During the Fall season, we love to collect leaves that fall on the ground. They make great crafty projects and are easily turned into art. Here are our Leaf Rubbings we’ve recently made, helping us see what’s inside.
First, collect some leaves, all shapes and sizes. If you don’t have any, I’m sure your neighbor won’t mind you taking some of theirs. Then I like to place the leaves onto contact paper and set a piece of heavy paper on top, sealing them in place like a sandwich. This step of contact paper helps preserve the leaves, so we can do this project again and again.
Now you’re ready to rub. Place a piece of plain white paper over the leaves and rub all over with a crayon. It’s fun to rub the crayon sideways, without it’s paper cover. That way you get more coverage.
My kids were amazed at how intricate the lines were on a leaf. It’s fun to see how a leaf pops out from the paper.
Make the most of your falling leaves and get to collecting.
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My daughter and i were painting outside and discovered if you paint the back of a leaf and press it on paper it makes a cool stamp. We did some pages of these to send to my husband who is in Korea for a year with the Air force. A little taste of his favorite season!
What a fun idea. I will be making leaf stamps this week! Sounds like a perfect decoration for Thanksgiving!
My daughter (she’s 2 1/2) and I took this a little bit farther for a fun fall project. After we did the leaf rubbings, we gathered other fun fall backyard items like acorns and twigs and painted with them and the leaves. Audrey loved to see how different backyard items made different “strokes” on the paper. We’re sending them to my grandmother, who taught me the fine art of leaf rubbings when I was about Audrey’s age and we know she’ll enjoy them now that she is unable to get out and enjoy these things for herself.
I am and art teacher and a great step to this project is to rub the paper with a black crayon instead of colored and then paint over it with water color, it creates a crayon resist because the paint won’t stick to the crayons, it really turns out quite beautiful.
Seems to complicate the whole leaf rubbing issue…my daughter and I just take a leaf, put it under a piece of paper and rub it with a crayon, if you want multiple leaves on the same paper just repeat. An alternative to the black crayon is a white crayon then use very watered down water colors to create almost a tye dyed effect.
The collecting of the leaves is part of your child’s learning and discovering. I am CDA certified and I know plenty about that. Not only that but when she /he uses the same leaf they are getting choices. Giving your child choices is very important and shows them they are allowed to be individuals.
Another great idea in addition to the rubbings are to get the art work laminated and use it as a placemat during Fall. Kids love to see their art work displayed. I know my 2 yr. old daughter does.
Hi Jen,
Is it best to use water color paper to do the project your way?
Thanks,
Jennifer
hi, im from Maldives.thanks for the idea.My son and im gonna make a card for this sunday.
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