![[October] Craft ideas for 1-year-olds: Halloween, mushrooms, and more](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/M34QEjQM_DU/maxresdefault.webp)
[October] Craft ideas for 1-year-olds: Halloween, mushrooms, and more
October is a month when you can feel the essence of autumn, from the colorful leaves to the crystal-clear skies.
We want children to have plenty of experiences during this comfortable season, don’t we?
In this article, we’ll introduce October craft ideas recommended for one-year-olds.
Autumn offers a wealth of materials that can be expressed through crafts—from seasonal delicious foods like grapes and pears to sensory elements like bell crickets and the moon that you can see and hear.
From these, we’ve gathered many craft ideas perfect for October.
Be sure to let children experience lots of autumn through crafting!
Because the things children make are treated as works of art, we refer to them as “seisaku” (creations) in the text.
[October] Craft ideas for 1-year-olds: Halloween, mushrooms, and more (1–10)
dangling bagworm
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoikushi_bank/video/7137609858118880513Bagworms hatch from eggs in early summer and grow larger by eating leaves and twigs around autumn.
To make a bagworm craft, poke a hole in the bottom of a paper cup, thread a piece of string through it, and make a hanging loop.
Tear up crumpled origami paper to resemble the bagworm’s case and glue it onto the cup, then add eyes to finish.
Crumpling the origami gives the bagworm a three-dimensional look, which is the key point.
Once it’s finished, hang it in the room and talk about how bagworms grow and their characteristics.
It might spark greater interest in seasonal insects.
Autumn foliage made with bubble-wrap stamps
https://www.tiktok.com/@hekimen_25/video/7282366758479006983In autumn, leaves change in a gradient from yellow to red and orange—it’s so beautiful, isn’t it? For this craft, wrap bubble wrap around a toilet paper roll or a small plastic bottle and secure it with a rubber band.
Your pom-pom stamp is ready.
Using a pre-made tree, dip the pom-pom stamp in paint and create autumn foliage.
Try expressing it with a variety of colors.
For children aged three and up, it’s also recommended to let them start by cutting out the tree with scissors.
Crumpled tissue-paper mushrooms
Autumn is the season when mushrooms are delicious, isn’t it? For this mushroom craft, you make a mushroom base out of construction paper and then glue on crumpled pieces of torn tissue paper.
As a key point, if you also tear a different color of tissue paper into thin strips, crumple them the same way, and glue them on, it will add three-dimensional depth to the mushroom.
The act of crumpling the tissue paper engages the hands and fingers and lets children enjoy the feel of the material.
Once finished, displaying it on a wall within the child’s view or as an autumn craft in the room allows them to experience the joy of creating and a sense of accomplishment.
Three-dimensional mushrooms and acorns made with tissue paper
https://www.tiktok.com/@chooobo2/video/7421129071599406354Here’s a craft idea using tissue paper.
Since tissue paper is a soft material, it’s easy to crumple and comes in a wide range of colors.
For this craft, crumple the tissue paper into balls and fill a plastic bag with them.
Finally, glue on an acorn cap and a mushroom top made from construction paper to finish! You can also add facial features if you like.
Having about three to four colors of tissue paper is recommended so children can enjoy choosing colors.
Besides crumpling, tearing the tissue paper and putting it in could add movement and make it more interesting!
Jack-o’-lantern painted with orange paint
https://www.tiktok.com/@peta_peta_anyo/video/7412980662874983688When you think of Halloween, jack-o’-lanterns come to mind, right? For this craft, paint orange on black construction paper to create a jack-o’-lantern, then glue on the facial features.
Each child will end up with their own original pumpkin.
Once it’s finished, draw around the pumpkin with crayons to add to the Halloween atmosphere.
Drawing on black paper lets you enjoy a nighttime feel and experience a different sense of color, making it a uniquely Halloween kind of fun.
Colorful Monsters Made with Stamps
https://www.tiktok.com/@shokaaijien/video/7286755682135706881When we think of Halloween, we think of ghosts, right? This craft is very simple: use a sponge dauber and paint to dab onto black construction paper, and once it’s dry, stick on eye stickers to complete your ghost.
Daubers are easy to use even in younger classes, letting children enjoy finger movements and the fun of creating patterns on paper.
Even 0-year-olds can enjoy it with adult support, so please try incorporating it into your craft activities.
It’s also recommended to switch the construction paper from black to the children’s favorite colors—your ghosts will transform into a whole new look.
The autumn-colored caterpillar
When you think of caterpillars, you probably imagine green, but a caterpillar dressed in autumn colors is super cute too! Let’s make The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the picture book kids love, in colors that match the fall foliage.
You’ll stamp circles onto white construction paper, and the stamp is—believe it or not—a blown-up balloon! Mix a few of your favorite paint colors, then lightly press the balloon onto the paint and make circles on the paper.
Two-year-olds will have fun bouncing and stamping lots of dots.
Finally, cut out the shapes, add a face, and you’re done.
