Fall Tree Craft

We did a variation of our apple tree craft and made fall trees using empty toilet paper rolls and coffee filters. They're easy enough for a preschooler to make with only a little help and they make a great decoration for fall.

All you need to make your own fall trees is empty cardboard tubes, coffee filters, markers, and a spray bottle.

We started by using the markers to color the coffee filters with fall colors. You can just scribble and the ink will all run together and look great. We made three colored coffee filters for each tree. (This is the same method we used to make St. Patrick's Day treat packages.)

LIGHTLY mist the coffee filters with water. This is the part that my five year old loves. He wanted to drench the coffee filters but if they get too wet, the color runs off. Let them dry.

Traditional fall colors are optional.

Cut slits in the top of the cardboard tube and bend them out slightly to form the branches of the tree.

Tuck your colorful coffee filters inside and you've made an easy fall tree.

A wonderful book to go along with this craft is Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk. Count backwards from ten to one during one of the most colorful times of year: fall. Learn about the bright, colorful leaves and the trees from which they fall: aspen, birch, maple, oak, chestnut, linden, pine, beech, dogwood, and sweet gum. Watch the animals frolicking in the crisp, autumn air as they get ready for the approaching cold winter.

For more fall books and crafts, check out a year of preschool books and activities: