Fun Crafts with Leaves and Sticks for Kids to Try Today

As you head out on your fall nature walk, gather some supplies to make a few of these crafts with leaves and sticks. Crafting with nature is so much fun!

Add one or more of these craft ideas to your autumn preschool activities. Your kids will love trying new craft skills and then displaying their work for the season.

Whether they’re painting with nature or learning to weave, preschoolers will be excited to turn an ordinary leaf or stick into their very own work of art.

Crafts with Leaves and Sticks

Ready to turn nature into art? These fun and easy crafts use simple things like leaves and sticks, perfect for little hands and big imaginations!

Whether you collected them from your backyard or during a nature walk, these treasures from outside can be turned into something truly special. Let’s take a look at some super creative ideas you and your kids will love!

Stick Man Small World Tuff Spot

You can make a cozy little world by gathering sticks, pine cones, and leaves on a nature walk. Then, help your child build a “Stick Man” scene in a tray or play spot. They can retell the story and make up new adventures while arranging their treasures.

Summer Twig Craft for Kids

This summertime twig craft encourages quality time with little ones and lets their creativity bloom with nature’s treasures. Gather twigs and pretty bits, then help your child whip up a fun summer-themed decoration, maybe for the porch or their room.

Forest Wreath – Mosswood Connections

Gather sticks on a nature walk and glue them in a circle to make a “forest wreath.” While picking and arranging the sticks, children build strength, pattern skills, and even early drawing abilities. It’s a crafty way to mix fine motor play with a bit of nature learning.

Stick Owl Craft for Kids

Collect sticks, leaves, and small rocks during a nature walk, then help your child glue them onto cardboard to make a cute owl shape. They can add leaves for wings, rocks for eyes, and a stick for a beak. It’s a fun way to talk about nature while creating a cozy woodland friend.

Make your own Nature Paint Brushes – Nature art painting for kids

Cut some sticks and then attach bits of leaves, grass, or flowers to the ends. Dip them in paint and let your child make creative brush strokes on paper or outdoor rocks using their special nature tools.

Unique Art Project for Kids: Use Sticks as Your Canvas

Help your child collect sticks on a nature walk, you’ll use them as a canvas for art. They can try drawing or painting right onto the sticks and watch how the artwork wraps around the natural shape. It’s a fun way to blend the outdoors with imaginative play.

Autumn Leaf People. Autumn Kid’s Craft

Find colorful autumn leaves on a nature walk, then help your child stick them to a small paper tube or cardboard roll. Add little buttons, pom-poms, or jewels to make a cheerful leaf person that can stand up. It’s a fun way to use leaves from outside and talk about making friends from nature.

Fall Leaf Sun Catchers: A Fun & Easy Fall Activity for Kids

Let your child press colorful fall leaves onto sticky contact paper and then seal them in place to make bright window hangers. Tape their leaf sun catcher in a sunny spot and watch as the light shines through all the beautiful colors. It’s a classy way to celebrate autumn with a fun art activity.

Stick Pyramid – Nature Craft for Kids

Gather twigs and sticks on a nature walk, then help your child glue them onto a cardboard frame to build a small pyramid shape. You can add paint to bring the pyramid to life, and tuck a safe, flameless candle inside to make a cozy lantern. It’s a fun way to mix lessons about shapes, history, and nature play.

Nature Weaving Art Project – Mosswood Connections

Take some sticks and twine to make a square or “Y” shaped loom, then gather leaves, flowers, grasses, and little twigs outside. Your child can weave their treasures through the strings and watch as the design fills the frame, this helps with hand–eye coordination and early reading skills in a sneaky, fun way.

Winter Tree Craft for Kids Using Yarn Wrapped Sticks

Help your child wrap colorful yarn around grouped sticks to make a little tree shape. They can add more yarn or stick a paper star on top once it's done. It’s a cozy way to practice fine motor skills while making a sweet winter decoration

Autumn STEAM: tracing the veins of a leaf – Go Science Kids

Go outside and find a pretty leaf, ask your child to look closely at the lines on it. Those lines are called “veins,” and they carry water and food all through the leaf. Let them trace or paint over those veins to see how nature’s own pattern helps trees grow and stay strong.

