25+ Apple Day Crafts for Kids to Celebrate Fall

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National Apple Day lands on October 21, and there’s no better time to explore these cute and creative Apple Day crafts that are just right for kids of all ages. Whether you’re working with toddlers, preschoolers, or early elementary students, these hands-on ideas are great for school or home.

From pretend caramel apples to painted trees, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss our favorite apple activities to round out the fall fun!

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Apple Day Crafts

Candy Apple

Budding artisans can create their own pretend candy apple by cutting out colorful paper shapes using a free template. It's a sweet fall project, much less messy than making real candy apples, and kids can decorate their paper apples with “sprinkles” or fun details.

This project captures a candied apple's festive autumn vibes while keeping things easy, clean, and minimal.

www.firefliesandmudpies.com

Apple Hedgehog

Kids of all ages will enjoy making a cute hedgehog decorated with paper apples, turning an ordinary fall activity into a fun game as they “pick” and glue apples onto the hedgehog's back. This easy project uses supplies you have on hand, like paint, paper, and glue, so you can dive right into creativity.

The best part is the playful twist – after creating the hedgehog, little ones can hide and find the apple pieces, making art time double as an interactive apple-picking adventure.

Related: Apple Dot To Dots

www.adabofgluewilldo.com

Paper Bag Apple

Imagine turning an ordinary paper lunch bag into a bright red apple decoration. Kids can paint or color the bag, stuff it to give it a round shape, and twist the top into a stem, making a cute apple perfect for fall decorating in the classroom or at home.

It's a simple, hands-on project using everyday materials, and it leaves you with a fun piece of autumn décor the children will be proud of.

Also try: Apple Picking Craft

Tissue Paper Apple

Budding artists can make a colorful apple by gluing bits of tissue paper onto a simple template. It's an easy, hands-on activity for fall or back-to-school season that lets kids practice fine motor skills as they crumple and stick each little tissue piece in place.

The result is a bright, textured apple artwork celebrating the season with loads of color and tactile fun.

nontoygifts.com

Paper Plate Yarn Weaving Apple

Kids create a neat woven apple design by combining a paper plate and colorful yarn. Little onwa thread yarn through holes or slits in a paper plate to form the look of an apple, providing a fun introduction to weaving that's perfect for fall.

The process doubles as great fine motor practice and leaves you with a lovely apple art to celebrate the start of autumn.

Related: Bad Apple Book Craft

nontoygifts.com

Pinecone Apple

Kids can paint a pinecone to transform it into a cute faux apple for a fun twist on apple art. This simple nature project combines outdoor exploration (collecting pinecones) with creative painting, and it's easy for kids of all ages to enjoy.

The finished pinecone apples are perfect for celebrating the season. Some families even use them as back-to-school teacher gifts to honor the classic “apple for the teacher” tradition.

Also try: Apple Life Cycle Worksheets

Yarn Apple

Little fingers can create a fuzzy apple by wrapping soft yarn around an apple-shaped cutout. This approach lets kids enjoy the touch and feel of yarn without the tricky weaving, making it a perfect tactile project for younger children.

The finished apple has a homemade look and helps kids practice fine motor skills in a fun, mess-free way.

iheartcraftythings.com

Plastic Lid Apple

One clever project recreates the inside of an apple using a clear plastic lid for a see-through effect. Children glue black paper “seeds” and layers of white and red tissue into a round drink lid, making it look like an authentic apple slice with a star-shaped core and red skin.

The result is a cool, dimensional apple art that doubles as a mini science lesson about what's inside an apple, and it looks adorable hanging in the window when sunlight shines through.

Related: Apple Tracing Worksheets

www.lookwerelearning.com

Coffee Filter Apple

Ordinary coffee filters become vibrant pretend apples in this super simple art. Kids color the filters with washable markers or paint, spritz them with water, and watch the colors swirl and blend into a red, yellow, and green tie-dye. Then, they cut out an apple shape and add a stem and a leaf.

