I have some fantastic fall crafts to keep hands busy, including a mini cutting board scarecrow. Look at my free unit study and lapbook Fall Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More}.
Scarecrows are a beloved symbol of autumn.
You see them standing proudly in pumpkin patches, perched on porches, or tucked into gardens as cheerful guardians of the harvest.
While today they’re mostly used for decoration, scarecrows once had a very important purpose- protecting crops from hungry birds and animals.
The name “scarecrow” tells you exactly what these figures were designed to do—scare crows , and other pests away.
Farmers discovered long ago that birds such as crows, sparrows, and blackbirds could cause a lot of damage to crops.
They would swoop down to eat newly planted seeds, nibble on ripening fruit, or pull at tender shoots. To protect their food supply, farmers needed a way to keep these creatures out of their fields.
BOOKS ABOUT FALL FOR KIDS
Then, look at these fun books about fall to add to your home library.
15 Fall Books For Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To
With a chill in the air and leaves falling, grab one or two of these fun books for your home library.
A compilation of Native American speeches affirming the desire to live in spiritual and ecological harmony includes the words of Geronimo, Sitting Bull, and Cochise, covering such topics as fishing rights, peace treaties, and the devastation of their land.
"Mr. Tresselt writes quiet, factual prose about katydids, reapers and threshing, falling leaves, apple-gathering, and the first frost."--New York Herald Tribune.
A concise text and crisp, close-up, color photographs of thirteen different leaves from North American trees teach very young children how to look at and compare the leaves of autumn, and are accompanied by an explanation of why they turn color.
These are the apples, juicy and red,that went in the pie,warm and sweet,that Papa baked...for guess who!
Kids will love this playful story of of a unique fall friendship between a girl . . . and her squash!On a trip to the farmers' market with her parents, Sophie chooses a squash, but instead of letting her mom cook it, she names it Bernice. From then on, Sophie brings Bernice everywhere, despite her parents' gentle warnings that Bernice will begin to rot. As winter nears, Sophie does start to notice changes.... What's a girl to do when the squash she loves is in trouble?
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge!
Bad weather is on the way and the autumn stores are still not gathered in!
Quickly, all the mice of Brambly Hedge set to work to finish the harvesting before the rain begins. Primrose, Lord Woodmouse's daughter, meant to help, but somehow she daydreamed her way over the cornfield and into the Chestnut Woods, and before she knew it, she was lost. The sun went down, the wind rose and it began to rain. Primrose was all alone in the dark and she was frightened.
Poor Primrose, would she find her way home again?
Mr. Hermit Miser doesn’t like his neighbors, and they don’t like him. But when a pumpkin vine sprouts in Mr. Hermit Miser’s yard and makes its way into the neighbors’ yards, but he wants all those pumpkins for pies … well, what is he to do?
With adventures in pumpkin-snatching, failed attempts at baking pies, and pumpkin goo everywhere, this tale about being neighborly in a not-so-perfect way will be an endearing autumn story for all the readers in your circle.
This reprint of a 1949 classic adds some recipes, a poem, and a bit of pie-history as well.
As her grandmother's health declines, a young girl begins to lovingly take the lead in their cozy shared autumn traditions. Poetic prose paired with evocative illustrations by Mexican illustrator Claudia Navarro make for a beautiful celebration of life and a gentle introduction to the death of a loved one.
"[Spier's] finely detailed, action-packed New England autumn vistas are almost startlingly beautiful."—The New York Times Over fifty years after he won a Caldecott Honor for The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, legendary illustrator Peter Spier went back to this time-honored favorite in 2014 to paint the half of the book that was originally printed in black and white. In this glowing, restored vision of Spier’s beloved classic, follow the wily fox as he roams a sleepy New England town in search of a meal, with tones and textures so vivid you can almost hear the crackle of crisp fall leaves and the ripples of the river in the moonlight.
An Amish family, traveling by buggy, spends a day doing errands in the village, visiting, and returning home in time for supper
Autumn is in the air: days grow shorter and nights are long. Birds leave, flowers, too. Apples and temperatures fall—then snow!Part poem, part silent stage, this luminous picture book puts autumn on display and captures the spirit of change that stays with us long after fall leaves. Unlock the secrets of this busy and beautiful time of year as the natural world makes way for winter.
Mama has a surprise for her three little squirrels: three bright red sweaters to keep them warm throughout the fall. Imagine the siblings’ surprise when they find that everything in the autumn woods—the leaves, the berries, even the setting sun—is red too, just like their sweaters.This celebration of a perfect fall day will have young and old alike looking for signs of autumn in their own neighborhoods. Kazuo Iwamura’s books celebrating the seasons (Hooray for Spring!, Hooray for Summer!, Hooray for Fall!, and Hooray for Snow!) are perennial favorites—introducing children to the beauty and joy of each season. Iwamura masterfully captures the small wonders of nature in his illustrations and his stories with their gentle humor warm the heart.
