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10 Fall Craft Ideas for the Whole Family

Written by: Caitlin Evans

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Published on

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Last updated on

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Time to read 7 min

Fall is a lovely time of year. The weather cools down, the leaves change, and the sweaters come out. And for many of us, it’s also the time to get some serious crafting done.

We’ve gathered a list of 10 easy fall craft ideas you can do with your kids, friends, or on your own. The best part is that many of these projects use items you probably have on hand. Explore the autumnal endeavors below and pick one (or a few) to bring cozy touches to your home.

In This Article
1. Canning Jar Pumpkins 2. Wooden Post Pumpkins 3. Bandana Wreath 4. Candle Sweaters 5. Tomato Stake Fall Tree 6. Outdoor Leaf Garland 7. Acorn Art 8. Cheese Grater Centerpiece 9. "Bleached" Pine Cones 10. Junk-O'-Lanterns FAQs

1. Canning Jar Pumpkins

Why we love this craft: Canning rings are the underappreciated crowns of mason jars, and projects like this show off their versatility. Try using rings that are no longer fit for canning (the dented or rusty ones), and pick any paint you want to add a pop of color.

Supplies Needed

  • (Optional) spray paint
  • (Optional) wax paper
  • Canning jar rings
  • Glue gun and hot glue sticks
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Scissors
  • Twine
  • Cinnamon sticks

Instructions

  1. (Optional) Spray a few of the rings with your preferred paint and place them on a sheet of wax paper to dry overnight (you can skip this step and leave the metal bare).
  2. Arrange the rings into a circle, all facing the same direction, and secure the center with a pipe cleaner.
  3. Use your scissors to cut six-inch pieces of twine, and tie one around each cinnamon stick.
  4. Affix the cinnamon sticks to the center of your pumpkins with the glue gun.
  5. Allow the glue to dry for a few hours or overnight.
Three decorative pumpkins made from painted mason jar lids sit on a wooden table.
Photo credit: Creative Moments

2. Wooden Post Pumpkins

Why we love this craft: This DIY project speaks to the woodworker in all of us.

Supplies Needed

  • Circular saw
  • Long 4×4 post
  • Thick tree branches
  • Sandpaper
  • Tack cloth
  • Cardboard
  • Exterior paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Wood glue

Instructions

  1. Using a circular saw, cut your post into blocks of varying heights.
  2. Repeat the process with the branches, cutting them into shorter sections.
  3. Sand all sides of the blocks, then wipe away any residual sawdust with a tack cloth.
  4. Cover your work area with cardboard for easy cleanup.
  5. Paint the tops and sides of the blocks, leaving the bottoms unpainted.
  6. Place them bottom-side down on the cardboard to prevent sticking, and let them dry overnight.
  7. Once dry, glue a branch piece to the top of each block and let them dry overnight again.
  8. After the glue dries, display your creations on the front porch.
Several wooden blocks painted to look like pumpkins are displayed on a deck with a wooden fence in the background. The pumpkins are orange with white polka dots or stripes and have real sticks attached as stems. Twine bows are tied around some of the stems.
Photo credit: Diary of a Crafty Lady

3. Bandana Wreath

Why we love this craft: This is a two-step craft you can finish in under 15 minutes.

Supplies Needed

  • Bandanas in fall colors
  • Scissors
  • Wire wreath frame

Instructions

  1. Cut each bandana into three strips.
  2. Tie every strip onto the frame using a lark’s head knot. If you’re unfamiliar with this knot, follow these steps:
    1. Fold a bandana strip in half.
    2. Slide the looped end under the wreath frame.
    3. Lay the two opposite end pieces over the top of the frame.
    4. Feed the end pieces through the loop.
    5. Pull the ends toward the outside of the frame until the knot is tight.
A wreath made of red, yellow, brown, and black bandana strips hangs on a red front door. In the center of the wreath is a metal door knocker, and below it is a decal reading, hello., in lowercase cursive.
Photo credit: Mom Home Guide

4. Candle Sweaters

Why we love this craft: This is a clever way to repurpose old clothes you no longer wear.

