Looking for an easy fall or Thanksgiving craft for kids? Using simple supplies like paper plates, crayons and glue, you can turn a pile of colorful fallen leaves into a festive decoration that brightens any room.

Not only is this project a great way to celebrate the season, it’s also a screen-free activity that encourages creativity and fine-motor skills. Kids can experiment with colors, textures and patterns while learning about leaves and nature. Once completed, your wreath can be hung on a door, wall or used as a centerpiece for Thanksgiving, making it a craft that’s as practical as it is beautiful.

This activity is perfect for kids of all ages — and even adults can try their hand at making one, too. So grab your clan and head outside to find some fallen leaves. We used maple leaves, but you can do this activity with any kind of leaf. 

Supplies  Needed

• Leaves
• Crayons
• Paper
• Paper plate
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Twine 

How to Make a Leaf Wreath 

1. Start by heading outside and collecting leaves. Look for leaves with a lot of veins, as this is what you’ll be rubbing the crayon on. We used maple leaves, but any leaf will work.
2. Cut out the center of a paper plate and set it aside. 
3. Remove any wrappers from your crayons, if needed. To save time, you can place the crayons in a bowl of warm water, and the wrappers will slip off. 
4. Flip the leaf so it’s vein-side up. Add a piece of paper on top and rub the crayon so that you are rubbing it on the side. This allows the color from the crayon to mostly hit the veins, making the impression clearer. 
5. Once you have enough crayon-rubbed leaves, cut them out. We did leaves in red, orange and yellow. 
6. Glue the leaves to the paper plate. 
7. Glue or tape twine to the back of the paper plate for hanging. 

This leaf wreath would add a fall look to any room and would even make a beautiful centerpiece for Thanksgiving. 

TRY THIS! If you’d like to use the real leaves you collected instead, place the leaves between some paper towel inside some heavy books and let them press for two weeks. Once they are pressed, they’ll be fragile, so gently use some glue to glue them to the paper plate. 

With a community of more than 5 million followers across social media, author and mother Kimberly McLeod created The Best Ideas for Kids for busy parents, teachers and childcare providers. The Best Ideas for Kids is a popular platform with DIY craft ideas, screen-free activities, recipes and printable worksheets that keep kids entertained for hours!