Make an adorable acorn with your kids using a coffee filter and a paper plate. This easy fall craft uses simple supplies you likely already have at home, and it comes together in under 30 minutes.
Autumn is the perfect time to slow down and get crafty. Acorns are everywhere this season, which makes them a fun theme for little hands. This brown acorn project keeps toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary kids busy while sneaking in some talk about seeds, trees, and how things grow.
Craft Supplies:
Gather these before you start so the fun flows without pauses:
- Brown coffee filters (1 per acorn)
- White paper plates (1 per acorn)
- Grey cardstock (for the base)
- Brown paint or a brown paint dauber
- Elmer’s school glue
- Scissors
Directions:
Step 1: Cut the paper plate.
Cut a paper plate in half so you have a half-circle. This becomes the acorn cap.
Step 2: Paint the cap.
Paint the half-circle with streaky, horizontal strokes of brown paint. Leave the strokes rough and textured to mimic a real acorn cap.
Step 3: Flatten the coffee filter.
Open a coffee filter and press it flat. This round shape becomes the acorn’s body, so no painting needed here.
Step 4: Glue the body down.
Glue the flattened coffee filter onto the center of the grey cardstock.
Step 5: Attach the cap.
Glue the painted half-circle over the top half of the coffee filter so they overlap slightly.
Step 6: Paint the stem.
Paint a small brown stem at the top center of the cap, extending up onto the grey cardstock. Let everything dry.
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Cut and paint the plate for the cap, flatten a coffee filter for the body, then glue both onto grey cardstock and add a stem. Simple, cheap, and packed with fall charm. Not to mention – perfect for story time too!
Which step do you think your kids will love most? Save this tutorial for your next crafty afternoon, and share a photo of your finished acorns with us on Facebook and Instagram. We can’t wait to hear from you! Happy crafting, my friends!
