Vibrant Fall Process Art for Toddlers

With all the beautiful and vibrant colors of fall, I love bringing a little fall process art to my toddler preschool class. This art activity was not only simple to set up but also incredibly fun for the kids.

Best of all, process art is packed with learning opportunities! It encourages creativity, exploration, and hands-on discovery. We have plenty of other process art projects on our list of top fall activities for preschoolers, and the kids can’t seem to get enough of them!

three views of a fall process art project being created with tissue paper and yarn. text reads fall process art for preschoolers.
Tissue paper, yarn, and glue makes easy and colorful process art.

If you’re looking for an engaging and educational way to celebrate the colors of fall with your toddlers or preschoolers, process art is the perfect choice.

It’s not just about the final product—it’s about the joy of experimenting with materials, textures, and colors – which fall is full of! This activity taps into children’s creativity and gives them the freedom to explore without restrictions.

Plus, it’s easy to set up and adaptable for any classroom. All you need is a little tissue paper, yarn, and glue to make these colorful fall art projects with your toddlers.

Fall Process Art for Toddlers

What is fall process art for toddlers?

Process art for toddlers focuses on the creative journey (or art making process) rather than the finished product, allowing children to explore the materials. It is not a step-by-step set of instructions with a specific desired end result.

How can fall process art benefit my toddler?

Engaging in fall process art enhances toddlers’ fine motor skills, curiosity, and understanding of colors and textures, fostering a love for learning through play. Toddlers will explore and question while working.

Can older children participate in fall process art?

Absolutely! While designed for toddlers and preschoolers, process art can also engage elementary kids and even teenagers, providing creative expression opportunities for all ages.

How do I set up a fall process art activity at home?

Simply prepare materials in advance, such as cutting tissue paper and yarn, then let your child freely explore and create, emphasizing the process over the outcome.

two finished fall process art projects side by side
Two proudly finished fall process art projects.

Fall Theme Art for Toddlers

Celebrate the vibrant colors of fall with a fun and simple process art activity perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I may earn a small sum if you click through and make a purchase.

Materials

The Set-Up

Because this project was designed with my toddler class in mind, which is made up of two year olds and young threes, I cut the tissue paper in advance. Some pieces were deliberately cut long, while others were short. I followed the same for the yarn.

Place the tissue paper on a plate or tray, and the yarn on a separate plate.

A preschooler has added crumpled tissue paper and yarn to her fall art project.

Give your toddler a sheet of heavy paper, like card stock, and a paintbrush. Pour some liquid glue into a shallow bowl. In this activity, the toddlers painted the glue onto their paper, rather than squeezing it from a bottle.

Although this fall themed project was meant for toddlers, it’s really a craft for kids of all ages! Preschool, kindergarten, and even early elementary kids all love process art, and the benefits last for years!

For older kids, I would do a little less prep work. They can cut or tear the tissue paper themselves, and cutting the yarn is great scissor practice.

Fall Toddler Art Process

Tissue paper is one of my favorite art materials because it is so versatile and beautiful. It is also very flimsy and easy to tear. For these reasons I had my toddler class paint the glue onto their papers, rather than squeeze it or use a glue stick.

Painting it onto the paper meant for more coverage. You can have the children paint the cardstock, the tissue paper, or both!

small hands painting glue onto tissue paper and enjoying fall activities for preschool
A child is carefully painting glue onto their tissue paper.

Instead of setting all the materials out at once, I first offered my preschoolers the tissue paper and glue. They loved being able to create whatever they wanted!

Because of the thin nature of tissue paper, it created a wonderful texture in their art. Some of the tissue got crumpled and torn, which just added to the layers.

Strips of tissue paper make such colorful art!

Then we added the yarn. Some toddler preschoolers were very deliberate and meticulous about how they added the yarn. The older children tended to place the yarn in lines across their paper, and one student even arranged the yarn pieces from largest to smallest.

He really focused to put the yarn exactly where he wanted it!

And that’s all there is to it! Overall, this is one of my favorite fall activities for toddlers. The kids really loved using the paintbrush to paint the glue, and working with tissue paper is always a hit. I loved seeing their creativity and originality as they worked on their craft for preschool.

I also loved seeing how much learning was happening as they created this easy fall process art. Their fine motor skills got a workout, as did their imaginations. Process art is always a win!

Fall Picture Books!

There are so many beautiful fall books for kids to use in your classroom or at home! After you’ve finished your fall process art activity is the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book, or you can pull one out during circle time.

We’ve hand-picked some of our absolute favorite fall books, especially those about leaves.

Sale
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Fall (The World of…
  • Carle, Eric (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 16 Pages – 08/02/2022 (Publication Date) – World of Eric Carle (Publisher)
Sale
I Love Fall!: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Inches, Alison (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Sale
Autumn In The Forest Deluxe Lift-a-Flap & Pop-Up…
  • Rusty Finch (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 10 Pages – 06/30/2019 (Publication Date) – Cottage Door Press (Publisher)
Sale
Fall (Bright Baby Touch and Feel)
  • Priddy, Roger (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 10 Pages – 08/17/2010 (Publication Date) – Priddy Books US (Publisher)
Sale
What Is Fall?
  • Random House (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 14 Pages – 08/03/2021 (Publication Date) – Random House Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Fall Projects for Toddlers

Want even more ideas on how to present your toddlers with fall process art opportunities? Try some of these creative fall art ideas.

Fall Process Art for Toddlers

Fall Process Art for Toddlers

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: easy

Tissue paper, yarn, and glue come together in an easy fall process art project for toddlers!

Materials

  • fall colored tissue paper
  • fall colored string or yarn
  • liquid glue
  • paint brushes
  • heavy paper (like cardstock)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the project by cutting the tissue paper and yarn. The pieces can be different lengths for variety. Place the tissue paper on one plate and the yarn on another. Get out some fall-colored cardstock.
  2. Pour some liquid glue into a shallow bowl and get out some paintbrushes.
  3. Invite the children to create! Start by giving them the tissue paper and having them glue it onto a piece of cardstock. They can paint the glue on either the cardstock or the tissue paper, or both.
  4. Once the tissue paper is on to their satisfaction, add some yarn pieces.
  5. Enjoy the finished process art project!

Notes

Preschool process art is focused on the experience the children have while they’re creating, not necessarily the end product. So don't worry about what the finished products look like or having a desired outcome in mind. They are learning so much as they create their works of art!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.