4 Fall Crafts You Can Make Using Leaves

Winter's cold temps tend to keep people indoors for the warmth of the fireplace, but despite that, this time of year also brings out people’s creative juices. Everyone becomes a baker, inspired by visions of tasty cookies and the fantastic smells coming from the kitchen. And crafts bring a hint of nostalgia as parents watch their kids create masterpieces that will be hung in the home, taped to the door or dangled from windows and be cherished for years to come. These craft ideas are fun to make and will keep your little one busy this winter. Let’s craft! STICK SNOWFLAKE Materials: Sticks and Twine Gather sticks of the same size and spread them out, keeping them together in the middle. Tie twine around and through the sticks, making sure the snowflake keeps its shape. This craft is super easy and can be made in all sizes. For smaller sizes, instead of sticks, use twigs.   SNOWY PINE CONE Materials: Pine cone, White acrylic paint, Paintbrush, Epsom salts, Twine, Hot glue, Wooden bead Apply white paint to the top of each scale of the pine cone. While paint is still wet, grab a handful of Epsom salts and sprinkle over the pine cone. The salt will stick to the paint, giving your pine cone a frosted look. Let dry. Glue a wooden bead sideways onto the top and loop twine through and tie a knot.   TWIG CAMPFIRE Materials: Handful of twigs, Coaster or another sturdy base, Battery-operated votive, Craft glue Glue along the length of your first twig and press onto your base. Add another layer, applying glue so it affixes to the bottom layer, forming a rough circle. Continue to glue and build your layers of twigs until the structure is about 2 inches high. Turn on your votive and drop it into your campfire.   REINDEER Materials: Twigs, Red felt, Googly eyes, Yarn, Hot glue Cut the twigs so they're the same size. Lay them in a triangle, placing the long ends over the short end, and glue the ends together. With the felt, cut a small circle for the nose and glue it to the bottom of the triangle. Glue googly eyes on to finish the look. Finally, attach both ends of the yarn at the ears. Read more: 4 Fall Crafts You Can Make Using Leaves 10 Easy Outdoors Activities for Toddlers Written by Vong Hamilton and Kristin Hinnant. Photos by Deanna Curry, Kendra Reeder and Kristin Hinnant. What are your favorite winter crafts? Leave a comment below!    ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.  

Cooler, wet temperatures and shorter days tend to keep families indoors during this time of year. It’s a lot of work to bundle the kids up to go hiking in the rain and cold. And less hours of sunlight makes it harder to find time with busy schedules to intentionally get out and play. But you don’t have to let these obstacles stop you from getting out with your kids … they need the fresh air and big open spaces just as much as they do any other time of year. Some of my kids' best hikes happened when it was raining or snowing. They seem more relaxed; they also whine less too. The elements guide their adventures, test their balance and agility, and spark their curiosity about how things work in nature. Where time stands still and the wetness and cold seeping into their skin gets ignored for more time splashing and tossing snowballs. With the rainy and cooler season here, I asked if they liked hiking better when it’s hot or cold. And hands down, they preferred hiking in the rain and cold for the same reasons I’m sure many kiddos (and those young at heart!) would agree. 1. "We love splashing in puddles!" Water play is definitely a winner when it comes to outdoor fun. Whether it’s the waters gathered in dips in the pavement or a huge puddle creating an obstacle on the trail, kids are drawn by a magnetic force that ushers them to wade into the heart of the puddle and jump. And jump some more … until they are completely drenched with total disregard for how wet they get. For kids, the bigger the splash, the better. (A tip for those wet shoes? Ball up newspaper and shove them into wet shoes and let sit overnight. Then prepare to be amazed at how dry they are the next day. If they’re not completely dry, put more balled-up newspaper in again.) 2. "We like seeing the animals that come out when it rains or in the winter." Kids are naturally curious about the world around them, which makes rainy days an even more unique time to learn about nature. It’s a good opportunity to watch for worms and snails, which come out when the ground is saturated, and learn about their makeup and how they contribute to the ecosystem. In winter, it’s fun to catch glimpses of winter birds, especially against a landscape that resembles a snow globe. Begin a discussion about how winter birds – and other animals – survive the cold. Then make homemade bird feeders to leave in the woods to aid in their survival during the cold months. 3.  "All the red trees are my favorite trees." In areas that see major changes in the four seasons, fall is a great time for hiking to watch the colors transition from green to blazing reds, oranges and yellows … and then a few weeks later, return to see them disappear altogether. Kids love to collect leaves or hear the rustling of fallen, dry leaves underfoot. And it’s always a lot of fun to toss leaves in the air and watch the wind twirl them all around. We also like to play a game where we find the largest leaf and compare it against the size of our face for giggles. 4.  "It’s fun hiking on snow and sledding in the woods." It’s not a secret – kids love snow and everything related to it, like sledding, eating snow, snowball fights, catching flakes on their tongue and making snow angels. Snow play is endless and even when their tiny fingers and toes can’t feel anymore, kids still insist they’re not cold. Hiking in snow also teaches kids about better footing and balance when walking over slick spots or sliding downhill. We also bring sleds on our hikes and stop halfway in the woods on a hill and sled for a little bit. The baby isn’t left out of the fun either; he gets pulled along in his sled during snowy hikes too. 5.  “We like feeling cold and wearing layers.” Hiking on a hot day when you’re sweaty from the heat and humidity and carrying a heavy pack isn’t very fun. But when the weather cools down, it’s easy to wear layers and shed them when your body temperature rises. According to my kids, dressing in layers also feels like you’re snuggling yourself. I never thought of it that way, but yeah – it does! Of course, mom or dad have to deal with the piles of socks, gloves, hats, scarves and coats inside the front door from all the shedding. But the fun that was had and the memories made are so worth it. Do your kids like hiking in the rain and cold? Leave a comment below and let us know what cool things your kids like about hiking at this time of year. Read More: Fall hiking ideas to get you out the door Embracing the puddle ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.