Autumn Leaf Printing
Collect real autumn leaves, coat the backs in paint, and press onto paper to capture every detail of the leaf structure. A beautiful nature-art crossover activity that works at any age.
Seasonal
Ages 3–1130 minsEasyIndividual or class
Watch on YouTube
Search: "autumn leaf printing art activity kids tutorial paint" — video tutorials from popular craft channels
What you'll need
- Fresh autumn leaves of different shapes and sizes
- Poster or acrylic paint
- Paintbrushes or foam rollers
- Cartridge paper or fabric for printing onto
- Old newspapers to work on
- Aprons
How to do it
- Collect leaves while still fresh — dry leaves crumble and don't print well.
- Lay a leaf with the vein side uppermost (this gives more texture in the print).
- Apply paint in thin, even coat over the vein surface.
- Carefully pick up the leaf and press paint-side-down onto the paper.
- Hold still and press firmly all over, then lift cleanly.
- Repeat with different leaves and colours — overlapping creates depth.
💡 Tips
Broad flat leaves (sycamore, maple) give the best prints. Try white and gold paint on dark paper for an ethereal autumn effect. For a science link: name the trees each leaf came from.
Books and materials
Convenience links for everything mentioned above. We link to Amazon — LessonKind may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.