Make: Painted Pumpkins

If you're looking for a simple, quick activity to do with your kids, let them paint a pumpkin. You'll be amazed how much they enjoy spreading paint over the bumpy surface (WAY more fun than paper!), and then you'll have a sweet little homemade addition to your fall decor. 

Make: Fall Placemats and Suncatchers

I love decorating, and I adore spending time with my sweet little boy, so anytime those two JOYS can be combined, I am one happy homemaking mama!

This pretty Fall decoration is very easy, very affordable (which of course, also makes for a happy husband!), very festive, and, most importantly very fun to do with your little ones. 

Step 1: Go on a leaf hunt with your kiddos. Encourage them to find reds, yellows, and oranges. Pause to admire their beautiful findings (they'll want you to look at each one), and use the opportunity to teach them about how we can see God's hand in His creation. Landon decided that God must really like orange, because we happen to have a lot of that particular color on our trees right now. 

Step 2: Cut two similar-sized pieces of Con-Tact paper (about $4/roll).

Step 3: Peel the backing off one sheet of paper, and lay it sticky-side up. Show your child how to apply the leaves and fall flowers face down onto the paper. 

Step 4: This is the trickiest part. Peel the backing off the second sheet of Con-Tact paper, and carefully line it up (sticky side down this time) with one of the edges of the decorated paper. Then, using both hands, adhere the two papers together by slowly pushing the top paper down in a back-and-forth smoothing motion. Once the two sheets are one, smooth out all air bubbles. Sorry for the blurry picture...since my hands were busy for this shot, I had to rely on a four-year-old photographer.

Step 5: To Create Placemats-  Personal recommendation: Placemats go very well initially enjoyed over a nice cup of "warm" apple cider. Personal warning: Don't refer to the apple cider as "hot," or you will be enjoying the placemats for much longer than you intended, while you wait for the cider to cool down...even if it wasn't actually that "hot" to begin with.

Step 6: To Create Sun Catcher- Follow steps 1-4. Then, hole punch the two top corners. Decide where you want the artwork to hang, and tie the appropriate length of fishing line from one corner to the other. 

Step 7: Hang the sun-catcher from your window. These are beautiful on a nice fall day, and your kids will be so proud to see that you've hung their artwork for all to see and enjoy throughout the season. 

Make: Fall Flyers

My absolute favorite place to decorate in my house is above my kitchen sink. There's something about adding a punch of personality where it's least expected that appeals to me, and it's a great place to show off some of my little guy's artwork. Here's how I decorate it for FALL:

1. Draw Fall shapes (such as leaves, apples, or pumpkins) on four pieces of construction paper. Don't worry..."abstract" will work for this project! Make sure to leave a couple extra inches at the top of each one for hanging purposes. 

2. Outline each shape with a thin line of glue. 

3. Allow your kids to "hide the glue line" with multi-colored dried beans and/or corn kernels. If you have several kids, perhaps each one can do a flyer. Remember to join in the fun yourself though too, and create right along with your kids! Have each artist sign and date their work.

4. Once dry, hang the Fall Flyers up by folding the top few inches over a strung line. You may want to tape the folded flap to the back of the artwork to secure it. 

This keepsake will be a great conversation piece with guests, a reminder of warm memories, an endearing decoration for years to come, and a great show-and-tell opportunity for proud little ones!