a polka-dotted masterpiece.


4. Once theyโ€™re done painting, let the pumpkins dry for a few hours. If they want to paint them again later, just rinse the paint off and start over. Itโ€™s the perfect way to enjoy multiple painting sessions!

Kids Pumpkin Painting Outdoor Activity

This is a wonderful activity that combines art and nature, and itโ€™s a fun way for kids to express themselves creatively. Plus, youโ€™ll end up with some adorable pumpkins to decorate your home with!

2. Funny Leaf Faces

Who doesnโ€™t love googly eyes? This activity is all about transforming ordinary leaves into funny, silly characters. Itโ€™s simple, cute, and a great way for kids to observe the variety of shapes, colors, and sizes of fall leaves.

Funny Leaf Faces Nature Craft

What Youโ€™ll Need:

Freshly fallen leaves (look for different shapes and sizes)

Googly eyes (stick-on ones work great!)

School glue

Markers

Instructions:

1. Head outside with your child to collect a variety of leaves. Look for different sizes, shapes, and colorsโ€”this is a great opportunity to talk about the changing seasons and why leaves fall.


2. Once youโ€™re back inside, spread the leaves out on a table. Pick one and stick some googly eyes onto it using school glue. Let your child decide how many eyes to addโ€”one, two, or even three for a funny twist!


3. Use markers to draw a smile, mustache, or any other facial features. You can even add little arms or legs if you want to create a whole leaf character!


4. Repeat the process with different leaves until you have a whole collection of funny leaf faces.

Kids doing Funny Leaf Faces Nature Craft

This activity is not only fun, but it also helps develop fine motor skills as kids glue on eyes and draw details. Plus, it encourages creativity as they transform their nature finds into silly characters!

3. Nature Treasure Name Collage

If youโ€™re looking for an activity that combines nature exploration, crafting, and a bit of learning, this one is perfect! A nature treasure name collage is a beautiful way for kids to explore and collect pieces of nature while practicing spelling their names. Itโ€™s a lovely keepsake and a fun way to bring nature into your home.

Nature Treasure Name Collage

What Youโ€™ll Need:

A cardboard box (or an empty Knowledge Crate box)

Scissors

Black marker

School glue

Nature treasures (like leaves, flowers, pine needles, acorns, small twigs, etc.)

Instructions:

1. Cut a rectangle from a cardboard box or an empty Knowledge Crate box. The size can vary, but it should be long enough to fit your childโ€™s name.


2. Use a black marker to write your childโ€™s name in large letters on the cardboard rectangle.


3. Go on a nature walk with your child and collect various nature treasures. Look for small, interesting items like colorful leaves, flowers, pinecones, pine needles, or acorns. Encourage your child to observe and describe each item as they collect itโ€”this is a great way to build vocabulary and observational skills!


4. Once youโ€™re back home, spread out the nature treasures on a table. Encourage your child to pull apart flowers or leaves into smaller pieces if they like.


5. Trace your childโ€™s name with glue, one letter at a time. Have your child place pieces of nature treasures along the glue to fill in each letter. Itโ€™s like creating their name using natureโ€™s โ€œpuzzle piecesโ€!


6. Let the collage dry completely. Once dry, youโ€™ll have a beautiful nature name collage thatโ€™s perfect for displaying on the fridge or hanging up in your childโ€™s room.

This activity is not only a wonderful way to connect with nature, but it also reinforces early literacy skills as kids practice forming letters and recognizing their names.

Little Girl Doing Nature Treasure Name Collage

4. Nature Treasure Pumpkin Decorating

This activity is perfect for little ones who love exploring and collecting nature treasures! Decorating pumpkins with nature finds is a creative and tactile way to bring the beauty of fall into your home. Plus, it gives kids the chance to work with different textures and shapes.

Nature Treasure Pumpkin Decorating

What Youโ€™ll Need:

Pumpkins (smooth ones work best)

Nature treasures (like acorns, small twigs, leaves, pine needles, etc.)

School glue

Paintbrush (optional, for spreading glue)

Instructions:

1. Head outside with your child to gather nature treasures. Look for small, lightweight items like leaves, pine needles, tiny flowers, or acorns. This is a great way to engage their curiosity and explore the outdoors together.


2. Once youโ€™ve collected a nice variety of materials, set up your workspace with your collected treasures and pumpkins.


3. Use school glue to create designs on the pumpkinโ€”try making a swirl, a smiley face, or even your childโ€™s initial! If your child prefers, they can also use a paintbrush to spread the glue where they want to place their treasures.


4. Have your child press the nature treasures onto the glue. Encourage them to mix and match items to create a textured, colorful look.


5. Allow the pumpkins to dry completely before handling.

Nature treasure pumpkins are a wonderful way to combine outdoor exploration and art. They make beautiful decorations for your porch or home and can be a great way for kids to express their creativity using natural materials.

Kids collecting nature treasures

Time to Enjoy These Fall Nature Activities for Kids!

Happy fall, nature explorers! I hope these activities inspire you and your little ones to get outside and make the most of this beautiful season. Whether youโ€™re painting pumpkins, creating silly leaf faces, or crafting name collages from nature treasures, these moments will be ones you cherish. Letโ€™s embrace the magic of fall together!

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