Today, we’re making an adorable leaf paper plate mask. Also, look at my page Fall Season Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More} for more fun ideas.
And this is a fun craft whether you’re learning about plants, seasons, or ecosystems.
Too, while collecting leaves, children can identify different tree species, observe textures, and note how leaves change with the seasons.
Cutting, gluing, and arranging are all essential fine motor skills.
Start with a walk to gather natural materials. It’s a great opportunity for some fresh air, movement, and sensory exploration.
Also, it’s a chance to introduce basic art concepts like symmetry, balance, and color theory.
FALL BOOKS FOR KIDS
First, look at these books about fall for kids.
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 fall activities.
MORE FALL ACTIVITIES
- Fall Y’all:Pumpkin Pie in a Bag (Easy Homeschool Co-op Idea)
- Kids Fun Pumpkin Catapult Stem Challenge for Medieval Unit Study
- Fun Corn Life Cycle Preschool Sensory Bin and Printable Lifecycle Foldout
- Easy Fall Crafts for Middle School: DIY String Pumpkin Art
- Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study
- Fun Candy Corn Stem Activity Which Liquid Dissolves Candy Corn Faster
- 20 Fun Fall Arts And Crafts For Kids and 8 Facts About Acorns
- Easy Fall Crafts To Make And Sell By Kids & Scarecrow Candy Jar
- How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers
- 10 Fall Felt Crafts & How to Make a Kids Felt Pie Garland
- Easy Pumpkin Salt Painting: A Creative Fall Activity For All Ages
And look at more paper plate craft.
PAPER PLATE CRAFTS
- How to Make a Winnie the Pooh Craft Using Paper Plates
- Crafty Ocean Adventures: How to Make a Paper Plate Stingray
- Tick-Tock! How to Make a Hands-on Time Cool Paper Plate Clock
- How to Make a Fun Paper Plate Fish | F is for Fish
- Fascinating Life of Red Squirrels | Paper Plate Squirrel Craft
- Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
- 8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft
- Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft
- 8 Facts about African Elephants and a Cute Paper Plate Elephant
HOW TO CRAFT AN ADORABLE LEAF PAPER PLATE MASK
First, look at this easy list of supplies.
- Paper plate
- Scissors
- Real or fake leaves
- Glue or glue stick
- Wooden dowel or craft stick
- Tape or hot glue (for attaching dowel)
Cut the plate. Cut a paper plate in half. You’ll only need one half for a mask.
Create the face openings. At the bottom center of the cut edge, cut a small U-shape to make room for the nose.
Use a pencil to lightly mark where the eyes should go. Carefully cut out two eye holes.
Decorate with leaves. Glue leaves all over the front of the paper plate half, covering it completely.
Overlap the leaves for a layered, natural look. Let the glue dry.
Attach the handle. Flip the mask over.
On one side, glue or tape a wooden dowel or craft stick to the back so kids can hold the mask up to their face like a masquerade mask.
