Leaf Print Painting: An Easy Fall Craft for Kids

There is a short window every fall where the leaves are bright, still soft, and everywhere you look, and that is exactly when we pull out the paint. Leaf print painting is one of those crafts that feels almost too simple to count, but the results are so pretty that we end up doing it often around here!

You paint the back of a real leaf, press it onto paper, peel it up, and there it is: every vein and every jagged edge, in the prettiest fall colors. It takes ten minutes to set up and our kids will happily print leaves until the paper runs out.

What You Will Need

Most of this is already in your craft bin. The only thing you actually have to go get is the leaves, and that part is half the fun.

• Fresh leaves in a few shapes and sizes. Maple, oak, and anything with big obvious veins prints the best. Pick ones that are still bendy, not dry and crunchy.
• Washable paint in red, orange, and yellow. We use this Crayola washable paint for everything.
• White cardstock. Regular paper works, but cardstock holds up to a wet leaf without buckling.
• Thick paintbrushes for painting the leaves.
• A paper plate or two to squeeze the paint onto.
• Paper towels and something to cover the table.

How to Do Leaf Print Painting

1. Go on a leaf hunt. Send the kids out to the yard or on a quick walk with a bag. Look for leaves that are flat, flexible, and have veins you can feel on the back. Grab more than you think you need, because the first couple are always practice.
2. Set up your station. Lay out the cardstock, squeeze a puddle of each color onto a paper plate, and put a brush in each color so nothing gets muddy.
3. Paint the back of the leaf. Flip the leaf over so the bumpy vein side is facing up, and paint a thin, even coat all the way to the edges. Too thick and the veins disappear, so a light coat is better than a heavy one.
4. Press it onto the paper. Carefully flip the leaf paint side down onto the cardstock. Lay a paper towel over the top and press all over with a flat hand, especially around the edges. Hold the stem so it does not slide.
5. Peel it up. Lift the leaf slowly by the stem and enjoy the reveal. This is the part where our kids gasp every time.
6. Keep going. Repaint the same leaf in a new color, or try painting two colors on one leaf so they blend into a real autumn ombre. Overlap prints, fill the page, or do one perfect leaf in the middle of a card.
7. Let it dry. Lay the pages flat for about 20 minutes. The prints dry fast because the paint layer is so thin.

Why We Love This Craft

It starts with getting outside, then it turns into a lesson in leaf shapes and veins without anyone realizing they are learning something. The prints are pretty enough to frame, and a leaf print on a folded piece of cardstock makes the sweetest handmade thank you card or Thanksgiving place card. Cleanup is a rinse in the sink, because we stick with washable paint for anything the little kids are doing.

Tips for the Best Leaf Prints

• Paint the back of the leaf, not the front. That is where the veins stick out, and the veins are what make it look like a leaf and not a blob.
• A thin coat of paint prints the cleanest. If the first print looks smeared, use less paint on the next one.
• Press with a paper towel on top instead of bare fingers. It keeps little hands cleaner and gives an even print.
• Try painting two colors on one leaf, red at the tip fading into yellow at the stem. Those are the ones that end up on the fridge.
• Use leaves the same day you pick them. Once they dry out, they crack when you press them.
• Save a few of the best prints and cut them out once dry. Tape them to a string and you have an instant leaf garland.

Looking for more easy fall crafts? Try our coffee filter leaf garland next, or browse all 10 easy fall crafts for kids we want to try this year.