[Childcare] Autumn craft ideas

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!

We’ve gathered fall craft ideas that are perfect for childcare!

Autumn is a comfortable season with plenty of chances to go for walks and play outside.

Children are likely to pick up all sorts of intriguing things—acorns, pinecones, leaves, and more.

In this article, we introduce crafts that use found items as materials, as well as projects made with construction paper, origami paper, and recycled materials.

We’ve collected a wide range of ideas—from toys kids can play with after making them to decorations for wall displays—so try choosing activities that suit the children’s ages and have fun creating together!

[Childcare] Fall Craft Ideas (131–140)

Roasted sweet potatoes in crumpled aluminum foil

Here’s a craft idea that lets kids enjoy the crinkly feel of scrunching up aluminum foil while making roasted sweet potatoes! Wrap thick cardstock with yellow construction paper to create the potato, then cover it with purple construction paper.

Next, place the crumpled aluminum foil over the top, and when you tear the purple paper by hand—voilà, it’s done! This activity helps children develop fine motor skills and nurtures creativity.

Be careful not to crumple the foil too tightly, or it’ll be hard to spread out again.

Remember, mistakes are stepping stones to success, so teachers should watch over the process with a warm heart.

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miyabi

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A whirling-spiral vineyard

This is a fall craft making grapes using spiral swirls! Cut construction paper into long, thin strips and roll them up to make the grape berries.

Depending on the children, you can prepare pre-cut strips or have them cut along drawn lines—adjusting the starting point of the task works well.

Next, apply glue to a triangular (inverted) grape base and stick on the rolled spirals.

Add leaf parts made by flattening some of the rolled spirals, and you’ll have a three-dimensional bunch of grapes! Decorate by sticking them on the wall or hanging them from parts that look like grapevine branches.

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yuri

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sweet potato

Here are some craft ideas themed around sweet potatoes, one of the quintessential foods of autumn.

We’ll introduce three ways to make sweet-potato crafts.

The first is a sweet potato stamp: apply paint to the cut surface of a sweet potato and press it onto purple construction paper.

Even two-year-olds can enjoy the fun of stamping.

The second is a torn-paper collage sweet potato: tear origami paper and glue it onto construction paper.

By separating and layering colors of construction and origami paper, you can create a gradient effect.

It’s also nice that children can play using just their hands without scissors.

The third idea is to paint on scrap paper or newspaper with paint.

Try making these pieces in childcare settings as perfect projects for the month of November!

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mutō

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Torn-paper collage sweet potato

These torn-paper roasted sweet potatoes are perfect for an end-of-autumn craft.

Use red, purple, and brown construction paper or origami paper, tear it by hand, and glue the pieces onto a sweet-potato-shaped base.

If you crumple and soften the paper before tearing, it becomes easier for children to rip—give it a try! For added dimension, you can also shape a sweet potato out of newspaper and then cover it with colored paper.

This craft idea brings out children’s expressive creativity and is sure to make autumn events even more enjoyable.

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miyabi

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Little Picture Book Author

The period from October 27 to November 9 is designated as Reading Week, right? So I’d like to introduce an idea related to reading called “Little Picture Book Authors.” This is a creative project with lots of freedom.

First, have the children draw whatever they like on construction paper designed to look like a picture-book page.

Then, to make it look as if they’re holding that page, attach a head, hands, and feet made from construction paper—and it’s done.

You can even use a photo for the face parts.

Adding a speech bubble to explain what they drew is a nice touch as well.

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yamamoto

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Donguri Korogashi

Here’s a craft idea that lets kids roll and play with acorns they picked up on a walk.

Prepare a sturdy backing, like cardboard that can stand upright, and create a course by attaching construction paper so the acorns can tumble down.

Add an autumn feel by gluing on paper-cut motifs like ginkgo leaves, maple leaves, and mushrooms, or by drawing decorations around the course.

And that’s your acorn roller, complete! It’s the perfect project for kids who find it boring to just make something and display it—they can actually play with it!

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yuri

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