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Are you looking for a fun fall leaf craft idea for your kids? These leaf bugs make a fun, low-prep autumn leaf craft that you can do today!
For more fun fall leaf ideas, be sure to check out these posts.
It is finally fall here and we are LOVING the cooler mornings and nights and the most comfortably warm days. Fall really our favorite season.
We recently grabbed some bug books from our library to read aloud for our homeschool. Our library often has fun crafts for kids to do on hand and they had a pile of autumn leaves and markers on display for decorating. We were in a rush, so we didn’t get to create as much as we would have liked, but we took the basic idea home with us and made it our own.
The result? A fun fall leaf craft that was equal parts nature play, science lesson, and creative freedom.
Fall Leaf Bugs Craft
The best part about crafts like this is that you likely already have all the supplies on hand. Fall leaves are readily available this time of year and in so many beautiful colors.
To make your own leaf bugs, you’ll need:
- Autumn leaves in various shapes and sizes
- Glue stick (You may also choose to use a stapler, if you prefer.)
- Marker(s)
- Paper
- I think card stock would be ideal, but we used blank 4×6 notecards. You can also just use copy paper.
- Googly eyes
Make Your Own Leaf Bugs…or Leaf Monsters
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to get creating. I generally try to give the kids the basic idea of what we’re making when we do crafts like this and then step back to give them creative control over their projects.
You’ll want to gather leaves that aren’t wet, but that are still flexible and generally flat. If your leaf is too crunchy, it will fall apart and if it’s too wet, it will just make your paper wet.
We talked about some of the characteristics of insects – 3 main body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), the fact that they are invertebrates, and that they all have 6 legs.
I showed them how to glue the leaves to their cards and then let them go.
The general steps are pretty straightforward.
- Gather leaves.
- Using a glue stick, stick your leaf to note card or paper backing.
- If you prefer, you may staple your leaves down.
- Use markers to add a face, legs, antennae, etc.
- Glue your googly eyes on.
- Totally optional, give your bug a fun name.
I will say, we started off strong over here. We named different insects that we knew, one of the boys was eager to let me know that they, in fact, did not create and insect, rather an arachnid with eight legs.
Then as it goes in a house full of boys, we grabbed more cards and added more legs and heads and googly eyes, and quickly started creating leaf monsters.
And you know what? I’ll still call it a win. We got outside, spent lots of time observing nature, reviewed some bug facts, and got to exercise our creative muscles.
Have you made any fall leaf crafts this year? I would love to hear how you are enjoying the season in your home this year!
For more full autumn leaf crafts you can do with your kids at home or in your classroom, be sure to check out these posts:
