With the leaves in our community changing from green to all shades of gold, red, and brown, no one leaf is ever the same as the leaf that’s fallen next to it. If you and your children haven’t stopped to look at all the exciting shades and patterns autumn leaves provide lately, there’s no better time than the present! To celebrate all those unique colors, have your child create a one-of-a-kind washi tape leaf print that’s inspired by the trees right outside your home.
Materials
- Found leaf
- Construction paper: black (8-by-10″), gray (5-by-7″), white (4-by-5″)
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Pencil
- Washi tape in assorted colors, patterns and widths
Instructions
Get your project started by tracing your leaf onto the center of your gray construction paper.
Next, make a slit in the center of the leaf and then cut out the outline of the pattern. Feel free to embellish the design with your scissors as you go. If you’d like (and with adult supervision or support), make a small slit with a craft knife to represent the leaf’s stem.
With the white paper, begin layering pieces of washi tape. Try experimenting with putting a light tape over a darker one, a skinny tape next to a wider tape, etc. It’s all up to you.
Finish your project by gluing the washi tape piece to the black “frame.” Once that’s been applied, glue your leaf “mat” on top of the washi tape. Press firmly to create a strong bond and let dry before displaying.