It's one of the easiest fall art projects—perfect for an apple lesson or a quick afternoon activity that feels almost magical as the colors spread.

Also try: Apple Tree Name Craft

Worm in Apple

There's sure to be giggles when kids make an apple project that comes with its friendly little worm poking out. This adorable fall project is made from simple paper cutouts using a free template, so it's easy to assemble and customize for home or classroom.

The playful design of the worm in the apple brings extra fun to creativity time and sparks imaginative play as children pretend their apple has a silly surprise inside.

typicallysimple.com

Bubble Wrap Painting Apples

Bubble wrap becomes a playful painting tool, as kids paint small pieces and press them onto paper to stamp dotty textures that look just like bumpy apple skin. After the colorful prints dry, they trace and cut out apple shapes from their spotted paper and add stems and leaves.

The result is a set of vibrant, textured paper apples that make adorable fall decorations – plus the process of bubble wrap stamping is so much fun.

Related: Torn Paper Apple Craft

www.firefliesandmudpies.com

Caramel Apple

Real apple halves become stamps in this project inspired by caramel apples. Kids paint the top half of a cut apple with brown “caramel” paint and the bottom half in bright apple colors, then press it on paper to reveal a caramel apple print, complete with a popsicle stick drawn or glued underneath.

It's an entertaining way to combine the fun of art with the yummy allure of fall treats, all without the sticky mess of actual caramel.

Also try: Apple Pattern Worksheets

Paper Bag Apple

Children can create play apples by transforming plain paper bags into plump, red apples perfect for pretend farmers' markets or kitchen play. With the help of a free template for the apple's parts, they paint or color a bag, fill it for shape, and add a stem and leaf to make it look realistic.

Once dried, these paper bag apples become fun props for imaginative fall playtime, letting kids “pick” apples indoors or serve apple pie in their make-believe games.

www.artycraftykids.com

Paper Apple Weaving

Kids get to practice basic weaving as they make a colorful paper apple. Using a simple template, they cut slits in an apple-shaped piece of paper and then weave strips of paper in and out, creating a pretty checkered pattern that fills the apple's center.

It's a cute back-to-school project that helps little hands develop fine motor skills, resulting in a lovely apple art to celebrate autumn.

Related: Apple Do A Dot Printables

www.fantasticfunandlearning.com

Tissue Paper Art Apple Tree

Young artists can create a vibrant apple tree scene using bleeding tissue paper and a bit of creativity. Kids tear up special “bleeding” tissue paper, spritz it with water on heavy paper, and watch the colors soak and blend into a gorgeous green treetop.

Then, they add a painted cardboard trunk and glue on little red pom-poms for apples. The finished artwork is a lovely fall decoration to hang at home or in the classroom, and it is full of unique textures and brilliant colors.

Also try: Apple Worksheets

happytoddlerplaytime.com

Cotton Ball Apple Tree

Soft cotton balls stand in for apples in this playful apple tree art. Kids glue cotton balls onto a paper tree and then use eye droppers to drip red, yellow, or green colored water, magically turning the white fluff into bright “apples” on their tree.

Squeezing the droppers and placing the cotton provides great fine motor practice, and the result is a tree dotted with big, puffy apples that's perfect for a fall display.

Related: Apple Popsicle Stick Craft

alittlepinchofperfect.com

Apple Pie Paper Plate

It's art time in the kitchen with this pretend apple pie made from a paper plate. Kids paint or color a paper plate to look like a pie crust and then fill it with little red paper “apples” (or pom-poms) before adding criss-cross strips on top as the lattice crust.

In just a few easy steps, they'll whip up a cute apple pie project that looks good enough to serve for fall playtime – a perfect blend of creative fun and make-believe baking.

Also try: Apple Core Craft

nontoygifts.com

Craft Stick Caramel Apples

In this creative fall project, kids can create pretend caramel apples using popsicle sticks. They glue a handful of craft sticks side by side to form a round apple shape, paint the top half brown like gooey caramel and the bottom half in bright apple colors, and finally add another craft stick as the apple's “handle.”

