Looking for a fun and easy way to celebrate the beautiful colors of autumn with your kids? This fall wreath paper plate craft is a wonderful hands-on activity that lets children create their very own fall decoration using a simple paper plate and my free printable template!
I created this adorable fall wreath craft with colorful autumn leaves, acorns, pinecones, mushrooms, and a big bow to bring everything together. It’s an easy craft that preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary students can enjoy, whether you’re planning a fall homeschool lesson, classroom activity, or a creative afternoon at home.
The best part? You don’t need a bunch of expensive craft supplies! With a paper plate, a few basic supplies, and the printable templates, kids can create a beautiful autumn wreath to proudly display.
Be sure to enter your email in the form near the end of this post to get your FREE fall wreath craft template!
Why You’ll Love This Fall Wreath Paper Plate Craft
Fall is one of my favorite seasons for creating crafts because there are so many beautiful colors and fun nature-inspired designs to work with.
I especially love crafts that are simple to prepare but still give children opportunities to be creative. This fall paper plate wreath is a great example!
Here are a few reasons I think parents and teachers will enjoy this activity:
- Easy to prepare: Just print the templates, gather a few supplies, and you’re ready to begin.
- Budget-friendly: Paper plates and basic craft supplies are all you need.
- Builds fine motor skills: Cutting, coloring, and gluing help children strengthen their hand muscles and coordination.
- Encourages creativity: Kids can choose their favorite fall colors and arrange their decorations however they like.
- Perfect for different ages: Younger children can use the colored templates, while older children can color their own.
- Makes adorable fall decorations: Hang the finished wreaths on doors, windows, bulletin boards, or classroom walls.
I also love that no two wreaths have to look exactly alike. Some children may want lots of colorful leaves, while others might prefer more acorns, pinecones, and mushrooms.
That’s what makes this fall craft so much fun!
What’s Included in the Free Fall Wreath Craft Template?
To make this activity as easy as possible, I created printable templates with everything children need to decorate their fall wreaths.
The printable includes:
- Paper plate center guide: A circle to help you cut out the middle of your paper plate.
- Autumn leaves: Plenty of fall leaves to arrange around the wreath.
- Acorns: Cute little acorns to add to the fall decorations.
- Pinecones: A fun woodland touch for the wreath.
- Mushrooms: Adorable mushrooms that add extra color and variety.
- Decorative bow: A large bow to finish the wreath.
Color and Black-and-White Fall Wreath Templates
I’ve included both colored and black-and-white versions of the fall wreath decorations.
The colored version is perfect when you need a quick, low-prep craft for a classroom or homeschool activity. Simply print, cut, and glue!
The black-and-white version gives children the opportunity to color their own decorations using crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
They can use traditional autumn colors such as red, yellow, orange, brown, and green or come up with their own colorful combinations.
I recommend printing the decorations on cardstock if you want a sturdier finished wreath, especially if you plan to hang it up as a fall decoration.
Supplies Needed for Your Fall Wreath Paper Plate Craft
You only need a few basic supplies to make this adorable fall wreath!
Supplies:
- Free fall wreath printable template
- Paper plate (a standard 9-inch plate works well)
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
- Scissors
- Glue stick or craft glue
- Brown paint (optional)
- Paintbrush (optional)
- String or ribbon for hanging (optional)
If you’re making this craft with younger children, I recommend preparing the paper plate rings ahead of time. Cutting out the center can be a little tricky for small hands.
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How to Make a Fall Wreath Paper Plate Craft
This easy fall wreath craft comes together in just a few simple steps. Once the templates are printed, children can have fun coloring and arranging their decorations.
Step 1: Print and Cut Out the Templates
Start by downloading and printing the free fall wreath craft templates.
Choose the colored version for a quicker activity or the black-and-white version if children would like to color their own decorations.
Carefully cut out the leaves, acorns, pinecones, mushrooms, and bow.
Step 2: Prepare the Paper Plate
Use the printable circle guide to trace a circle onto the center of your paper plate.
Carefully cut out the middle, leaving the outer ring to use as the base of your wreath.
You can leave the paper plate white or paint or color it brown for a more natural fall look.
If you use paint, allow the plate to dry completely before moving on.
Step 3: Add the Fall Leaves
Arrange the colorful autumn leaves around the paper plate ring.
