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Autumn family craft: leaf wreath

Written by Alison McAllister
A child's pair of hands stick leaves to a leaf wreath using a paint brush and glue.
Autumn is a great time to do nature-inspired arts and crafts. Collecting art supplies from nature is great fun! The next time you go for a walk, pick up some fallen leaves and try making this autumn leaf wreath.
On this page:

What you’ll need

  • A paper plate
  • Selection of leaves
  • Scissiors
  • PVA glue
  • Paint brush
  • String (or ribbon)
  • Sticky tape

Did you know?

During spring and summer, leaves create food for trees, but this process stops in autumn and winter because there’s less daylight and it’s colder. Chlorophyll, the substance in leaves that helps make food, is what gives them their green colour. When the food-making process stops, the chlorophyll breaks down and the green colour fades away, revealing the hidden colours in the leaves: yellow, red, orange and brown.

How to create your leaf wreath

Step 1

Head out on a family walk to gather up a variety of fallen leaves – the more colourful the better!

A young girl holding a clear container with some leaves.

Step 2

Take a paper plate and fold it in half. Cut out the half circle in the middle. This will form the base of your wreath.

Expand image 1: A young girl cuts a paper plate which is folded in half. Expand image 2: A paper plate with the centre cut out.

Step 3

Cut a small piece of string (or ribbon), loop it and stick it to the back of your wreath. You can use this to hang it from a hook on your front door.

Expand image 1: A child's pair of hands use scissors to cut a piece of twine. A paper plate lies next to them with the centre cut out. Expand image 2: A young girl sticks a piece of twine folded in a loop to a paper plate with the centre removed.

Step 4

Turn your plate back over and start sticking on your leaves using your paintbrush and PVA glue.

Expand image 1: A young girl uses a paint brush to get glue from an egg box. A paper plate with the centre cut out is in front of her and a clear container with leaves is next to her. Expand image 2: A child's pair of hands stick leaves to a leaf wreath using a paint brush and glue.

Step 5

After you’ve placed and glued all your leaves, put your wreath aside to dry for a few hours. Then, you can hang it on your front door, so you can enjoy looking at it every time you leave and return home!

A leaf wreath hangs on a white front door.

Top tip

If you’re lucky enough to find small pine cones, acorn husks or any tree seeds, you could add these to your wreath too.

Share your pics!

Ask an adult to help you share your creations on Instagram, tagging @nationaltrustforscotland

Unbe-leaf-able

One of the best places to see the changing colour of leaves is at the Hermitage. There, you can walk among tall Douglas fir trees (which are some of the tallest trees in Scotland) and over old-fashioned bridges, enjoying autumn colours and the noise of the incredible waterfalls. If you’re really lucky, you might even spot a red squirrel!

Explore the Hermitage

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Featured Places

Place

The Hermitage

Walk through towering Douglas firs to the folly of Ossian’s Hall, and gaze over the falls

Perthshire

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