Learn how to make Fall Leaves Stamp Art out of kitchen sponges. This is a fun leaf art project for kids of all ages, who will have so much fun making their own autumn leaves with paint. But the best part about these stamps is that they’re washable and reusable. So you can save this stamp set and use it with next year’s class too.
If you want to make your Fall themed lessons a breeze, then check out the Fall Activity Pack. It’s filled with math and literacy centers, fine motor activities and arts and crafts templates. All of which are aligned with preschool learning standards. Check it out today.
Disclosure: Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times. Some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use this link to make a purchase.
More Fall themed Arts and Crafts to try
If you’re a fan of fall leaf crafts, then you’ll love these other Autumn themed craft ideas. There’s no better way to enjoy the Fall season with your toddlers and preschoolers than with these fun and easy craft ideas.
- Apple Stamping
- Paper Plate Sunflower Craft
- Egg carton apple tree craft
- Snowy Owl Pine Cone Craft
- How to make Polymer Clay Fall Leaves
For more ideas, take a look at these 30 Amazing Fall Arts and Crafts for Kids.
Materials Needed
- Kitchen sponges
- Sharpies
- Scissors
- Hot glue and a hot glue gun
- Acrylic paint
- Construction paper
How to Make Fall Leaves Stamp Art
Make the stamps
1. Take your kitchen sponges and cut them in half
One half of the sponge will become the leaf outline, and the other half will become the stamp backing.
Of course, you can leave the sponges intact, these will just end up being bigger stamps. I like to cut my sponges in half because I prefer to have a medium size stamp instead. It also means that I get twice as many stamps using the same number of sponges.
2. Draw the leaf outlines.
I used a black marker to draw three different leaf outlines on the sponges. This step allows for a lot of creativity. You can draw whatever kind of leaves you like, or even let your kids design their own.
3. Cut out the leaf outlines.
This step can be tricky. If you are letting your young kids design their own leaf stamps, you may need to do this step for them. Although older children should be able to do this part of the project themselves.
4. Glue the leaf cutouts to a base.
Use a hot glue gun to attach the two pieces of sponge together. I’ve tried different types of glue for this step, and I’ve found that hot glue is the only one that works for me.
You don’t need to cover the entire leaf with hot glue, but just enough so that the two pieces of sponge stay together when you’re washing them.
Stamp your leaf painting
5. Cover the leaf stamp in paint.
You can apply paint in this art activity in two different ways. You can either use a paintbrush to apply paint directly to the stamp (like in the picture). Or you can spread a layer of paint onto a plate or tray, then dip your stamp into the paint of the plate.
Which way you choose will depend on you. I like to use a paintbrush because it helps kids to develop pincer grip and other fine motor skills. However, if you’re doing this activity with a class full of toddlers, it may be easier for you to set up a tray of paint for them instead.
6. Turn the stamp over and press it onto a piece of scrap paper.
7. Lift the stamp up, move it to a new section of the paper and press it down again.
8. Repeat steps 5 – 7 with all of the different stamps and colors until you are happy with your picture.
I chose red, orange and yellow paint for my different leaves. I loved the bright colors and thought they were perfect for making art prints. But of course, let your children express their creativity in their own ways. They may prefer colorful fall leaves that are blue, purple or pink.
9. Leave your picture to dry.
Draw the veins
10. Once the paint is dry you can use a marker to draw the veins on the leaves.
I used red and brown sharpies to draw the veins. This step is completely optional, if you are doing this activity with a class of younger kids, you may prefer to skip this step.
Different ways to use Fall Leaf Stamps
While I made a basic picture with these leaves, there are so many different art projects you can make with these fall stamps.
Make a fall tree
Use these to decorate a bare brown tree trunk picture. You can make a giant tree picture as a class wall art project, or just a little one for individual children.
Fall Wreath
Cut out the individual leaves and glue them onto a paper plate ring. Making a wreath is a fun activity that will also look beautiful hanging up on your front door.
Hedgehog Leaf Picture
Use leaves to represent the spikes on a hedgehog’s back. This is a classic craft that you can make using either real leaves or faux leaves.
What You’re Learning
Creativity
Arts and crafts are a great way to use your imagination and then create something that represents that idea in the real world. This is important not only for artistic pursuits, like painting or music, but also for problem solving. Which is an essential life skill that everyone needs to develop.
I chose red, orange and yellow paint for my different leaves. I loved the bright colors and thought they were perfect for making art prints. But of course, let your children express their creativity in their own ways. They may prefer colorful fall leaves that are blue, purple or pink.
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills refer to the small muscles in the hand and fingers. Developing these skills are important in being able to write when the kids go to school, as well as being able to complete tasks independently. (For example, dressing and feeding themselves).
Holding a paintbrush, and turning and pressing the stamps on the paper are all going to help young kids develop:
- Pincer grip or palmar grasp
- Hand-eye coordination
- Dexterity.
Are you going to make this fall Leaves Stamp Art with your kids?
Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.
87 Pages of Fall themed play based learning activities. Perfect for preschool and kindergarteners.
