Simple Kid-friendly Fall Leaf Banner for the Non-crafty

Fall is here!

On a walk around the neighborhood last week, my kids and I spontaneously started collecting a few leaves here and there. I am especially fond of red fall leaves and couldn't resist gathering a couple. By the end of our walk, we had quite a collection and decided to make a leaf banner. We went for another walk a few days later on different streets to look for a few more varieties of leaves and colors.

I first made a Fall Garland Made with Real Autumn Leaves four years ago, and it has been a favorite fall activity ever since. This year my youngest (5 years old) absolutely insisted on sewing most of the large 14-foot garland that we hang over the living room sliding doors all by herself. (Note that I am not the kind of person that regularly sews with my children. I barely sew myself.) We threaded from both ends and pull towards the center to minimize knotting and torn leaves.

In an ideal world, we would have collected all the leaves the same day, pressed them flat overnight, and strung them up the very next day. Instead we collected leaves over several days, then let the leaves sit some more, and finally found time to string them up. And it still turned out beautifully. (Note that if your leaves curl quite a bit, as mine did, you can always tape the string to the wall in a few strategic places to keep the banner from floating too far away from the wall.)

This is a fun beginning sewing activity for little ones. My daughter really enjoyed putting a single stitch in each leaf, and proudly showed me how tiny her stitches were. She ended up making her own smaller leaf banner entirely by herself (after I threaded the needle) with the leftover leaves and hung it in her bedroom.

For more tips for a fantastic banner as well as detailed instructions, click over to my original post.

If you want to identify the trees that go with your leaves with your kids, consider checking out some of the following books:

• Tell Me, Tree 
• The Tree Book For Kids and Their Grown Ups
• What Tree Is That? A Guide to the More Common Trees Found in North America
• Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take Along Guides)

               

In a few more weeks, we'll read Leaf Man and Look What I Did with a Leaf, go on another walk to gather leaves, and then make pictures, designs, and collages with our leaves.

       

For more ways to connect your kids to nature, check out my post (continually updated): Falling in Love with Nature: Resources to Help Parents Connect Kids with the Natural World

How do you celebrate fall?

You might also like:

• Prevent and Treat Cold & Flu Naturally
• Halloween: Sweets and Treats I Let My Kids Eat
• 30 Ways to Enjoy 30 Minutes in Nature with Your Kids
• Eco-friendly and Budget-friendly Arts & Crafts Supplies

Would you like more ideas and tips about Going Green Gradually? Sign up for my free email subscription to get each of my posts delivered to your inbox (I usually post one or two times a week). You can also follow me on Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, Twitter, or with your favorite RSS Reader. I hope to see you again soon!

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