Supplies Needed

  • Glass jar candles
  • Old sweaters
  • Needle and thread
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Pull a sweater sleeve over the base of the candle just below the lip of the jar.
  2. Cut the sleeve off the sweater—extra fabric will hang off the bottom (which is what you want).
  3. Take the sleeve off the jar, turn it inside out, then slide it back on.
  4. Bunch the extra fabric together at the bottom of the jar, making sure not to pull the sleeve off.
  5. Thread your needle and sew the fabric together, tightly wrapping the thread around the bunch and fastening it.
  6. Trim the excess fabric as close to the thread as possible.
  7. Remove the newly sewn sleeve, turn it right side out, then slip it back over the bottom of the jar.
A clear glass jar candle with an orange-and-white cozy made from an upcycled sweater sits on a brown leather surface.
Photo credit: Bre Pea

5. Tomato Stake Fall Tree

Why we love this craft: This project can be done with tomato stakes, pyramid trellises, or A-frame trellises (lean this last one against the wall).

Supplies Needed

  • 1 6' tomato stake
  • 1–2 strings of orange outdoor lights
  • 7–8 strands of leaf garland
  • 6 yards of burlap wire ribbon
  • Wire or twine

Instructions

  1. To make the tapering tree shape, turn your tomato stake upside down.
  2. Starting at the bottom and working upward, wrap the lights around the stake.
  3. Repeat this process with the garland and ribbon, securing them to the stake with bits of wire.

PRO TIP: 

If you want your tree to transition from fall to holiday decor—use white lights and swap the leaf garland with evergreens.

A festive fall decoration featuring a repurposed tomato cage wrapped in burlap ribbon. It is adorned with colorful autumn leaves and string lights. The decoration is set against a white siding background, with the Burlap Kitchen website and a copyright symbol visible at the bottom right.
Photo credit: Burlap Kitchen

6. Outdoor Leaf Garland

Why we love this craft: It’s one of the easiest, least expensive fall crafts for kids.

Supplies Needed

  • Real leaves
  • Yarn
  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Big plastic needle (The needle isn’t sharp, so the risk of booboos is minimal)

Instructions

  1. Give your kids plastic bags and have them go outside to gather fallen leaves (you’ll need a lot).
  2. Cut the cardboard into a square roughly the same size as a leaf.
  3. Cut a piece of yarn to your desired garland length.
  4. Poke a hole in the center of the cardboard, feed one end of the yarn through it, and knot it on the other side so it won’t slip out.
  5. Thread the other end of the yarn through your needle.
  6. Gently push the needle through the center of a leaf, and pull the leaf along the yarn until it reaches the cardboard.
  7. Repeat this process until you reach the end of your yarn.
  8. Secure the end with a knot.
A festive fall garland made of colorful leaves adorns a white stair railing. It is tied with a black-and-white checkered bow, adding a playful touch. The garland hangs over a red brick front porch decorated with pumpkins, vibrant yellow mums, and other seasonal accents.
Photo credit: Celebrate & Decorate

7. Acorn Art

Why we love this craft: It’s a sparkly departure from your typical fall leaf or pumpkin crafts. You even have three painting methods to choose from, so you can “leaf, laugh, love” any way you please.

Supplies Needed

  • Acorns
  • Baking sheet
  • Wax paper
  • Nail polish
  • Craft glue
  • Loose glitter
  • Spray-on glitter

Instructions

  1. Rinse your acorns and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  2. Bake them in the oven at 200°F (93°C) for about 1.5 to 2 hours.
  3. Once they’ve cooled, lay down some wax paper in a well-ventilated workspace, and choose one of the following application methods:
  4. Method 1: Paint your acorns with nail polish.
  5. Method 2: Brush on glue and roll or sprinkle them in loose glitter.
  6. Method 3: Spritz the acorns with spray-on glitter.
  7. Leave the acorns to dry on the wax paper for a few hours or overnight.
A collection of acorns, both natural and painted in metallic colors, fills a leaf-shaped glass bowl. The bowl sits in a wooden crate with a bed of raffia underneath. The DIY n Crafts website and a copyright symbol are in the bottom right corner.
Photo credit: DIYnCrafts

8. Cheese Grater Centerpiece

Why we love this craft: This upcycled centerpiece is easy to assemble, and it works well with multiple farmhouse styles. Plus, you can find most of the materials at thrift stores or even in your own backyard.

