My kids can’t get enough art. Creativity is complete and utter therapy at our house, so I am always on the lookout for new kid-friendly art projects that go beyond paper and crayons. This project not only showcases the beauty of fall leaves, but appeals to kids and their love of all things gooey, colorful, and shiny!
1. Send your kids on a leaf hunt! Have them search for leaves of various colors, shapes, and sizes. Fresh, clean leaves will work best for this project. (If the leaf is already brown and starting to curl up, leave it on the ground!)
*To extend this learning opportunity, read the book “We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt!”Talk about the different leaves your child(ren) found. Use rich language and describing words. Encourage your child to use their senses, discussing the way the leaves look, feel, smell like, etc. See if you can determine which type of trees your leaves are from.
2. Now for a bit of patience. You will need to press your leaves for a week or two. (Trust me, we tried with leaves fresh out of the yard, and it did NOT work!) Put the leaves between the pages of a large book, and stack a few books on top of it. (Waiting can be hard, but it will be worth it!)
*To extend the learning, have your child(ren) make predictions about what they think will happen to the leaves in the books.
4. Carefully remove the leaves from the book (check your predictions if you made them!), and pour a small amount of Mod Podge on a plate. Dip the leaves one at a time into the Mod Podge, taking care to cover both sides. (It dries clear and shiny!) Place the gluey leaves onto the outside of the mason jar, smoothing them out as you adhere them.
5. You can overlap the leaves if you desire, or space them out individually. There is no wrong way to make a fall leaf candle jar! Let your child’s creativity and artistic flair run wild. Art projects that don’t require all outcomes to be uniform are the best![tweetherder][/tweetherder]
I love overlapping different colored leaves, and highlighting the beauty of all of fall’s colors!
6. Sit back and admire your fall creation! When the Mod Podge dries (usually within a few hours), place a small candle inside the jar, and watch your leaves glow. Kids will love seeing their artwork adorn the mantle or dining room table, and will proudly announce to all visitors that they made your candle jar!
These beauties look even more magical in the dark!
Rustic, beautiful, and the perfect hands-on project for a rainy day. Get out there and start collecting some leaves before winter winds and rain blow them all away! Have fun crafting and learning with your child. Creative time is perfect for memory-making!
If you’re looking for more fun fall crafts, projects, and recipes, make sure to check out all of my Funtober: 31 Days of Fall Fun posts!! SO many fun ideas for families!
You May Also Like:
I’m planning on doing this with my kids today :
My son keeps collecting leaves, now we have something to do with them. Thank you for the post