25 Fall Crafts & Activities For Kids (2023)
Looking for some fall crafts and activities for kids?
If you are looking for a wide variety of ideas to do with your kids this fall, you have come to the right place! In this article, you will find 25 fall craft and activity ideas your kids will LOVE!
There are also lots of FREEBIE worksheets inside this article, so make sure to go through the entire thing to check out all the printables available.
Let’s get started!
Category #1: Learning Activities
Creating fall learning activities will get your child excited for the season! They will also be more engaged when doing the learning activities if they are interested in what you have planned for them.
Below you will see play-based learning strategies as well as worksheet activities that will help your child learn and practice their skills.
Activity #1: Apple Pattern Stamping
Using apples is perfect for a fall craft for kids!
The kids get to learn about patterns, use a different method to paint, and use googly eyes! Yes, the googly eyes are the best part :).
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Apples
- a knife
- washable paint
- glue
- googly eyes
- and easel paper
B. Set-up
Cut the apples in half for the kids to use. Make sure it’s smooth, so the stamps turn out good on paper.
C. Activity
Start by creating a pattern on the paper. The kids should continue the pattern by dipping the apple in the paint. In the end, let the kids add googly eyes to each of the apples! They can glue them on, or if the paint is wet, they can stick them on the paint!
Activity #2: Color Sorting Trees
A snack and a fun fall learning activity? Sign me up!
This color sorting apple tree activity will be an instant hit with your kids because you will have Fruit Loops!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Cardstock paper
- construction paper
- Fruit Loops
- small bowls
- glue.
B. Set-up
Create treetops on cardstock paper and trunks using brown construction paper. You can glue the tops and bottoms together! While you are doing that, have the kids separate the Fruit Loops by color.
C. Activity
Have the kids sort the Fruit Loops by color on the trees. They should create dots of glue on the tree then place the Fruit Loops on each dot they made to look like apple trees!
Activity #3: Apple Learning Packet
I have a bunch of fall activities for kids in this one interactive learning packet!
Included in this packet are counting, alphabet, writing, simple math facts, parts of an apple, handwriting, sight word practice, and more!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
CLICK HERE FOR THE APPLE LEARNING PACKET
2. Set-up
Print off my worksheets and gather the materials!
C. Activity
Work on as many activities that you want to at a time. When it comes to worksheets, I don’t want to do too many at a time. I would focus on one activity or skill at a time. Then, the next day, you can work on another skill.
RELATED: Teaching Resources
Activity #4: Apple Math Tree
This apple math activity is PERFECT for hands-on learners. I love the different manipulatives that can be used with this apple tree activity.
This is a FREEBIE printable that is a perfect fall activity for kids.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- pom poms
- apple mini erasers
- play-doh
- dry erase folders
- FREE apple tree printable
B. Set-up
Print off my printable and place the sheet into the dry erase folder.
C. Activity
Have your counting objects ready! Write a number in the apple using a dry erase marker.
Your little ones can place the number of items on the tree! Erase the number, clear the board and play again!
RELATED: How to Teach Your Toddler NumbersÂ
Activity #5: Apple Seed Puzzles
This apple seed activity is a fun math craft for fall!
I love hands-on learning activities like this! It’s a great way to work on number recognition and counting skills.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- cardboard
- acrylic paint
- paint brushes
- black beans
- glue
- box cutter
- marker
B. Set-up
Draw some apple shapes on cardboard, cut them out using a box cutter, and paint them red, green and yellow.
After they dry, use a box cutter to cut each apple in the middle.
C. Activity
Write a number on one side of the apple. Have the kids identify that number, then glue the number of black beans on the other side.
Then, mix up the pieces and see if they can match up the number with the correct amount of black beans!
Activity #6: Letter Leaf Matching
This fall activity for kids is super easy and it works on both upper and lower case letter recognition skills.
Learning how to identify the matches between upper and lower case letters is a skill that I have been working on with my 3-year-old. This is a fun way to practice this skill!
How to do this activity
1. Materials you need
B. Set-up
Cut each foam leaf in half. You can do a straight line, zig-zags, or curvy lines when you cut. Then, write an upper case and lower case letter on each half.
C. Activity
Mix up the leaves for your kids to search through and match up! Depending on how old your kids are, you can set a few in front of them to help narrow it down or you can give them all of them to see if they can figure it out!
RELATED: Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers
Activity #7: Fall Learning Book
This fall learning activity book is just perfect for the season.
In this activity book, your little ones can work on the following skills: alphabet matching, colors, shapes, patterns, beginning sounds, counting, and numbers.
Check out what is in the entire activity book by checking out this video!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- My Fall Activity Book
- a 1″ binder
- sheet protectors
- scissors
- velcro circles
- ziplock bags
- laminator (unless you want to get it laminated)
- laminating sheets.
Click HERE to grab your Fall Learning Book.
B. Set-up
This does take some set-up but believe me, it’s well worth it! Laminate only the sheets that need it (these are the pieces). The other main sheets can go in sheet protectors inside the binder. Cut out the pieces once laminated. If it’s an activity that would need velcro circles, you can add those on there and on the binder so they will stick together.
C. Activity
Your little one can complete the activities over and over again! This is a great way to practice new skills as well as work on recognition!
I just bought this laminator for my house! I love having my own laminator because I can laminate all the activity sheets that I want to do repeatedly. It saves so much on ink and paper.
RELATED: ABCDeeLearning’s Teachers Pay Teachers Store
Activity #8: DIY Tactile Boards
Recycle and play activities are really fun to do! I love using my creativity to jazz up a piece of cardboard or a TP roll.
This fall activity for kids is a great way to work on number recognition and fine motor skills!
These tactile boards are excellent for tactile learners. Tactile learners learn best by having hands-on experiences when learning.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Cardboard
- clothespins
- Sharpie
- pipe cleaners
- fall confetti
- fake or real leaves
- mini erasers
- pom-poms
B. Set-up:
Cut the cardboard into square pieces. Write numbers at the bottom of each board that you want your child to choose from. Put together how many of each object that you want to at the top of the board.
C. Activity:
Your child will touch and count each of the objects on the board and then determine what number they need to move the clothespin to at the bottom of each board. This is an excellent fine motor activity! If you don’t have a hands-on learner, have them use subitizing skills to figure out the answer instead!
*Subitizing is the ability to tell how many objects are in a group without needing to count them.*
RELATED: Simple Number Recognition for Kids
Activity #9: Apple Letter+ Number Matching
Dot stickers are one of my go-to’s when it supplies to have on hand!
This fall activity is a fun way for kids to practice numbers and letters in an EASY way!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- My FREE apple matching printables
- dot stickers
- do-a-dot markers.
Click HERE to grab your FREE Learning Matching Apples Printable
I am a BIG fan of Do-A-Dot markers. You can do this activity with these as well, but you would just need to say a letter or number for the kids to find and they would use the dotters that way!
B. Set-up
Print off the worksheets! If you are using dot stickers, write the letters and numbers on the stickers to match along with the ones I have on the sheets.
Have your children work on upper to lower case matching with this activity by creating lower case letters on the dot stickers instead of upper case.
C. Activity
The kids will match the dot stickers to the letters and numbers!
RELATED: My 10 Favorite Learning Supplies
Activity #10: Popsicle Stick Fall Shapes
I have done this popsicle puzzle a few different times for different reasons and each time, it’s been a HUGE hit.
This time around, I created fall shapes on the stickers and numbers each one. This way we worked on number recognition, number order, and creating shapes!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Popsicle sticks
- markers.
B. Set-up
On several popsicle sticks, create fall shapes as you see above. On each stick, write a number at the bottom so the kids can figure out where each stick should go for the puzzle!
C. Activity
Mix the popsicle sticks so they are not all together. Your little one will put the popsicle sticks together to create each fall shape! Using the numbers to guide them, they can figure out which one should go where for each object!
Younger ones can just have one puzzle in front of them. Challenge older children by putting them all mixed up together so they can look through and determine which ones should be together!Â
Category #2: Fall Play Ideas
These fall play ideas will be SO much fun for you to set-up for your little ones! Kids get to use their creativity, play and learn, and try new things!
