September crafts for 2-year-olds! A collection of make-and-play ideas to enjoy autumn

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

Here are some autumn craft ideas you can enjoy with two-year-olds! We’ve gathered projects that feature September’s seasonal motifs—like moon viewing, autumn leaves, and mushrooms—that spark children’s curiosity.

Kids can have fun creating with a variety of techniques such as daubers, stamping, and torn-paper collage.

Use everyday materials like bubble wrap and tissue paper to express the beauty of autumn together.

Display the finished pieces to fill your classroom with wonderful memories.

Because the children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “seisaku (制作)” meaning “production/work” in the text.

September crafts for 2-year-olds! A collection of fun, autumn-themed make-and-play ideas (21–30)

The smeared moon and the footprint-shaped rabbit

This is a cute craft idea that uses a paper plate as the moon and children’s footprints as rabbits.

First, take the children’s footprints on black construction paper and draw the rabbits’ ears and faces.

After wiping their feet clean, have them make the moon using yellow paint.

Encourage them to spread the paint over the surface with their hands or fingers.

If you put the plate and paint in a sealable bag, you can keep things mess-free.

Once the moon is finished, glue it onto the background and add pampas grass and rice dumplings to complete the scene.

It’s also a great idea for an autumn wall decoration.

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sasashina

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Grapes with stickers

When it comes to autumn fruits, grapes are a must, right? So, how about making grapes as an autumn craft? Beforehand, have an adult cut grape shapes and branches out of construction paper and glue them together.

Then let the children stick round stickers or circles cut from construction paper on top to complete the grapes.

The process of peeling and sticking the stickers helps train their fine motor skills.

Having a few types of stickers ready makes it fun for the children to choose, and it also creates a more vibrant finish if you use the crafts for wall decorations.

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sasashina

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September craft ideas for 2-year-olds! A collection of fun fall make-and-play activities (31–40)

Three-dimensional grapes made with sticker pasting

This is a 3D grape craft made by sticking round-cut origami pieces onto a long, narrow strip of construction paper.

Put double-sided tape on the back of the cut-out origami circles, and have the children peel and stick them.

Once the origami pieces are attached, wrap the strip around a triangular piece of construction paper in a spiral.

Finally, add a pipe-cleaner stem and paper leaves to finish.

You can also use stickers instead of origami, of course.

Let the children choose their favorite patterns.

It’s a perfect idea for an autumn wall decoration.

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sasashina

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Mushrooms with decoupage and finger painting

This is a mushroom wall decoration that incorporates decalcomania, a painting technique where you fold a painted sheet of paper in half or press another sheet onto it to transfer the paint.

Dab paint with your finger onto the mushroom cap piece, then fold it in half—this creates a unique pattern you can’t achieve by painting directly! Combine it with the mushroom stem piece and glue them onto a backing sheet; add motifs like autumn leaves and acorns to complete a fall-themed artwork.

Decalcomania is a method actively used in early childhood education, so be sure to give it a try!

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yuri

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Rolling acorn with a marble run

Let’s make acorns you can create while playing by rolling marbles! First, cut brown construction paper into the shape of an acorn.

Next, roll marbles coated with paint across the paper.

If you place a tray or similar item under the paper, kids can work safely and comfortably.

Once patterns appear on the paper, cut out a cap shape and attach it to the acorn illustration.

Finally, use cut pipe cleaners to make arms and legs, draw a face, and you’re done! How about making some cute acorns that capture the feeling of autumn?

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mutō

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A perfectly round owl made from a paper plate

Here’s a craft idea for making an owl using a paper plate and origami paper.

First, tear the origami paper into pieces of any size you like.

Let the children help with this step.

Next, prepare a paper plate, apply glue all over it, and stick on the torn pieces of origami paper.

Finally, attach the owl’s facial features and other parts, and it’s done! Adults can attach the parts, but you can also put double-sided tape on the back to make them like stickers so the children can stick them on themselves.

Punch a hole and thread a string through it, and it becomes a cute hanging decoration for autumn.

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sasashina

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Making animals with fallen leaves

Making animals out of fallen leaves is fun, too.

I’ll walk you through the basic steps.

First, use construction paper to create motifs like the animal’s face.

Then hand those to the children together with fallen leaves, and let them freely create the body.

For example, for a lion, you can arrange leaves around the face to suggest the mane.

Beyond lions, prepare various creatures and enjoy the activity together! By the way, animals that pair especially well with fallen leaves include bagworms and hedgehogs.

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yamamoto

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