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5 Fall Sensory And Fine Motor Activities for Toddlers

Inside this post, you can find five fun-filled and educational fall sensory activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

When Lennox was two-years-old, we did five, fun filled fall sensory activities for toddlers that I want to share with you today!

Enjoy, and if you do these fall sensory activities for toddlers, please tag us on Instagram, using the handle @lorenaylennox, so we can see your child’s fall fun!

Fall Sensory Activities for Toddlers

Benefits of doing arts and crafts with children

Toddlers grow and learn at such a fast pace. They are little sponges that soak up everything in their surroundings.

As adults in an extremely fast-paced, capitalistic society, it is easy to forget that these adorable-little-demanding-creature-bosses are learning so quickly that they become overwhelmed with their daily happenings, new abilities, and the inability to express themselves. The result is tantrum and parental frustration.

I notice Lennox throwing more tantrums when he is not receiving stimulation, attention, or isn’t being heard.

The tantrums occur most when I am on my phone or computer.

As a result,  I have cut back on technology, even T.V. time. Instead, I try to take advantage of one-on-one time with Lennox as much as possible and substitute screen time with something that interests him, stimulates him, and calms him down; crafts. 

In her post “The Importance of Art and Craft in Child Development”, Eva St. Clair of Princess-Awesome.com goes into the details of the many benefits of crafting for toddlers (and children of all ages) physically, emotionally, and cognitively. Some of which are the following:

  • Improves fine motor skills
  • Stimulates the senses
  • Strengthens hand-eye coordination
  • Improves decision-making abilities
  • Ability to express creativity
  • Builds perseverance and patience 
  • Regulates stress

I have seen a lot of these benefits in Lennox from our week of crafting and less screen time.

Lennox has been more patient, listens a lot better, is throwing fewer tantrums, and he has been excited to point out all of the new words we have learned during our crafting sessions.

I highly recommend getting nitty and gritty with your children. Remember messes can be cleaned, but time can’t be returned. So, enjoy your children while they are this age.

Don’t worry; I still have to tell myself this all the time. A lot easier said than done; however it is extremely rewarding once you notice a shift in your toddler’s behavior.

Related: The Best Art and Craft Gift Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers

5 fall sensory activities and crafts for toddlers

1. Apple Stamps

Fall Activities for Toddlers- Apple Stamping

Lennox loves apples. He almost eats an apple-a-day, which is not only great for his health, but they have also helped tremendously with those long days and nights of teething.

For this activity, I cut an apple into four vertical slices.

We then talked about the apple; it’s seeds, the color, it’s taste.

Then, we applied red Crayola Washable Paint onto the surface of the apple and pressed it onto paper. Lennox loved stamping the apple, especially all of the table and myself! For the stem, I used a Crayola marker.

Fall Sensory Activities for Toddlers

It is a super easy craft that involves your child’s touch, smell, and taste senses, and it’s not too big of a mess. 

I labeled all of these crafts in Spanish since we only speak to Lennox is Spanish at home. Side note: It is never too late to teach your toddler a different language, and through crafts, you can both learn new words together.

Fall Activities for Toddlers- Apple Stamping

2. Leaf Imprints 

Fall Activities for Toddlers- Leaf Painting

For this activity, Lennox and I went outside and explored the different trees outside.

We talked about the leaves, the roots, the birds, different insects, and the trees’ surroundings.

We touched the tree, hugged the tree, and I even bravely let Lennox climb on a branch.

It is essential to talk and explain things to your toddlers. They will also enjoy one-on-one nature learning time. 

Related: 20 Loose Parts Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

Next, we took some leaves from an oak tree and did the same thing we did with the apple stamps above. We painted the backside of the leaf to be able to get a clear imprint of its patterns.

Fall Sensory Activities for Toddlers

We painted the leaves using fall colors. As we painted the leaves, we talked about each color. Afterwards, it became a free-for-all, and Lennox couldn’t resist mixing all the colors around. 

