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With fall in the air and apples in abundance, there’s no better time for some apple-themed crafts with your little ones! Apples are delicious and also make for fantastic crafting materials, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Whether you’re looking for something simple to do on a rainy afternoon or a fun activity to celebrate the changing season, I’ve got you covered.

These apple crafts are easy to set up, safe for little hands, and sure to keep your preschoolers entertained. Plus, they’re not too messy—because let’s be real, who has time to clean up after a craft disaster? Best of all, my suggestions all use simple supplies that you probably already have at home. In case you need to stock up, I’ve linked a few of my favorites to make it easy for you.

Let’s dive into these 18 apple-inspired activities for preschoolers!

What Are Apple Crafts For Preschoolers?

1. Apple Stamping Fun

One of the easiest and most classic apple crafts is apple stamping. All you need are apples, washable paint, and paper. Simply cut an apple in half, dip the flat side into washable paint, and let your child stamp away on paper. The apple’s shape makes for a perfect print that resembles the real fruit. You can mix things up by using different colors for the apple stamps, creating a colorful apple orchard on the page.

For added fun, encourage your preschooler to add stems and leaves to the apple prints using markers or crayons once the paint is dry. This helps develop their fine motor skills and creativity!

Here is my very favorite non-toxic, washable paint for kids that would be perfect for this activity (and many others on this list!)

2. Apple Sensory Painting

Sensory painting is always a hit with toddlers, and using apples to create textured prints adds another layer of fun. For this craft, cut an apple into different shapes (slices, halves, or even quarters), and let your child dip them into washable paint. As they stamp the apples onto a canvas or large sheet of paper, talk about how each shape creates a unique pattern. This craft is great for sensory exploration, and it also helps preschoolers learn about the different parts of an apple.

Tip: Use fall colors like red, orange, yellow, and green for an autumn-themed masterpiece!

3. Apple Sun Catchers

Apple sun catchers are a beautiful craft that doubles as fall decor. Start by cutting out an apple shape from a piece of contact paper or cardstock. Next, give your preschooler pieces of tissue paper in shades of red, yellow, and green. Let them place the tissue paper onto the sticky side of the contact paper to create a colorful stained-glass effect. Once done, place the sun catcher on a window to let the sunlight shine through.

This activity is perfect for helping toddlers practice fine motor skills and color recognition while making a pretty fall decoration.

4. Apple Tree Craft

An apple tree craft is a fun way for preschoolers to combine apple art with learning about nature. Start with a large piece of green construction paper to serve as the tree's top and brown paper for the trunk. Let your toddler use their thumb to dip into red paint and press onto the green paper to create apples on the tree. You can even talk about how apples grow on trees as they work.

This craft allows preschoolers to get a little messy while learning about where apples come from, and it makes for a fun fall-themed decoration to hang up!

5. Paper Plate Apple Pies

Help your toddler create a pretend apple pie using paper plates and some craft supplies! Start by cutting a paper plate into a circle, then let your child paint the "pie crust" using brown or yellow paint. Next, cut out small apple shapes from red construction paper, and help your toddler glue them onto the plate to represent apple slices. For the finishing touch, you can criss-cross strips of brown paper over the top to represent the pie crust lattice.

This craft sparks creativity and can also serve as a fun prop for imaginative play later on!

6. Apple Garland

Apple garland is a perfect craft to decorate your home for fall, and it's simple enough for preschoolers to help create. Start by cutting out apple shapes from red, green, and yellow construction paper. Punch a hole at the top of each apple, and let your child string the apples together using yarn or string. You can hang this garland in the kitchen, across the fireplace, or even in your child’s room to celebrate the season.

This activity is not only creative but also helps toddlers practice threading, which is great for developing their fine motor skills.

7. Apple Prints on Tote Bags

For a craft that doubles as a useful item, consider creating apple prints on tote bags! You’ll need a plain canvas tote bag, some fabric paint, and, of course, apples. Cut the apples in half, dip them in fabric paint, and let your toddler stamp them onto the tote bag. This craft makes for a fun and practical activity, and your toddler will love using a bag they helped design!

Just be sure to supervise closely when using fabric paint to avoid any unwanted mess as it isn’t easy to clean up as washable paint.

8. Apple-Themed Counting Cards

This craft doubles as a learning tool! Start by cutting out apple shapes from red, green, and yellow construction paper. Write numbers on each apple and let your child glue the corresponding number of apple seeds (you can use large buttons or paper dots) onto each apple. This is a great craft for practicing counting and number recognition while also enjoying the apple theme.

Bonus: You can laminate these cards and use them over and over again!