Stick People Community – Danya Banya

Find sticks outside and gather a few scraps fabrics, wool, googly eyes, and glue. Help your child wrap the stick with wool for hair, stick on fabric for clothes, and add eyes and a happy smile. They can make a whole stick‑people family or community and then use them for pretend play.

Clay face sculptures forest school craft – NurtureStore

Take a bit of natural clay and press it onto a tree trunk to make a funny or friendly face. Add sticks, leaves, pine cones, or bark bits to give your clay face hair, eyes, or a nose. This craft mixes sensory play, talking about textures, and a sweet little forest art moment.

Squirrel Leaf Collage Tutorial with Template | Blissful Domestication

Help your child gather colorful autumn leaves on a nature walk and stick them onto a squirrel template to make a fluffy tail. It’s a fun way to talk about animals, seasons, and using treasures from outside in art.

Building the family tree – explorative learning activity with natural materials

Gather sticks, leaves, and other bits from outside, then help your child arrange them into a family tree shape on paper or cardboard. Each branch can show a family member, and using nature helps make the story more special. It’s a fun way to talk about your family as you craft together.

Make a Nature Mobile – Danya Banya

Gather a big stick, smaller twigs, leaves, and flowers from outside, and help your child tie them with string to make hanging strands. Then tie all the strands onto the big stick to create a pretty mobile to hang indoors. It’s a calming craft that’s great for practicing fine motor skills while showing off nature’s beauty.

A Pretty Autumn Craft for Preschoolers – How Wee Learn

Let your child press tissue paper or colorful fall leaves into a vase or window jar to make a cozy autumn display. It’s messy in the best way, they can explore textures, colors, and simple patterns while playing with nature. A lovely little activity to welcome the season indoors.

Nature Tree Collage – Danya Banya

Draw a tree outline on paper or cardboard, then help your child paste leaves and bits of bark to fill in the branches and trunk. This cozy collage lets them play with shapes and textures while talking about trees and seasons. It’s a sweet way to turn a nature walk into a piece of artwork.

Leaf crown :: easy autumn craft for preschool

Help your child pick lovely autumn leaves and glue them onto a paper or cardboard strip, big enough to go around their head. Let them layer the leaves to make a pretty crown that can be worn in outdoor adventures or playtime. It’s a fun way to celebrate fall and explore different leaf shapes while crafting together.

Frequently Asked Questions About Crafts with Leaves and Sticks

Do I need to use fresh leaves and sticks, or can we use ones that are already dry?

You can use either! Fresh leaves are soft and easier to glue, while dry ones have a crunchy texture that kids enjoy. Just be gentle with dry leaves, they can break easily. Sticks can be fresh or dry too, just make sure they’re clean and not too sharp.

How do I get the leaves and sticks to stay in place while crafting?

Good question! For leaves, school glue or a glue stick usually works fine. If you’re working with sticks, a glue gun (with adult help) or strong craft glue does the trick. Tape and yarn are also fun options for tying things together.

What’s the best age for crafts like these?

These crafts are great for toddlers through early elementary kids. Grown-ups might need to help with cutting or gluing, but kids can do the fun parts like picking nature items, painting, and building. It’s a fun way for all ages to play and learn together!

Crafting with leaves and sticks is such a simple, fun way to enjoy the beauty of nature with your little ones. Whether you’re making art, building, or just exploring textures, these activities help kids learn, create, and connect with the outdoors. Plus, you don’t need fancy supplies, just a walk outside and a little imagination. So grab a basket, head outdoors, and let the crafting adventures begin!

Tara

Tara is the brains behind Homeschool Preschool, where her journey from preschool and public school teacher to homeschooling mom of three fuels her passion for early childhood education. With a blend of expertise and firsthand experience, Tara’s writings offer practical tips and engaging resources to support families in creating meaningful learning adventures at home.