Once you’re happy with the arrangement, glue the leaves onto the wreath.
Try overlapping some of the leaves to give your wreath a fuller appearance.
Step 4: Decorate with Fall Woodland Items
Next, glue the acorns, pinecones, and mushrooms around the wreath.
Children can place these decorations wherever they like!
Encourage them to experiment with different arrangements before gluing everything into place.
Step 5: Attach the Bow
Finish your wreath by gluing the large bow to the top or bottom of the paper plate.
I placed the bow at the bottom of my finished wreath, but it looks adorable either way!
Step 6: Let Dry and Display!
Allow the glue to dry completely.
Your fall paper plate wreath is ready to display!
If you’d like to hang it, attach a piece of string or ribbon to the back.
These wreaths make wonderful decorations for fall bulletin boards, classroom doors, homeschool rooms, or even a child’s bedroom.
Fun Ways to Use This Fall Paper Plate Wreath Craft for Learning
One of the things I love about printable crafts is how easily they can become part of an educational activity.
This fall wreath paper plate craft is more than just a cute decoration. It can also help children practice important early learning skills.
Here are a few ways to incorporate learning into your crafting time.
Practice Fall Color Recognition
Before gluing the decorations onto the wreath, ask children to identify the colors they see.
You can also encourage them to sort the leaves into groups by color.
Try asking questions such as:
- Can you find a red leaf?
- Which leaves are yellow?
- How many orange leaves do you have?
- What other colors do you see during fall?
This is a simple way to reinforce color recognition while introducing seasonal vocabulary.
Build Counting and Early Math Skills
Turn the wreath decorations into a fun counting activity!
Have children count the acorns, mushrooms, pinecones, and leaves before attaching them.
You can also ask them to compare groups.
For example, do they have more leaves or pinecones? How many mushrooms did they add?
For older children, use the decorations to practice simple addition and subtraction problems.
Strengthen Fine Motor Skills
Cutting around the different shapes, coloring within the lines, and placing the decorations onto the paper plate all provide opportunities for fine motor practice.
These activities help children develop hand-eye coordination and the small muscle movements needed for writing.
For younger children who aren’t quite ready to cut out detailed shapes independently, you can prepare the pieces ahead of time and let them focus on coloring and gluing.
Learn About Autumn and Seasonal Changes
This craft also makes a wonderful addition to a fall science lesson.
Before beginning, talk about how some trees change colors during autumn and eventually lose their leaves.
You might even take children on a short nature walk to collect fallen leaves and observe the different colors and shapes.
When you return, compare the real leaves with the printable leaves included in the craft.
It’s an easy way to connect a creative activity with the natural world.
More Creative Ways to Decorate Your Fall Wreath
Although I designed the printable with everything you need to create a beautiful autumn wreath, there are plenty of ways to make it your own.
Add real fall leaves: Collect a few fallen leaves outside and glue them onto the paper plate alongside the printable decorations. Make sure the leaves are dry before attaching them.
Use different art supplies: Instead of crayons, try watercolor paints, markers, or colored pencils to decorate the black-and-white templates.
Make a classroom wreath display: Have each student create their own wreath, then arrange them on a bulletin board with a fun heading such as “Falling Into Creativity!”
Create a fall color pattern: Encourage children to arrange their leaves in a repeating pattern, such as red, yellow, orange, red, yellow, orange.
Add a thankful message: Have children write something they’re thankful for on a small paper leaf and attach it to their wreath.
These little additions make the activity even more meaningful while encouraging children to express their creativity.
Fall Picture Books to Read with Your Wreath Craft
I love pairing crafts with picture books because it gives children an opportunity to explore a theme through both reading and hands-on activities.
If you’re planning a fall-themed homeschool lesson or classroom activity, these picture books would make wonderful additions to your fall wreath craft.
1. Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
This beautifully illustrated story follows a leaf man as he travels wherever the wind takes him.
The illustrations use real fall leaves to create imaginative pictures, making it a wonderful book to pair with a nature-inspired wreath.
After reading, encourage children to look closely at the different leaf shapes in their printable templates.
2. The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
Squirrel is upset when the leaves begin disappearing from his tree!
This funny and engaging story introduces children to the changes that happen during autumn.
Pair it with the wreath craft and discuss why leaves change colors and fall from trees.