9. Apple Collage

Give your preschooler a variety of red, yellow, and green paper scraps and let them create their own apple collage. Start by cutting out a large apple shape from a piece of construction paper and then let your child glue the scraps onto the apple. They can layer the colors or create a pattern—it's all about encouraging creativity and self-expression!

This craft is simple, low-mess, and allows toddlers to work on their gluing and sorting skills.

10. Apple Bowling

For a fun and physical craft, try apple bowling! You'll need a few real apples and some empty plastic bottles. Let your toddler decorate the plastic bottles to look like bowling pins by using markers, stickers, or paint. Once the pins are ready, set them up and let your little one roll an apple to knock them down.

This craft not only gives preschoolers a creative outlet but also provides an opportunity for some active play.

crafts with apples for preschoolers — Crafts with apples for preschoolers

11. Pom-Pom Painted Apples

If you want to avoid using real apples for painting, opt for pom-pom painted apples! Cut out apple shapes from red, green, and yellow construction paper. Clip a pom-pom into a clothespin and let your toddler dip it into washable paint. Then, they can "stamp" the paint onto the paper apples to create a textured, dotted effect.

This method of painting is less messy than using brushes, and it's safe and fun for toddlers!

12. Apple Tree Sensory Bin

For a sensory experience, set up an apple tree sensory bin using fake apples, leaves, and tree branches. You can create a "tree" using craft sticks or paper towel rolls and place it in a shallow bin filled with rice or dried beans. Let your toddler explore the sensory bin by placing and removing apples from the "tree." It’s a great way for little ones to engage in sensory play while also learning about apple trees.

13. Apple Mosaic Art

For this project, cut apple shapes out of large construction paper. Then, give your toddler pre-cut squares of colored paper (red, green, yellow). They can glue the squares inside the apple shape to create a mosaic effect. This activity is excellent for improving hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

You can also let your child explore patterns by alternating colors or creating their own unique designs. This craft allows for creativity and exploration of shapes and colors, making it a versatile activity.

14. Shiny Apple Ornaments

Create shiny apple ornaments by wrapping small plastic apples (or even paper apple tissue paper cutouts) with shiny red, green, or gold tissue paper. Once the apples are wrapped, use a small string or pipe cleaner to create a hanging loop. These little ornaments can be hung on a tree, wall, or anywhere in your home for fall decor.

This craft helps toddlers practice wrapping and fine motor skills, while also being a fun seasonal decoration. Plus, it makes for great keepsakes!

15. Apple Garland with Real Leaves

Bring the outdoors inside with an apple garland made with real leaves! Cut apple shapes out of red, yellow, and green construction paper. Next, go on a little nature walk with your toddler to collect small leaves. Help your child glue the leaves onto the apple cutouts. Then, string the apples together to create a natural, seasonal garland.

This craft combines a fun outdoor activity with creativity, making it a great way for kids to appreciate nature while creating something beautiful.

16. Apple Stained Glass Windows

Create a beautiful apple stained glass window effect using tissue paper. Cut an apple shape out of black construction paper, then cut out the middle, leaving an outline. Let your toddler glue small squares of colored tissue paper inside the outline. Once the glue dries, place the apple up against a window to let the light shine through and create a stained-glass effect.

This craft adds a magical touch to your home and introduces your toddler to layering and color blending.

17. Salt Dough Apple Magnets

Help your preschooler make salt dough apples using basic salt dough ingredients (flour, salt, and water). Roll out the dough and cut it into apple shapes using an apple-shaped cookie cutter. After baking them, let your child paint the apples in red, yellow, and green. Once they’re dry, glue a small magnet to the back, and now you’ve got adorable apple fridge magnets!

This craft provides sensory play with the dough, and the painting activity allows for creativity. Plus, it results in a functional item that your toddler can see on the fridge every day.

18. Apple-Themed Crown

Turn your little one into an apple king or queen by making a cute apple-themed crown. Cut a long strip of construction paper to fit around your toddler's head. Then, let your child decorate the strip with apple stickers, apple stamps, or apple drawings. Add some glitter or pom-poms for a festive touch, and staple the ends together to fit snugly.

This wearable craft will have your toddler feeling proud and creative, plus it’s a great project to practice gluing and sticking skills!

Conclusion

Apple crafts for preschoolers are the perfect way to celebrate fall and keep your little ones entertained while staying safe. These simple and engaging activities will spark creativity, encourage fine motor skills, and give your child a sense of accomplishment. Whether you’re looking for a quick project or a keepsake to cherish, there’s something for every mom and toddler on this list. So, grab some apples, paints, and construction paper, and let the crafting fun begin!

If you found this article helpful, you may like these others here at Mom’s First Steps:

Apple Crafts for Preschoolers