Related: Fine Motor Leaf Imprint Activity

Fall Sensory Activities for Toddlers

This craft is great for fine-motor. Scissor work is something Lennox will be practicing a lot in preschool, so I wanted to get a head start. Also, learning how to squeeze the glue and pick up the small pieces of paper worked his hand-eye coordination. 

 Crafts like these have really benefited Lennox. His preschool teacher was very impressed with his fine-motor skills, and I have to say, crafting has been an principal factor in his development.  

3. Pin the Leaves Tree

Fall Activities for Toddlers- Pin the Leaves

Now that Lennox was an expert on trees, I drew a tree trunk and branches on a piece of construction paper.

Next, with a pair of scissors, and Lennox with a pair of Crayola Toddler Safety Scissors, we cut strips of paper, and then cut them into small squares.

From there, Lennox practiced putting glue onto the individual squares and placing them onto the tree’s branches.  

Related: Autumn Leaf Activities for Preschoolers

Fall Sensory Activities for Toddlers

This activity is great for fine-motor skills. Scissor work is something Lennox will be practicing a lot in preschool, so I wanted to get a head start. Also, learning how to squeeze the glue and pick up the small pieces of paper worked his hand-eye coordination. 

Related: 13 Tips to Prepare your Toddler for Their First Year of Preschool

Activities like these have really benefited Lennox. His preschool teacher was very impressed with his fine-motor skills, and I have to say, crafting has been a principal factor in his development.  

4. Paper Sunflower

Fall Activities for Toddlers- Sunflower Crafts

This craft was a lot trickier than I thought. I would say this is more for older toddlers; however; Lennox did assist in cutting the strips of paper. You wouldn’t believe how entertained toddlers can be with a pair of safety scissors.

Fall Activities for Toddlers- Sunflower Craft

For the sunflower on the left, I followed Playideas.com’s instructions. As for the flower on the right, I used the strips Lennox, and I cut and overlaid them onto each other with Elmer’s glue to form the shape of a sunflower. 

For the center of both sunflowers, Lennox balled up tissue paper, and we glued them to the center of the sunflowers.

Fall Sensory Activities for Toddlers- Sunflower Craft

5. Painting Pinecones

It might be too early for this craft right now, but last year, Lennox and I went on a nature walk and gathered some pine cones.

Lennox loved learning about the pinecones and looking for them on the ground. We placed them into a basket and brought them to the table where I let Lennox creatively paint them. He had fun being able to do whatever he pleased with the paint and the pinecones while learning about fall and nature.

We hope you enjoyed our fall crafts thus far. I’m sure there will be more on the way because just as beneficial as it is for Lennox, it helps calm my mom-brain and to distress as well.

Please let us know what you think and/or to recommend any awesome holiday crafts that we do in the future.

If you don’t find the fall activity you were looking for in this post, check out one of the following fall posts below:

Mallie M

Thursday 22nd of August 2019

What fun activities and easy to do too! Absolutely adore the apple stamps!

Laurin Ruprecht

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Thank you! We had a lot of fun making them, and they were super easy and toddler-friendly.

Lauren

Thursday 22nd of August 2019

I absolutely love these activity ideas! I think all three of my kids would love them!!

Laurin Ruprecht

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Yes, who doesn't love a good craft, especially when it's fall-themed!

Natalie

Wednesday 21st of August 2019

Lennox is so cute and these are great activities for Fall! I remember doing similar ones when my kiddos were little. It's so great that your recognized your little one needed you.

Laurin Ruprecht

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Thank you, he sure is a cutie pie. Yes, sometimes I get too involved with blogging, but crafting is a good time to set aside business and play with my tot!

Cindy

Wednesday 21st of August 2019

Wow love all these craft ideas gonna try some todaybb

Laurin Ruprecht

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Thank you! Enjoy making your crafts!

Kesi

Friday 2nd of August 2019

Me and my boys will have to do some of these for our fall crafts..how fun!

Laurin Ruprecht

Tuesday 13th of August 2019

Please do. They were super fun and easy fall crafts to make!