3. We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger
Follow three friends as they search for colorful autumn leaves.
This is a great choice for younger children and works especially well if you’re planning to collect real leaves before making your wreath.
4. Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
This lovely picture book follows a child exploring nature as summer transitions into fall.
It’s a wonderful way to introduce seasonal changes and encourage children to notice the colors and sounds of autumn.
5. Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
This colorful book explores the life of a tree and introduces children to how trees grow and change throughout the seasons.
It’s a great choice for combining your fall wreath craft with a simple nature or science lesson.
Book tip: These books can also be used for a fall-themed reading basket, classroom read-aloud, or homeschool unit study.
More Easy Fall Crafts and Printable Activities for Kids
If your children enjoy this fall wreath paper plate craft, there are plenty of other fun ways to keep the autumn creativity going!
Here are a few additional fall activities you might enjoy.
Paper Plate Apple Craft
Create a cute red apple using a paper plate and a free printable template.
This is a fun craft for apple-themed lessons, back-to-school activities, and fall art projects.
Fall Tree Name Craft
Help children practice spelling and recognizing their names while creating a colorful fall tree.
This activity combines name recognition, fine motor practice, and seasonal creativity.
Scarecrow Name Craft
Make an adorable scarecrow while practicing letter recognition and name spelling.
These crafts are especially cute displayed on a fall classroom bulletin board.
Free Fall Dot Marker Printables
For a quick, low-prep activity, try my fall dot marker pages featuring fun autumn-themed pictures.
They’re great for preschoolers who enjoy using bingo daubers or dot markers.
Free Fall Roll and Cover Game
Practice counting and number recognition with a fun fall-themed dice game.
It’s a great addition to preschool and kindergarten math centers.
You can find even more seasonal activities and printables in my shop.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Fall Wreath Craft
What age is this paper plate wreath craft best for?
This craft works especially well for preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, and early elementary students.
Younger children may need help cutting out the center of the paper plate and preparing the smaller decorations.
Older children can complete more of the project independently.
Can I make this fall wreath without painting the paper plate?
Absolutely!
You can leave the paper plate white, color it with crayons, or use markers to decorate the ring.
Painting is completely optional.
Should I print the fall wreath template on cardstock?
I recommend cardstock if you want the decorations to be sturdier, especially if the wreath will be displayed for several weeks.
However, regular printer paper also works well.
Can I use this craft in my classroom?
Yes! This craft is perfect for classroom art activities, seasonal learning centers, small groups, and fall bulletin board displays.
The printable is intended for personal, family, and classroom use.
How can I make this craft easier for preschoolers?
Prepare the paper plate rings and cut out the smaller pieces ahead of time.
Then let children choose their decorations and glue them around the wreath.
You can also use the colored templates to eliminate the coloring step when time is limited.
Pin This Fall Wreath Paper Plate Craft for Later!
Planning fall crafts for your homeschool or classroom?
Be sure to save this fall wreath paper plate craft to your favorite Pinterest board so you can easily find it when you’re ready for a fun autumn activity!
It’s a wonderful craft to keep in mind for fall classroom parties, September and October lessons, and seasonal art activities.
And don’t forget to share your finished wreaths! I always love seeing how creative children can be with printable crafts.
Get Your Free Fall Wreath Paper Plate Craft Template Here!
Ready to make your own adorable fall wreath?
I created this FREE fall wreath paper plate craft template to make your crafting time easier and more enjoyable!
The printable includes both color and black-and-white versions of the autumn leaves, acorns, pinecones, mushrooms, and decorative bow, along with the circle guide for preparing your paper plate.
Simply enter your email address in the form below and click the download button.
Your free printable will open instantly after you hit the download button, so you can print your templates and start crafting right away!
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Final Thoughts on This Easy Fall Paper Plate Wreath Craft
This fall wreath paper plate craft is such a simple and creative way to celebrate the autumn season!
I love how a basic paper plate can be transformed into a colorful fall decoration using just a few printable pieces and everyday craft supplies.
Whether you’re creating wreaths with preschoolers at home, planning a kindergarten art activity, or looking for an easy classroom fall craft, I hope this free printable makes your day a little easier.
With colorful leaves, adorable woodland decorations, and a big bow to finish it off, each child can create a wreath that’s uniquely their own.
Don’t forget to grab your free fall wreath template above, and have fun crafting!
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