The perfect Fall book for kids! A poignant picture book about a scarecrow who befriends the young girl who reads to him day after day until one day he's left wondering where she is.A scarecrow stood in the garden. Tall, proud, and smiling. Every day a girl brought her favorite books to the garden and she read to him. He heard tales of courage and of hope. And when she said, "The End," the scarecrow always felt a little bit taller and braver. Year after year, she came and she read to him.Until one spring, two different hands picked him up from the garden shed and placed him in the garden. He waited, but she didn't come to read to him.With poignant words from award-winning author Michelle Houts and lush illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor winner Sara Palacios, Hopefully the Scarecrow is a tender distillation of the enduring power of friendship and a heartwarming look at the ways stories connect us.
Funny, relatable sibling dynamics make this story a wonderful way to address navigating big changes. Lori Nichols’s expressive artwork beautifully portrays Maple and Willow’s strong bond, and children will love the creative, kid-powered solution. Maple and Willow have always been inseparable. So what happens when Maple starts big-girl school and Willow stays behind? Well, of course, both girls have marvelous adventures of their own, but the truth is, they miss each other. And when they see that the missing is mutual, they find a unique way to feel connected even when they have to be apart.
Next, look at more facts about scarecrows and the history of it.
The solution was simple but clever: make something that looked like a person and place it in the field. Birds tend to avoid people, so a tall, human-shaped figure dressed in old clothes could often do the trick.
HISTORY OF SCARECROWS
Sometimes, once the birds realized the scarecrow wasn’t alive, they came back, but the tradition stuck. Over time, scarecrows became a lasting symbol of farming life and autumn harvest.
One of the most delightful ways to bring this tradition into your home is by making a scarecrow craft. Instead of a life-sized version for your garden, you can create a smaller decorative scarecrow using a mini cutting board.
This makes an adorable fall decoration for your kitchen, entryway, or classroom, and it’s simple enough for kids to make too.
Whether you’re decorating for the season, hosting a fall festival, or just looking for fun crafts to keep hands busy, projects like these create lasting memories.
Plus, every little scarecrow you make brings a bit of warmth and whimsy into your home—reminding us of the timeless charm of harvest time.
Scarecrows aren’t just an American idea. They’ve been used all over the world for thousands of years.
- Ancient Egypt- Farmers along the Nile built wooden figures to stand in grain fields and protect them from flocks of quail.
- Greece & Rome- Vineyards placed carved wooden statues of Priapus (a fertility god) in their fields. People believed he scared away both birds and thieves.
- Japan- Rice farmers used scarecrows called kakashi, which were sometimes dressed in old raincoats and straw hats, with bells attached to frighten pests.
- Medieval Europe- Instead of scarecrows, children were sometimes hired to run and shout in fields all day to keep birds away. Later, stuffed figures became more common.
- Early America- Settlers built scarecrows from old clothing stuffed with straw or cornhusks. They often wore wide-brimmed hats and stood on wooden poles.
Even though modern farming uses nets, scare tape, and other tools to protect crops, scarecrows remain an enduring fall image. Fall festivals, parades, and county fairs often host scarecrow contests where families and communities compete to build the most creative one.
CRAFTS TO KEEP HANDS BUSY
Additionally, look at these fun crafts to keep hands busy.
After you create the scarecrow project, here are a few more fall crafts to keep hands busy whether in a homeschool setting, at co-op, at a fall party, or just for a cozy weekend at home.
- Easy Fall Crafts To Make And Sell By Kids & Scarecrow Candy Jar
- Easy Paper Plate Pumpkins – Paint or color a paper plate orange. Add a construction paper stem and decorate with funny faces.
- How To Make An Upcycled Book Pumpkin | Autumn Art Projects For Middle School
- Check out this Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study .
- Leaf Rubbings – Collect fresh autumn leaves, place them under paper, and rub over them with crayons to reveal their veins and patterns.
- DIY Button Pumpkin
- Pinecone Owls – Glue felt wings and big googly eyes onto pinecones for a cute woodland creature craft.
- Easy Fall Crafts for Middle School: DIY String Pumpkin Art
DIY MINI CUTTING BOARD SCARECROW
You will need:
- Mini wooden cutting board (the flat kind works best)
- Paint Markers
- Hot glue gun or craft glue
- Small scrap of fabric, burlap, or felt
- Raffia, straw, or shredded paper
- Buttons or googly eyes
- Hot glue
- Paint markers
First, prepare the cutting board by wiping it to clean away dirt, oil, and fingerprints, then allow it to dry.
First, let your child play with the layout of the face, but not gluing anything down yet.
You can use a pencil to lightly sketch the nose, cheeks, and mouth (and eyes if you would rather paint them in). Remember to leave a little space up top for the hat and straw peeking out.
Once satisfied, they can use markers to draw cheerful eyes, a stitched-on smile, and a triangle nose. For extra character, glue on googly eyes or buttons instead.
Along the bottom, you can either glue on a scrap of flannel for his shirt or continue getting creative with the paint markers. Set aside to let the paint dry.
Cut a triangle of felt.
Fold up the bottom and hot glue into place to give it a brim.
Add a strip of felt or ribbon to dress him up a bit.
Hot glue some little pieces of raffia or straw at the top so it looks like straw peeking out from under that hat.
Hot glue it to the top of the cutting board as a rustic hat.
This mini cutting board scarecrow can be personalized in countless ways.
You can make a whole family of them—tall and skinny boards for parents, small round boards for kids—and give each one a different hat or expression.
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