How to Make a Kids Fun Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

Whether you live in a place where the trees fall leaves will soon be exploding with color or not this is a great time of year to learn about leaves.

Kids want to know why and how they change color and why other areas don’t have as much color.

Some of us stay green year round but we can still appreciate the red, gold, and brown spectacular through pictures or even vacations where we venture north to see it.

Fall is still a great time to study leaves and trees.

Dollar Tree Stained Glass Materials

You can turn a simple leaf appreciation into a mini unit study with this stained leaf fall craft and a few fun hands-on ideas.

I have loads of ideas for you to get started with a unit study.

As always, I like to start a unit study by gathering up some books on the topic at hand, from our own collection, the library, or of course Amazon.

• The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Up
• Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World
• Leaf Guide

And one of the best parts besides learning about leaves is that the craft materials are all at Dollar Tree for just a few bucks.

Then look at some fun ideas for studying about leaves.

Hands-on Leaf Activities

• Go on a leaf hunt and find as many leaves as you can, use books or the Leaf Snap App to help identify them.
• Go on a nature walk around the neighborhood, your property, local, or state park to look for as many species as you can find.
• For older children you can have them memorize Robert Frost’s Nothing Gold Can Stay or use it for copywork.
• Make leaf rubbings by putting fall leaves under paper and rubbing across it with the side of a crayon.
• Make a list of trees and have your child sort them by the two main types- Deciduous and Coniferous.
• Label the parts of a leaf.
• Leaf Man

And older children can draw and label a leaf cell.

This fall craft is great for preschool through high school.

Kids Stained Glass Fall Leaves Craft

You will get a wide variety of looks from the different skill sets but they all come out looking so pretty and you will cherish their craft.

Look at this list of supplies. You will need:

• A glass vase, bowl, mug, or candle holder.
• Fall colored craft paints
• Black craft paint
• White school glue
• Paintbrushes
• Small containers for each paint color
• Battery operated tea lights

Put about a teaspoon of glue and half that of all the chosen colors into each of your containers.

Stir in just a few drops of water to thin it.

You don’t want it watery just a little thinner to make it spread more easily.

Clean the glass container well with glass cleaner to remove any dirt or oils from your hands, be sure to dry it completely.

Paint splotches of color all over the glass until its completely filled. You don’t want any empty spaces.

If you want to make it look like leaves go ahead, but it is not necessary.

Just do them different shapes and sizes for variety.

We will sharpen up those edges later.

Once the entire surface is painted in color allow it to dry completely.

It really only needs about an hour.

Here is a look at mine completely dry and if you add less paint to the first step you will get an even more translucent look.

Then, you will need a half empty bottle of glue. Dump some out into something with a lid if you need to.

Add some black craft paint into the bottle and shake until combined and it is a nice black color.

This next part is really fun and makes the design come together.

Open the lid of the glue only halfway so that you get a finer stream of glue.

Have your child trace the blobs of paint outlining everything to clean up the edges and create the leaded look of stained glass.

Other Fall Unit Study Resources

Next, add details like the veins, the stem, and the midrib (the line up the middle).

• Fall Y’all:Pumpkin Pie in a Bag (Easy Homeschool Co-op Idea)
• Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study
• Easy Fall Crafts for Middle School: DIY String Pumpkin Art
• Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study

Let this part dry completely.

Insert a tealight and its ready to glow!

You can enjoy this fall craft on it’s own or make it part of a mini unit study. Let me know if you did and share your creation with me.