9|21|25 - Fall Leaf Collecting Projects!
Hello, young adventurers! When the air gets crisp and the trees start showing off their colors, it’s the perfect time to grab a basket and go on a leaf-collecting adventure. Autumn turns the outdoors into a rainbow of red, yellow, orange, and brown, and each leaf has its own story to tell.
Why Do Leaves Change Color?
Leaves are like nature’s solar panels, soaking up sunlight. During spring and summer, they look green because of something called chlorophyll. In the fall, when the days get shorter and cooler, the green fades away and other hidden colors—like red, orange, and yellow—come out to play.
How to Collect Leaves
Bring a bag or basket to keep your treasures safe.
Look for different shapes and sizes—big maple leaves, tiny oak leaves, pointy sycamores, and more.
Choose dry leaves when possible (wet ones crumble easily).
Never pick from living plants—collect only leaves that have already fallen.
Fun Leaf Art Projects
Leaf Rubbings
Place a leaf under a piece of paper.
Rub over it with crayons or colored pencils.
Watch the veins and patterns magically appear!
Leaf Collage
Glue your favorite leaves onto cardboard or paper.
Make an animal, a tree, or even a castle out of leaf shapes.
Leaf Prints
Dip leaves in paint and press them onto paper to make colorful patterns.
Leaf Crown
Tape or staple leaves to a strip of paper to create a fall king or queen crown.
Nature Mandalas
Arrange leaves, pinecones, and acorns in circles to make beautiful outdoor art.
Fun Facts About Leaves
The biggest leaf in the world comes from the Rafflesia plant and can grow over 3 feet wide!
The leaf veins you see are like tiny highways that carry food and water through the plant.
Leaves make food for the plant using sunlight, water, and air in a process called photosynthesis. Without leaves, trees couldn’t survive!
Tiny holes on leaves, called stomata, open and close to let air in and out. It’s like leaves are taking tiny breaths all day long.
The leaves of the giant Amazon water lily can grow big enough to hold a child—they can be over 6 feet wide!
Trees like pines and spruces have needles instead of broad leaves, and they keep them all year long. That’s why they’re called evergreens.
Some are heart-shaped (like redbuds), some are star-shaped (like sweetgum), and some look like hands (like maples). Shape helps scientists identify what tree a leaf belongs to.
More Leaf Projects Combining Science and Art!
☑️ Leaf Lanterns
Collect flat leaves and press them until dry.
Use white tissue paper or wax paper to wrap around a glass jar.
Glue or tape leaves onto the paper.
Place a battery-powered tea light inside. The glowing lantern shows off the leaf shapes at night!
☑️ Leaf Animals & Creatures
Gather leaves in different shapes.
Glue them onto paper to make animals (like an owl, fish, or butterfly).
Use markers or googly eyes to finish your creations!
☑️ Leaf Sun Catchers
Place colorful leaves between two sheets of wax paper.
Put a towel on top and have an adult help iron it until the wax melts together.
Cut shapes (circles, hearts, stars) and hang them in a sunny window. The sunlight shines through like stained glass.
☑️ Leaf Journal or Scrapbook
Collect and press leaves.
Glue them onto pages in a notebook.
Write the tree’s name, the date, and where you found it. Over time, you will have built your own nature guidebook!
☑️ Leaf Stamps
Dip the underside of leaves (where the veins are) into paint.
Press them firmly on paper like a stamp.
Repeat with different colors to make patterns to create bold, detailed prints with natural textures!
Fall leaf collecting is more than just picking up leaves—it’s about exploring, creating, and celebrating the colorful changes of the season. Next time you step outside, keep your eyes open for the little treasures falling from the trees!