Plus, these activities are simple to set up and actually do, which I always appreciate easy activities.
Activity #11: Coffee Filter Leaves
I’ll be honest, I didn’t think this activity was going to be as cool as it was. Also, it doesn’t look that amazing until after the leaves dry.
Leaves are the perfect fall craft for kids to create! They will have a blast just scribbling on filters.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Coffee filters
- markers
- scissors
- a pencil
- FREE leaf template (optional)
- spray bottle
- art trays
CLICK HERE for your FREE Coffee Filter Leaf Template
B. Set-up
Scribble on the coffee filters using markers! Then, use a squirt bottle of water to wet the filter (place on an art tray for easy clean up).
C. Activity
Use my free template to trace leaf shapes on the filters when they are dry. Then, cut them out! You can even use these as decor around the house for the fall!
RELATED: How to Teach Toddlers Colors
Activity #12: Corn Sensory Activity
Corn pits define the fall season, am I right? Here’s a way you can bring this fall activity for kids to your house!
Every time we head to the pumpkin patch, apple picking events, or fall parties, corn pits are ALWAYS involved because kids just flock to them.
Corn is an excellent sensory bin filler. I had to create a fall sensory bin for my kids using some great finds from Hobby Lobby that I picked up.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- corn kernels
- measuring cups
- funnels
- fall-themed accessories (straw hats, gems, tractors, pinecones, fake pumpkins/gourds).
B. Set-up
Dump the corn into a sensory bin and add in the objects you chose to use!
C. Activity
Let the kids play! The AMAZING part about sensory play is that the kids just go to town playing with them. The measuring cups can be used for scooping and pouring. The funnels can be used for playing! They will spend so much time playing and creating with this bin.
RELATED: 40 Sensory Bins for Kids
Activity #13: Fall Scavenger Hunt
The best fall activity for kids is to go outside and enjoy the weather! This printable is a fun activity for your kids to explore the outdoors!
My kids have always been entertained by scavenger hunts. They really get into checking off the boxes of the items that they find.
To find these items, you can look around your home or you may need to go on a walk. This can also be used as an ongoing activity whenever you head out!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- My FREE Fall Scavenger Hunt worksheets
- clipboard
- pencil
Click HERE for your FREE Fall Scavenger Hunt Printables
B. Set-up
Print off the worksheets and get them ready on the clipboards!
C. Activity
Get outside and have the kids start searching for the items on the list. They will put a checkmark or an X on the objects that they find!
RELATED: 50 Useful Homeschool Supplies
Activity #14: Paper Plate Apple Craft
Paper plate crafts are simple and fun to do! I always appreciate an easy craft to pull off with the kids.
Apple crafts are perfect as a fall activity for kids!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Paper plates
- construction paper
- scissors
- glue
B. Set-up
You can either cut pieces of construction paper into squares or you can have the kids rip the pieces as well. Either way works :).
C. Activity
Flip the paper plate over and have them start creating their apple with the pieces of construction paper. They can use glue to paste the pieces anywhere on the plate. We tried to cover as much of the plate as we could. In the end, we added a stem and leaf as well!
To extend the learning for this, you can also talk about the part of an apple!
Activity #15: Apple Washing Sensory
Have you ever tried a washing sensory bin with your kids? I have done several of them now and they always entertain the kids for a long time!
This is important because sometimes activities don’t hold their attention for too long, but these washing bins keep them engaged.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- A sensory bin
- water
- apples
- a hand towel
- and clean brushes/toothbrushes.
My sensory table is from IKEA, it’s the FLISAT table
B. Set-up
In the sensory bin, add a bunch of water. I recommend doing this activity outdoors so water doesn’t get everywhere on your floor.
C. Activity
The kids will take the apples and clean them with toothbrushes or clean brushes. They will scrub them all over. This is also an important lesson to talk about why we wash fruits. Once they are done with an apple, put it to the side and they can work on drying them at the end.
Activity #16: Fall Leaf Sweep
Looking for a rainy day fall activity for your kids?
Indoor fall leaf sweeping is a blast and it will get your kids pumped up for raking leaves outdoors!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- fake leaves
- toy broom/rake
- painter’s tape
B. Set-up
Spread out the leaves all over the floor. If you choose to use painter’s tape, you can create a square on the floor for your child to sweep the leaves into.
C. Activity
Your little one will sweep/rake the leaves into a pile! Once they get all the leaves inside the square or in a pile, they can throw them up and spread them out again! This activity can be done repeatedly.
Activity #17: Thankful Turkey
When it’s near Thanksgiving time, I always make sure to talk about what we are blessed with and thankful for with my children.
I want them to understand that we are lucky to have a roof over our heads, food to eat, fantastic family members and so much more.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- My FREE Thankful Turkey worksheet
- crayons
- Sharpie
Click HERE for your FREE Thankful Turkey Download
B. Set-up
Print off the worksheet and get your materials ready.
C. Activity
Discuss with your children what it means to be thankful for something. Then, have a conversation about what they are thankful for. If they are struggling with this, give them a few examples then see what they can come up with on their own.
They can write what they are thankful for on the feathers. If they can’t write yet, you can do this part for them!
RELATED: Thanksgiving Activities for KidsÂ
Activity #18: Apple Graphing
Do you love going apple picking? It’s one of our favorite fall activities to do as a family!
This apple graph is a perfect introduction to how graphs work for your kiddos. You don’t have to go apple picking to do this activity. I just like to do this one after we go back we get a CRAZY amount of different colored apples, so it works out well!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
Apple Learning Packet
21 pages of apple-themed learning activities!
B. Set-up
Print off the graph and get your materials ready.
C. Activity
Dump out the apples on the table. Have your kids separate the apples by colors in small groups. They should count out how many of each color there are. Then, they will color in that amount on the graph!
RELATED: ABCDeeLearning’s TpT Store
Activity #19: Leaf Sensory Painting
Looking for a fall activity for kids that is mess-free? Yup- that’s a thing.
Mess-free sensory activities are really great for even younger toddlers to do because they can’t eat the paint!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- My FREE leaf templates
- black cardstock paper
- paint
- scissors
- a pencil
- ziplock bag (gallon or quart)
Click HERE for your Leaf Templates Download
B. Set-up
Cut the piece of cardstock in half. Then, cut out the leaf printable, and trace it with a pencil on black cardstock paper. Poke a hole in the middle of the leaf with a pencil, then cut the middle out!
In the ziplock bag, dump some paint inside. You can mix colors or keep it the same! Place it underneath the black leaf cut-out. Place painter’s tape on top of the paper to hold down!
C. Activity
Have your little one squish the paint and move it all around to cover the entire leaf cut-out. They can mix the colors together as well! It’s such a great sensory activity and it looks so pretty when it’s done!
Activity #20: Turkey Donuts
This fall snack activity for kids couldn’t be any cuter!
our kids will LOVE putting this together. Then, they most likely will try to get a donut or two out of the deal.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Small glazed donuts
- toothpicks
- Fruit Loops
- candy eyes
B. Set-up
Set up all of the materials you need in a tray. I love these plastic vegetable trays to help the organization!
C. Activity
Stick several toothpicks at the back of the donut. Your little ones will put the colored beads on the toothpicks. You can have them sort by color or just let them play and do multi-colored beads. Use a little frosting on the back of the candy eyes so they will stick to the donut and place it on the front!
Activity #21: Pumpkin Counting Puzzles
I am a really big fan of hands-on learning activities! Activities like these are the best for kids to learn.
They get to work on number recognition and counting skills with this fun snack activity!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- cardboard/paper
- acrylic paint
- box cutter
- pumpkin seeds
- glue
B. Set-up
Draw a pumpkin shape on cardboard or paper! If using cardboard, you can paint it using acrylic paint. If using colored paper, you can just cut it out using scissors.
Cut the pumpkin in half and write a number on one half of it.
C. Activity
Have the kids identify the number you wrote then count out how many seeds they should glue on the other side to match!
