DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Autumn Leaves Crown

A simple construction paper 'hat' the kids have fun making, decorating and wearing!  We like making tissue paper flowers to decorate it, but you can use markers, stickers, glitter or gel pens instead.
 

Materials:

• orange, red, brown or yellow construction paper.
   
• 2 pipe cleaners.
   
• pencil,
• scissors,
• tape.
   
• printer,
• paper,
• tissue paper (we used yellow and red).
   
• thread (we used white).
   
• Optional:  stickers, markers, glitter or gel pens to decorate.
   

Instructions:

• Print template of choice (you can pick between a maple leaf or a poplar leaf).
   
• Color as necessary (if using the B&W version).
   
• Cut out the template pieces.
   
• OR freehand cut 4 leaves from construction paper.
   
• Cut 2 or 3 strips of construction paper about 4" wide and as long as you can make them.
   
• Tape the pieces end to end to make a really long piece.
   
• Wrap around the child's head to measure how long you need and trim off the excess (don't tape into a circle yet).
   
• Make 5 or 6 tissue paper flowers and tape to the front of the crown:
  • stack 3 or 4 squares of tissue paper on top of each other (size should be about 4"x4")
  • fan fold (accordian fold) the tissue paper.
     
  • tie tightly in the center with a piece of thread
  • separate the layers one at a time
  • roll a piece of scotch tape to attach the flower to the front of the crown (long construction paper strip).
     
• Wrap the pipecleaner around a pencil to make a 'spring' with it.  An adult can wrap the first couple loops and then hand it over to the child to finish.
   
• Straighten about 1/2 inch of the top and bottom of the spring (so it's easier to do the taping).
   
• Repeat with the other pipecleaner.
   
• Tape a leaf onto the top of each pipecleaner.  Flip over and glue or tape the 3rd and 4th leaf onto the back of the 1st and 2nd (to sandwich the pipecleaner in between the leaves).
   
• Tape both pipecleaners to the long piece of construction paper so they either sit at the front of the head or the sides of the head.
   
• Tape the construction paper ends together to form a crown and put it on!
   

Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
   
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).
   

Template - maple leaf    (color)   or   (B&W)

Template - poplar leaf   (color)   or   (B&W)

Printable version of these instructions