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[Autumn Activities] Nature Play and Craft Ideas for Fall to Incorporate into Childcare!

[Autumn Activities] Nature Play and Craft Ideas for Fall to Incorporate into Childcare!

Last updated:2025/10/9

Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Autumn is a season full of nature that can be put to good use in childcare.

It’s also a time when we can really feel children’s growth, isn’t it?

As it becomes more comfortable to spend time outdoors, many preschools and kindergartens likely enjoy activities like collecting nuts and gathering fallen leaves.

You want to introduce lots of new activities but can’t find any ideas…

For those with that concern, we’ve gathered recommended nature play and craft ideas for autumn.

Enjoy them together with the children and savor the fruitful season.

The experiences they have at your center will become precious memories for them.

Autumn Activities: Fall Nature Play and Craft Ideas to Incorporate into Childcare! (1–10)

Dragonfly’s glasses

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Dragonfly craft ideas you can make and play with! How to make see-through glasses toys

Dragonfly's glasses

How about making colorful, cute dragonfly glasses as a craft activity at daycare? You can use colored clear file folders from the 100-yen shop for the wings and colored cellophane for the lenses.

It’s fun to let the kids draw patterns on the wings with permanent markers or decorate them with sparkly stickers to create designs they like! The feel of cutting a clear file—something they don’t usually handle—might also feel fresh and interesting to them.

And after making them, they can have lots of fun playing with the see-through dragonfly glasses toy!

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Bagworm Kendama

[Daycare/Kindergarten] Autumn Craft 🍁 Paper Cup Bagworm Kendama [Target Age & Notes]

Bagworm Kendama

Bagworms are often seen in autumn.

Let’s make a kendama shaped like a bagworm! Before the kids start crafting, we recommend that teachers or parents prepare leaf-shaped and eye-shaped pieces of construction paper, plus about 30 cm of string.

First, have the children draw lines on the leaves and color the eyes.

Then, stick the leaves onto a paper cup and attach the eyes around the rim of the cup.

Next, crumple some newspaper into a small ball and secure it with vinyl tape.

Finally, attach the string to both the newspaper ball and the bottom of the paper cup, and you’re done.

Since the target is wider than a regular kendama, it’s easy to play!

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Wreath of nuts and berries

Collecting tree nuts to make wreaths / Hiroshima Atelier ChikuTaku

Wreath of nuts and berries

Let’s make a wreath—often seen around Christmas—using autumn nuts and plants! Besides the nuts and plants you want to decorate with, you’ll need a wreath base and a hot glue gun.

Once you’ve gathered your favorite natural materials, simply keep attaching them to the wreath base with the glue gun.

It’s recommended to start by arranging pieces that still have branches attached.

For those with branches, you can even wrap them directly around the wreath base without using the glue gun.

When using the glue gun, hold pieces in place for a while after attaching to let them set.

You can finish your wreath by taking inspiration from various photos and videos, or create your own original design—it’ll make for a wonderful memory!

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Potato edition

I tried making potato stamps! Handmade New Year’s cards

Potato edition

Let’s try making a potato stamp using autumn’s tasty sweet potatoes! First, cut the sweet potato.

It’s hard, so be careful when cutting.

On the yellow cut surface, draw the design you want to turn into a stamp.

Once you’ve drawn it, use a carving knife or similar tool to carve away the parts you want to remain white (the areas that won’t get ink).

When you’re done carving, your sweet potato stamp is complete! Dab stamp ink or paint on it and press it where you like.

It’s a fun stamping activity with the cute, unique shape of sweet potatoes.

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Acorn pouch

[Kindergarten/Daycare] Let’s Explore Autumn in October! Acorn Pouch Craft

Acorn pouch

Let’s use an ordinary empty tissue box to craft a cute-looking acorn pochette.

There are lots of steps—cutting the box, painting it, folding origami acorns, punching out your favorite shapes with a craft punch, attaching a string to the tissue box—so kids can enjoy the process without getting bored! After you finish, put on your acorn pochette and head to the park to look for fallen leaves and acorns.

Hope you discover lots of signs of autumn!

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