This easy project uses simple supplies but looks surprisingly like the real treat, making it an entertaining fall decoration or play food (without the sugar!).

Related: Apple Name Craft

gluesticksgumdrops.com

Apple with Pool Noodles

A spare pool noodle from summer can double as a stamp to make apple art. Slice off a few round pieces of the foam noodle, dip them in red or green paint, and stamp them onto paper to create perfect apple shapes; then use smaller foam bits to add painted leaves and stems to each apple print.

It's a hands-on activity with a fun sensory element that lets kids create lots of colorful apples without even picking up a paintbrush.

fromabcstoacts.com

Textured Apple

Baking spices meet art time in this cinnamon-scented apple art. Little ones paint a paper plate cutout to look like an apple using red paint mixed with cinnamon for a fun textured effect and yummy smell.

After adding a brown paper stem and a couple of black bean “seeds” to the painted core, the finished apple looks good enough to eat and makes the whole room smell like fall.

Also try: Handprint Apple Tree Craft

www.redtedart.com

Plastic Bottle Apple Gift

Upcycle a couple of plastic bottles into an apple-shaped gift box perfect for a teacher. With some adult help, kids can create a hollow apple by cutting and fitting together the bottoms of two bottles. They can then paint the apple red, add a paper leaf, and fill it with candies or small treats to enjoy.

This quick project is fun and results in an adorable little gift, putting a twist on the classic “apple for the teacher” idea just in time for back-to-school.

jewish.momsandcrafters.com

Apple Card

An adorable apple-shaped card features a dripping honey design, especially fitting as a Rosh Hashanah greeting. Kids cut out and decorate an apple card, then glue on a paper “honey” drip at the top, cleverly combining the traditional symbols of apples and honey in a straightforward art project.

The finished card is as sweet as its theme and offers a fun, meaningful way for children to send holiday wishes to family and friends.

Related: Paper Plate Apple Craft

iheartcraftythings.com

Apple Tree

A cardboard tube, tissue paper, and red buttons all come together in this mixed-media apple tree activity. Kids use half of a paper towel roll as the tree trunk, then scrunch up bits of green tissue to form a fluffy treetop and even add a fringe of paper grass at the base.

Finally, they glue on bright red buttons as apples, giving the picture a pop of color and texture that brings their fall tree to life.

parentingchaos.com

Popsicle Stick Apple Core

With this project, a few popsicle sticks and some paper become a playful apple core. Kids glue three sticks together and paint them white to resemble the apple's core. Then, they add red paper semicircles at the top and bottom for the apple's skin and little black paper seeds in the middle.

This fun twist on a traditional apple activity looks just like the core left over from a crunchy snack, and it's perfect for back-to-school season or a letter “A” learning theme.

Also try: Jumbo Flashcard Handprint Apple Craft

www.redtedart.com

Apple Pinch Pots

Kids use air-dried clay to form a simple pinch pot to shape and paint like an apple. This hands-on project is an excellent introduction to working with clay. Children pinch and press the clay into a small bowl shape, then add details like a little clay stem and leaf.

Once it dries, you can paint the shiny red or green apple pot and gift it to a teacher or parent as a homemade trinket dish.

taminglittlemonsters.com

Egg Carton Apple Tree

An old egg carton finds new life as a miniature apple tree in this fine motor activity. With some paint and snipping, the carton's lid becomes a tree trunk, and its egg cups become the treetop, ready to be “filled” with small red pom-poms as apples.

Toddlers and preschoolers will love placing and removing the pom-pom “apples” in the egg cups—it's like a pretend apple-picking game that exercises hand coordination while celebrating fall.

More Fun Kid’s Ideas

24 Easy Apple Crafts For Kids To Make During Fall
20+ Sweet Fruit Crafts for Kindergarten
60+ Easy Fall Crafts For Kids

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photograph of found of Simple Everyday Mom, Sam

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Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.

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