25 Fall Backyard Hands-on Crafts & Science Activities

25 Fall-inspired science activities & crafts for preschoolers, kindergarten & elementary age kids!

There is so much we adore about the mellow days of Fall!

Our family especially enjoyed getting outside to enjoy the cooler weather and collect nature’s beauties like gourds and mini-pumpkins and pine cones and leaves for projects! The seasonal change always led us as homeschoolers to think about a few fun fall themed science activities for hands-on learning.

Science and crafts in the fall are so easy and colorful. And one of the best parts about hands-on projects in the Fall is being able to make a mess outside.

There’s an abundance of science to observe and crafts to do outside during the Fall season:

• the days become shorter and cooler
• leaves change colors
• and trees begin to shed both their leaves and seeds
• animals start hibernation, behaviors like murmuration or migratory habits like the Sandhill Cranes.
• the night sky begins to shift – kids probably notice you can see the moon both at night & in the morning

Each link below shows the how to’s of great fall science activities and experiments to try with your child.

These Fall science ideas also incorporate a great deal of sensory play and sensory system stimulation. Let me inspire you with some seasonal science and fun experiments with leaves, apples, pumpkins and more favorites!

Leaf, Tree & Nighttime Crafts & Science

1. Fall Leaf Lacing (Rhythms of Play)

2. Build a Leaf Maze (Happy Hooligans)

3. Autumn Leaf Crown (by The Imagination Tree)

3. Tree Identification Scavenger Hunt (by Edventures with Kids)

4. Explore The Art & Science of Leaf Rubbings (by Edventures with Kids)

5. Take an evening walk with these Constellations Knowledge Cards and learn about the stars in your part of the world!

6. Go open their eyes to the outdoors some evening with the FREE printable Nighttime Scavenger Hunt list (by Edventures with Kids)

7. Autumn Nature Exploration Table (by The Imagination Tree) or Invitation to Explore: Nature in the Fall (by KCEdventures)

8. Make a colorful real Leaf Lantern (Teaching Mama)

9. Learn to observe with Leaves Math Activity (Pre-K Pages)

10. Moon Activities for Kids: Phases of the Moon (by Edventures with Kids)

11. Autumn Handprint Tree (by The Imagination Tree)

14 More Hands-On Fall Science Projects & Crafts

12. Salt Crystal Fall Leaves (Little Bins for Little Hands)

13. And you can also watch a leaf breathe with this easy experiment!

14. Make this wonderfully warm-scented Autumn spice play dough recipe for lots of Fall themed invitations to play and learn!

15. Pine Cone Weather Station (by Science Sparks).  Chart weather changes using pine cones.

16. Mini Pumpkin Volcano Science Experiment (Little Bins for Little Hands). Set up mini pumpkins or Erupting Apples.

17. Exploring Fall Colors with Gourds (Little Bins for Little Hands)

18. Make some unique and aromatic Cinnamon Salt Dough Leaf Ornaments (by The Imagination Tree)

19. Bubble Science with Pumpkins (Preschool Powol Packets). Explore bubbles and pumpkins together.

20. Leaf Chromatography Experiment – Why Do Leaves Change Color? (by Teach Beside Me)

21. Autumn Leaves and Gems Color Sorting Activity (by The Imagination Tree)

22. Stained Glass Fall Leaf Art (by Teach Beside Me)

23. How To Make Dr. Seuss Oobleck (by Teach Beside Me)

24. Watch seeds sprouting on your window sill as your Grow a Pumpkin in a Pumpkin. (By Life with Moore Babies) The circle of life where new growth comes from the old and is nourished by the old.

Using Your Treasures As Home Decor

(photo source) Make it: Acorn Vase (& More Free Decorating with Nature Ideas)

Check out my post: 57 K – Gr. 5 Nature/ Science Books For Curious Kids

 

“The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.” ~Isaiah 40:8