Then, mix up the pieces to see if they can connect the two that match to put the pumpkins back together!
Activity #22: Pumpkin Learning Activity Pack
When you add pumpkins onto a worksheet, it instantly becomes “cool” for kids to do.
When I create my worksheets, I try to make them as appealing as I can for kids to do! I LOVE creating these fun resources for your kids. I try to make them as interactive and jam-packed with learning as I can.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
Click HERE to grab your Pumpkin Learning Packet
Included in this learning pack are 14 pages of the lifecycle of a pumpkin, parts of a pumpkin activity, color by number, alphabet upper and lower case matching, pumpkin shape count, and alphabet writing activity.
B. Set-up
Print off the pages and get your materials ready!
3. Activity
Choose one or two worksheets to do with the kids each day. Unless they are having SO much fun and want to keep doing them. Depending on the activity you choose for the day, that’ll depend on what supplies you need.
Interested in some other learning resources for fall time?
My friend Jessica at The Primary Parade has some pretty awesome fall-themed learning resources as well.
How cute is this pumpkin seed subitizing activity? This is a FUN and FESTIVE way to work on the skill of subitizing. I love the little black seeds she used as well as manipulatives for the kids the use. Check out her website and resources here!
Activity #23: Alphabet Freeze Game!
I like to get my kids moving with they learn! They like these activities more and they are always more willing to keep doing the activity for longer periods of time if they are active.
This simple set-up is perfect for practicing the alphabet/phonics!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- Foam pumpkins
- Sharpie
B. Set-up
Write the letters of the alphabet on the foam pumpkins and place them in a circle formation on the floor.
C. Activity
Play some Halloween music while they are playing this game! When the music starts, have your kids start walking around the circle. When the music stops, have them stop on the pumpkin they are nearest to. Have them say the letter. For older kids, you can ask them the letter, what sound it makes, and also to come up with a word beginning with that letter.
My daughter even came up with Halloween-themed items for each letter, which I thought was so creative of her!
Want to extend the learning a bit more? You can have your kids find the letters of their name and put those pumpkins together to spell their name. Also, you work on word-building skills with kindergarten and up!
RELATED: Kindergarten Activities for KidsÂ
Activity #24: Pumpkin Fizz Science Experiment
STEM activities involve the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and/or math. They are fantastic activities to teach problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
This pumpkin fizzing activity is a science experiment involving the use of baking soda and vinegar. Kids can get hands-on experience with a chemical reaction when using these ingredients.
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- baking soda
- orange food coloring/liquid watercolors
- small Halloween objects
- green pipe cleaners
- vinegar
- art tray
B. Set-up
In a bowl, mix 2 cups of baking soda, a few drops of orange liquid watercolors, and 2/3 cup of water. Mix together until it becomes like a paste. Gather a little ball together and place a small Halloween object inside, then cover it up! Cut a green pipe cleaner to look like a stem and place on top.
Let these dry for 24 hours!
C. Activity
Drizzle dish soap on a plastic art tray. In squeeze bottles, add some vinegar inside. Have the kids squirt the pumpkins with the vinegar and they will be able to find the hidden Halloween objects through the fizz!
Activity #25: Magic Pumpkin Experiment
This is like the classic experiment with Skittles to make a rainbow in the middle!
I put a different spin on it to create a pumpkin! The kids were amazed to see the results. It’s so neat to watch the colors come to the middle!
How to do this activity
A. Materials you need
- A plate
- orange and green Skittles
- and water
B. Set-up
On a plate, create a pumpkin shape with the Skittles.
C. Activity
Pour warm water on the Skittles and watch the colors slowly start to move towards the middle to create a pumpkin!
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Wow, that was a lot of activities! I will say that I loved doing ALL these activities with my kids. They were so much fun to do.
I hope you get a chance to do some of these festive activities with your kids. Grab some of the worksheets to get some learning in as well!
Do you have a favorite fall activity for kids? I’d love to hear from you! Please let our community know about what you love to do with your kids during the fall season. I always love hearing about new ideas.
Happy Learning!
