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Get your kids ready for the Fall season with these easy Harvest crafts for preschoolers.
Harvest activities are great for kids of all ages, but these easy crafts are great fun for the younger children.
There are so many fall activities perfect for little hands and the whole family.
Harvest Time Themed Crafts
Throughout this blog post, you will gain creative ideas to add to your Harvest thematic unit.
It’s the perfect time of year to break out your themed books, sensory activities, and fun projects for the Autumn season.
Corn Cob Crafts for Kids
This is the magical season that allows young children and older children to appreciate the traditions of Fall.
A field trip to the pumpkin patch has all the inspiration you’ll need to plan fun Fall crafts, such as this corn cob craft for younger kids.
1. Tissue Paper Harvest Corn Craft
To integrate teaching colors, I chose Indian corn, or Flint corn, for this easy harvest craft.
You will need:
- Yellow, green, and brown construction paper
- Tissue paper – Yellow, red, brown are good to have for all of your autumn crafts
- Glue
- Scissors
Pre-cut or pre-draw the body of the corn. This is just a yellow oval for the corn cob and two green leaves for each side.
The children will use their fine-motor skills to tear off small pieces of tissue paper.
They, they will pinch, or crumble, the tissue paper, and glue it onto the corn template. This can be in any pattern or color combination as Flint corn and Glass gem corn come in a rainbow of colors
2. Corn Cob Painted Fall Leaves
In this craft, kids can use corn cobs as a stamp to create beautiful fall leaf patterns.
Dip the corn cob in different colored paints, press it onto paper, and watch as the unique texture of the cob creates a lovely leaf design.
It’s a fun and messy way to celebrate the autumn season.
3. Corn Cob Bird Feeder
Transform a simple corn cob into a bird feeder by spreading peanut butter or birdseed glue on it.
Roll the peanut butter-covered cob in birdseed and hang it in your garden or a tree. Kids can enjoy watching the birds come to feast on their homemade bird feeder.
4. Corn Cob People
Turn corn cobs into whimsical characters by adding googly eyes, pipe cleaner arms, and felt clothing. Kids can get creative and make a whole family of corn cob people, each with its unique personality and style.
5. Corn Cob Printing
Introduce kids to the art of printmaking using corn cobs. Cut the corn cobs in half and carve patterns or shapes into the flat end.
Dip the carved end into paint and press it onto paper to create striking prints. This craft encourages artistic exploration and creativity.
6. Corn Cob Cornucopia
Create a miniature cornucopia with a corn cob as the centerpiece. Kids can decorate the cob with artificial or real miniature fruits and vegetables, making a charming table decoration for Thanksgiving or other festive occasions.
It’s a delightful way to teach kids about the symbolism of the cornucopia and seasonal abundance.
Harvest Sensory Bin Ideas
Going to the farmer’s market, local farm, apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or even a carrot patch would be the best experience for kids.
It’s a hands-on way of incorporating social studies with language arts and science.
With many health restrictions in place, some local places are afraid to invite children and adults to their property. If that is the case for you, Harvest sensory bins are the next best thing.
Whether you are planning this great theme for Sunday school, at home, in the classroom, or looking for festival ideas, sensory bins are such fun for the kids!
1. Corn Sensory Bin
Different types of corn can come in a kaleidoscope of colors. For example, flint corn and glass gem corn are two varieties that you will find at many harvest or fall tables inside of a cornucopia.
Using these colors to your advantage is a great way to add another element to your sensory bin.
A variety of art mediums can be used in harvest sensory bins to increase student interest. Grab yourself some large containers or a sensory table, and let’s get started.
You will need:
- Bin
- Popcorn kernels (died to be colorful or left plain)
- Kid scoopers
- Kid tweezers
- Different types of apple toys
- Fall filler or real leaves
- Plastic fruits
Cut the corn kernels off the ear, and fill little bins (or one large bin if multiple kids will be playing together). Then add the scoopers, tongs, and different items for kids to play with.
They can then separate them into colors or shades. No two ears of these corn varieties are the same, so it is a great way to introduce similarity.
CBC Parents has a cute Fall sensory bin with similar fillings as those listed above.
2. Fall Soup Sensory Bin
Right around the time the weather starts cooling off, families start pulling out pots and soup bowls.
Cold weather and soup go well together, and this sensory bin is a fun way to get your child interested.
You will need:
- A bin
- Water
- Food coloring
- Soup ingredients – this could be plastic toy vegetables or non-food fall-themed toys and items
- Ladles and spoons
- Plastic bowls
Check out Happy Toddler Playtime’s Fall Soup sensory bin, here. She used Fall items, such as leaves and acorns, in her soup sensory bin.
Drop whatever food coloring you desire into the water as your soup base, add your ingredients and encourage your child to ladle even portions into each bowl for everyone to enjoy.
More Easy Harvest Crafts for Preschoolers
1. Fall Wind Chime
The cooler nights are perfect for staying outside and listening to a cute harvest theme wind chime made from the kids.
You will need:
- Empty can (Make sure it is empty, only one side opened, and well washed out.)
- Yellow Paint
- Orange Paint
- Red Paint
- Brown Paint
- String
- Whole walnuts (In shell)
- Fall Beads
- Glue (Hot glue works well for this)
- Scissors
Three and four year-olds are at a fun age to make these easy Fall Harvest crafts for preschoolers.
Paint the can with one color as a base. As the base coat dries, you can increase student vocabulary with conversations about ways to make Harvest fun.
Hang the wind chimes outside and let the fall air and wind run through them and bang the walnuts around. The sound will be a reminder of the fun crafts that the kids made.
2. Paper Caramel/Candy Apples
Candy and caramel apples are a staple at any fall gathering or harvest festival. Making pretend caramel apples can be just as fun as making and eating real ones – especially when we don’t want to spoil dinner.
You will need:
- Construction Paper (Red, green, yellow)
- Puffy paint
- Craft sticks
- Toppings- You can use any sort of beads, tiny cutouts, or gems. Anything small enough to add a bunch on the end of the apple. You can use real sprinkles if you’d prefer.
Cut out apples ahead of time or have older preschoolers cut out apples along a pre-drawn design. Glue popsicle sticks on the bottom side of the apple cut-out. Squirt any combination of puff paint on the top and along the sides.
Sprinkle toppings or sprinkles on top of the puff paint and let dry!
Before you go, here are a few blog posts you will enjoy:
Popular Nursery Rhymes for Kids
75 Yes or No Questions Kids Love
10 Fall Poems and Songs for Kids
