Fall is the perfect time to cozy up with a good book and get a little messy with paint. If your little ones love the mischievous squirrel from The Leaf Thief or Pumpkin Thief by Alice Hemming, this craft will feel like magic. After reading the stories, you can bring that adorable squirrel to life using something you probably already have in your kitchen: an apple!
This apple stamped squirrel craft is simple, seasonal, and full of hands-on fun. The best part? A halved apple makes the perfect squirrel head shape when you press it in paint. Let’s dip into it!
GRAB ANY OF THE LEAF THIEF BOOKS VIA OUR AMAZON AFFILIATE LINKCraft Supplies:
Gather these supplies before you start so little hands don’t have to wait:
- 1 apple, cut in half (this is your stamp)
- Brown paint
- A paper plate (to hold your paint)
- Yellow construction paper
- Googly eyes
- Brown dot stickers for the squirrel noses
- A brown marker for drawing the ears
Directions:
Step 1: Prep Your Paint Station
Squeeze a dollop of brown paint onto the paper plate. The plate makes it easy for kids to see where to dip. Cut your apple in half so you have a flat surface to work with. The rounded top of the apple half creates that perfect squirrel head shape.
Step 2: Stamp the Squirrel Heads
Have your child dip the cut side of the apple into the brown paint, then press it firmly onto the yellow construction paper. Lift straight up to reveal a rounded squirrel head print! Repeat across the page to make a whole family of squirrels.
Step 3: Let the Paint Dry
This is a great time to reread a page or two of The Leaf Thief while you wait. The paint only needs a few minutes to set before you add the fun details.
Step 4: Add the Googly Eyes
Once the paint is dry, glue or stick one googly eye onto the center of each squirrel head. Instant personality!
Step 5: Stick On the Dot Sticker Noses
Here’s the easiest and most satisfying step. Grab your brown dot stickers and place one right beside each googly eye to make the squirrel’s little nose. Dot stickers are perfect for young children because there’s no mess, no glue, and no waiting. Kids can peel and press them all on their own, which makes them feel proud and independent.
Step 6: Draw the Ears
Using the brown marker, draw a simple “M” shape above each squirrel head. Those two little bumps become the perfect pointy ears. And just like that, your squirrels are complete!
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This apple stamped squirrel craft is proof that the simplest supplies can spark the biggest smiles. Between the story, the stamping, and those easy dot sticker noses, your kids will have a fall memory (and a wall of cute squirrels) to enjoy all season long. Happy crafting, my friends!