Supplies Needed

  • Old metal cheese graters
  • Wooden platter
  • Flameless candles
  • Dried flowers or leaves

Instructions

  1. Place the cheese graters in the center of the platter.
  2. Put the candles around the graters (or inside if they fit).
  3. Sprinkle dried foliage in the platter’s remaining open spaces.
A festive fall centerpiece on a wooden table. Three metal cheese graters, repurposed as candle holders, sit on a tray surrounded by acorns. Lit white votive candles are nestled both within and around the graters, casting a warm and inviting glow.
Photo credit: Good Housekeeping/Andrew McCaul

9. "Bleached" Pine Cones

Why we love this craft: We’re all about multifunctional decor, and the minimalist, Scandinavian vibes of these pine cones fit fall, holiday, and winter themes. The best part is no bleach is involved.

Supplies Needed

  • Large plastic bucket
  • Pine cones
  • White acrylic or craft paint
  • Rubber gloves
  • Wax paper

Instructions

  1. Pour two parts water and one part paint into the bucket.
  2. Pull on the rubber gloves and dip the pine cones into the paint mixture.
  3. Let excess paint drip off before placing the paint-covered cones on a sheet of wax paper to dry overnight.
A pine cone wreath hangs from a cream-and-red ribbon against a rustic white wooden wall.
Photo credit: Garden Therapy

10. Junk-O'-Lanterns

Why we love this craft: Besides having the best name ever, this fall season craft allows you to use up any bits and baubles you’ve held onto over the years.

Supplies Needed

  • 2" x 4" and 2" x 6" chunks of wood
  • Orange spray paint
  • Cardboard
  • Power drill and drill bits
  • Staple gun and staples
  • Glue gun and hot glue sticks
  • A bit of junk

Instructions

  1. Place the wood chunks on the cardboard and spritz paint on the tops and sides, leaving the bottom portions bare. Let them dry overnight.
  2. While the paint dries, sift through your junk drawer to see what you can find to build the faces and stems. Old knobs, buttons, metal hinges, broken jewelry—anything will work.
  3. Once dry, attach materials to the wood using the appropriate methods (drilling holes to screw in knobs, hot gluing buttons and jewelry, etc.).
Several whimsical jack-o
Photo credit: Diva of DIY

FAQs

What can I make with fall fabric?

Use fall fabric to make a variety of decor, such as:

  • Table runners

  • Tablecloths

  • Outdoor wreaths

  • Napkins

  • Pillowcases

  • Pot holders

  • Halloween costumes

  • Quilts

  • Tote bags

  • Aprons

How can I decorate for fall with no money?

You can save money and decorate your home for fall by creating DIY decor with items you have on hand, such as clothes you no longer wear, real leaves and branches from your backyard, cardboard paper towel rolls, etc. Look for budget-friendly craft ideas online that meet your needs.

What is the easiest way to decorate for fall?

The easiest way to decorate for fall is to use minimal decorations for a clean look (and less cleanup later). Choose reusable pieces you can set out season after season and display pots of mums or asters that you can compost once autumn ends.

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Caitlin-Evans-author-bio-photo

Caitlin Evans

Cait is an Indiana-based creative content writer who has been with POLYWOOD since 2020. She’s a Purdue alumna, a proud logophile (word nerd), and an advocate of the Oxford comma. In her free time, Cait loves gardening, cooking, running, camping, and spending time with her husband and four fur children. 

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