To celebrate Autumn, the younger children and I went to one of our favourite exploring spots for a rainbow leaf hunt. We also collected dry leaves to later paint and hang in the kitchen (we did this last year with maple leaves).
I love doing this sort of activity with the children because it has value and meaning. It’s not just about a craft to fill the time. No, it’s more than that. It’s about taking the time to notice around us (it’s Autumn and leaves are changing). It’s about exploring and spending time as a family. It’s about doing a mini project together that adds joy to the house we all live in. And I feel good about it…long after the paint dries.
Materials
Paint ( I used child-friendly acrylic paint)
Paint brushes (small brushes work best)
Leaves
String (I use Divine Twine)
Painting Leaves
1. We looked for already dry leaves that were quite flat (ie. not too curled) to make painting easy.
2. Simple designs seem to work best, like lines and dots.
3. Allow to dry
4. The easiest way to hang the leaves, so they sit flat against the wall, is to thread string on to a large needle, and then starting from the unpainted side, thread the needle up through, and then back down again on the same leaf. Repeat until all the leaves are on the string. Hang and then space the leaves apart as desired!
How cute do these look!? I enjoy seeing the leaves in my kitchen everyday. They bring colour into the house as we celebrate nature in the home with good memories attached.
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11 Comments
Elise @ Creative Play Central
May 8, 2013 at 12:11 pmI can see why you are still enjoying these long after the paint dries. They are gorgeous and I love how you have them displayed for everyone to appreciate.
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
May 10, 2013 at 6:11 pmI think that is one of the best things about it…that they are enjoyed for so long after the activity.
Kate - An Everyday Story
May 8, 2013 at 7:30 pmThese are lovely ๐ We’ve tried painting leaves with my littles but they were a bit heavy-handed and pushed the paint brush straight through the leaf ๐ Maybe we’ll try again next year.
Kylie @ Octavia and Vicky
May 9, 2013 at 6:18 amSuch pretty leaves! My daughter would love this activity, although at three years old I suspect that her painting will result in the usual squelchy, hands-covered, everything-goes-to-brown mess. Which is lots of fun too! ๐
Renee @ Adventuresathomewithmum
May 9, 2013 at 12:47 pmwhat a neat idea.
they are so pretty.
This reminds me of the intricate aboriginal art designs you see on natural materials ๐
Jode
May 9, 2013 at 3:28 pmYour patterns are so lovely…i would want to always display them! I did try something similar with my girls but they covered them in paint and they weren’t quite salvageable…the experience was great though…thanks for sharing x
Kate Lloyd
May 9, 2013 at 10:16 pmWow! They look so beautiful. I’m keen to do this myself!
I love this time of year when the leaves are changing. It’s a great time for children to observe simple changes in the environment.
Nathalie Brown
May 11, 2013 at 8:10 amI’m a big fan of painting leaves and really anything that combines the outdoors with crafts. The designs are nothing short of awesome.
stephanie
May 11, 2013 at 2:15 pmSo gorgeous! Putting this on my list for the fall. ๐
Kelly
May 11, 2013 at 8:43 pmThey look so pretty! Love the colours and that you made them into a banner ๐ very Autumn festive!
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August 12, 2013 at 12:31 pm[…] Paint Leaves […]