As the summer sun starts to set, and the smell of sharpened pencils fills the air, it’s time to get ready for another exciting school year!

Kickstart your child’s enthusiasm with a fun-filled DIY craft project that will not only ignite their creativity but also prepare them for the school year ahead.

This whimsical back to school gnome craft, complete with a quirky pencil hat and an apple, is more than just a delightful craft. It’s a great way to practice fine motor skills and more!

Try it out this school year and be sure to check out all of our fun back to school crafts for more ideas!

School Gnome Paper Craft

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This craft is perfect for teaching young children about patience, focus, and dexterity, all while having so much fun! Let’s explore how this cute gnome comes together and helps your little ones gear up for school in the most delightful way!

Supplies

• Colored cardstock or construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Gnome template (click the “click here to get this freebie” image at the end to open the form)

Directions

Start by downloading the gnome template and printing it out. Once you have the template printed, gather the materials needed for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this craft to life!

First, encourage your child to start by gluing the lead to the tip of the gnome’s hat.

Next, guide your child to glue the pencil piece about 0.5″ from the bottom of the lead piece.

Now, glue the eraser piece to the bottom of the hat.

Make the gnome’s face by gluing the beard to the bottom of the face.

Take the eyes and glue them in the middle of the face.

Position the nose on the gnome by placing half on the face and half on the beard, then glue it in place.

Glue the hat to the top of the gnome’s head, slightly overlapping the eyes.

Help your child to place the gnome’s head on the top of the body and glue it in place.

Arrange the gnome’s shoes at the bottom of the body and glue them down.

Glue the apple in the middle of the body, then attach the stem to the top of the apple.

Finally, glue the hands, one on each side, to the apple.

Be sure to check out our other summer crafts while you’re here! Your kids will love creating more fun projects like this one!

Activities For Kids

Welcome Back To School Ideas

As we inch closer to the new school year, it’s time to dust off those backpacks and fill them with not just pencils and notebooks, but also a dash of excitement and a sprinkle of inspiration.

Whether you’re trying to get your kids excited to go back to school or a teacher welcoming a new group of younger students, there are plenty of different ways to add some fun to the mix. Here are some ideas to help jumpstart the new school year!

School Themed Children’s Books

Break out the books and begin reading! These hand-picked books are perfect for little ones who may be a little anxious or excited about the new school year.

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates – This silly book is about a dinosaur named Penelope who is starting school and just can’t resist eating her classmates! Kids will love the fun drawings and crazy antics of Penelope, while also learning that being mistreated is never fun.

Chairs On Strike – The chairs have had enough of all the crazy things the kids do to them so they go on strike! This story helps kids learn to take care of their property and has lots of fun and silly humor.

Daniel Goes To School – If you have a little one who’s starting preschool or kindergarten and is reluctant to be away from you, this book is perfect for them! Daniel Tiger learns “grown-ups come back” at the end of every school day. We love this cute book!

School Crafts For Kids

Before your kids dive into shopping for supplies and picking out new backpacks, take a moment to indulge in some creative fun!

Pencil Paper Bag Puppet Craft – This is an engaging and fun activity perfect for the back-to-school season. It’s perfect for getting kids excited about the start of a new school year.

It helps encourage pretend play and imagination and requires only simple materials like a paper bag, construction paper, scissors, and glue.

Crayon Headband Craft – Dive into a world of vibrant creativity with this cute craft for kids of all ages. All you need is our free PDF file template and a few pieces of colored paper. Kids can bring their favorite colored crayons to life and show off their masterpieces on their heads!

Photo Bus Craft – This is a great project for kids, especially when they’re gearing up for the school year. Kids can make the bus, then pop their own photo in the window of the bus! It’s super fun, helps with those first-day jitters, and is a cute keepsake.

Popsicle Stick Crayon Craft – Need a colorful way to keep the kids engaged? This project is it!

With popsicle sticks, paint, and paper, kiddos can create one or many crayons of their own to display at home or in the classroom. Just download our free printable template to get started!

Back To School Activities

These editable first day of school signs are a fun way for parents to capture the excitement of their child’s big day. With signs from preschool to 6th grade, these printables can be personalized with the school year.

The colorful design makes for a great photo prop, that can help create a memorable snapshot that captures the start of a new school year.

Our first day of school printable book is one of the best ways to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. It’s fun and engaging, and it works their fine motor skills all at the same time! Kids can write facts about themselves or use it to document their first day of school experience.

Ready for a fun-filled learning activity? These school I spy printables are full of vibrant illustrations of items you’d find in a classroom, like books, pencils, and backpacks.

The goal? To spot and count all these hidden items. It’s like a mini treasure hunt on paper! Besides being fun, it also gives the little ones a creative way to brush up on their observation and counting skills.

Immerse your child in a fun and interactive learning experience with this back to school cut and paste book! It’s a free printable activity to turn their first day of school into an exciting journey through vocabulary and creativity!

This back to school printable alphabet set is perfect for the new school year. It’s not just your average alphabet learning – it also helps kids improve their handwriting and understand the difference between lowercase and uppercase letters.

Share With Us

Did you make this craft with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s craft featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

More Fall Ideas For Kids

School Gnome Craft Template