Turn a leaf rubbings craft into a colorful wreath that will last all season long! This easy fall project comes from Joanna of The Blue Barn.
Updated September 2022
Hi! Joanna Walker here from The Blue Barn and today I’m sharing a project that involves one of my favorite simple fall invitations – leaf rubbings.
I’m sure this activity is not new to many of you. But I wanted to take you through the simple invitation I left out for my children after school one day. This activity grew and evolved into so many different projects that are great for all ages – all from a simple leaf.
To start with, here’s a highlight of the materials we used to create our finished wreaths. However, to begin with a simple leaf rubbing, you will only need a few items from this supply list.
I began by setting this project up on a sunny fall day, you know the perfect day where you need a sweater but the sun is warm and the breeze smells good.
On a tray were a few sheets of the white printer paper, oil pastels in fall colors and a few leaves to get them going.
Create leaf rubbing
It didn’t take long for them to spot the oil pastels and leaves. I showed them how to take a rubbing from the back side of a leaf and they were off.
To make a good leaf rubbing, place a leaf bumpy side up under a sheet of paper.
Then, taking an oil pastel, rub the side of the oil pastel over the paper where the leaf is hidden. Note: It works best to remove the paper from the outside of the pastel first.
It is so interesting to see how kids all interpret this simple invitation differently.
Paint leaf rubbings
Next, I mixed up a wash of black watercolor paint. You could choose a more fall like color (yellow, red, orange) but I wanted the colors to pop through for the kids so I chose black.
Paint the sheets of leaves and watch as the paint runs off the oil pastels with the colors showing through.
Paint cardboard hoop
We couldn’t let all the pretty leaves go to waste, so while the leaves were drying we painted the cardboard hoops with acrylic paint.
Cut out leaf rubbings
Once the leaves were dry we began to carefully cut them all out tracing around the outside of each of the leaf prints.
Glue leaves to wreath
Just add glue! Have the kids stick the leaves to their painted rings.
Thank you for joining me, I hope you will go and enjoy some simple leaf art with your children. Let us know where it leads you!
And if you want even MORE Fall craft ideas, check out our Fall Arts and CraftsWorkshop at the Kids Art Spot, our kids art club. You’ll get 10 videos of fun Fall art activities PLUS 10 seasonal drawing prompts!
Joanna Walker is the creator behind The Blue Barn which offers art experiences for children, and she teaches preschool art classes part-time. She's a mom to four children ages 13, 11, 9 & 7.
If you'd like to see more ideas from Joanna, you can check out her blog, Blue Barn Living. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Her favorite place to hang out online is Instagram for the positive, supportive community of each other's creativity– and there is SO much inspiration to be found.
