There’s something so pretty about autumn colors with the sunlight shining through them! This fall leaf suncatcher craft is a lovely way to bring those warm reds, oranges, and yellows into your home.
With tissue paper, clear contact paper, and our printable leaf template, kids can make their own colorful leaves to display in the window.
I love crafts like this where everyone starts with the same shape but ends up with something a little different. Some children will carefully arrange each tissue paper square, while others will mix up all the colors and get stuck straight in. Both ways work beautifully, and the finished suncatchers make such a cheerful fall window display.
This tissue paper leaf craft is easy to set up for an afternoon at home, an autumn classroom activity, or a little seasonal crafting with friends. Download the free printable leaf template near the end of this post to get started.
Tissue Paper Leaf Suncatcher Craft
Turn little squares of tissue paper into a colorful fall leaf that catches the light! This easy leaf suncatcher uses a simple paper frame and a sticky contact paper center, so there’s no glue needed for adding the colors.
It’s a lovely activity for preschoolers and kindergarteners once an adult has prepared the leaf frame, while older children can take on more of the cutting themselves. Picking up and placing the little squares gives younger children a chance to practice fine motor skills, too.
You can also tie this craft into an autumn nature walk. Look at the leaves you find outside, then see which tissue paper colors match. You might notice golden yellow leaves, bright red ones, or leaves with several colors all mixed together.
Materials for Your Fall Leaf Suncatcher
You only need a few simple craft supplies for this activity. Gather some tissue paper in fall colors, clear self-adhesive contact paper, construction paper, and scissors, along with the printed leaf template. A pencil is useful for tracing the shape, and a little clear tape will help you hang your finished leaf in the window.
Red, orange, and yellow tissue paper give the suncatcher a classic autumn look. You can add a little green or brown as well, or let the kids choose their own colors.
Black construction paper makes a bold outline around the colorful center, but brown, orange, or another color you have at home will work too. Make sure your contact paper is clear so the light can shine through the tissue paper.
How to Make a Fall Leaf Suncatcher
Prepare a space on the table and put the tissue paper within easy reach. For younger children, you can cut out the leaf frames in advance so they can get straight to the colorful part.
Fall Leaf Suncatcher
Instructions
- Cut Out the Leaf Template
Print and cut out your leaf template, then use it to trace a leaf onto construction paper. Cut out the leaf shape and carefully cut away the inside, leaving a border around the edge to create your frame.
Keep the border wide enough to hold its shape as you work. Cutting out the middle can be fiddly, so this is a good part for an adult to help with.
- Cut the Tissue Paper into Squares
Cut your tissue paper into small squares. They don’t need to be perfectly even, so this is a nice opportunity for children who are comfortable using scissors to practice.
Younger children can also tear the tissue paper into little pieces. The mix of shapes will look just as pretty when the leaf is finished.
- Add the Contact Paper and Tissue Paper
Cut a piece of clear contact paper slightly larger than your leaf. Peel off the backing and lay it on the table with the sticky side facing up.
Press the construction paper leaf frame onto the contact paper, leaving the sticky surface exposed inside the leaf.
Now add your tissue paper squares! Gently press each piece onto the sticky center until the inside of the leaf is covered. Overlap a few pieces to see how the colors look together, but avoid making the layers too thick so plenty of light can still shine through.
- Trim Around the Leaf
Once you’ve filled your leaf with tissue paper, carefully trim away the extra contact paper around the outside of the construction paper frame.
If you’d like to cover the tissue paper and any remaining sticky patches, add a second piece of clear contact paper over the back before trimming. This optional layer helps keep everything tucked in place.
Your fall leaf suncatcher is ready to hang!
Display Your Autumn Leaf Suncatchers
Use a little clear tape to attach your finished leaf to a window, then take a step back and watch the colors brighten as the light shines through.
A single leaf looks lovely, but a collection makes a wonderful autumn display. Let each child decorate their own and arrange them across the window like falling leaves. It’s an easy way to bring a bit of the season into a kitchen, playroom, or classroom.
Try looking at the suncatcher at different times of day. Children might notice that the colors look brighter when sunlight reaches the window and that overlapping tissue paper creates darker patches.
More Ways to Try This Leaf Craft
You can keep this activity simple with a mix of autumn colors, or try making leaves with different color combinations. Make one mostly yellow, another orange and red, and a third with a little green mixed in to show the leaves beginning to change.
For children who enjoy patterns, try arranging the tissue paper in stripes or working from one color at the top to another at the bottom. Younger children can freely fill their leaf with whichever pieces catch their eye.
This is also a handy craft for using up tissue paper scraps from other projects. Small, uneven pieces are perfect for filling the spaces inside the leaf frame.
Download the Free Printable Leaf Suncatcher Template
Ready to make your own tissue paper leaf suncatcher? Download the free printable leaf template below and use it to prepare your construction paper frames.
Print the template on regular printer paper, cut out the shape, and keep it handy for tracing as many leaves as you need for your crafting session.
Watch the Video on Our TikTok
Watch the video on our TikTok to see how this colorful leaf suncatcher comes together, from cutting out the frame to adding the tissue paper.
Follow us on TikTok for more easy kids’ crafts, printable activities, and seasonal ideas to try with your family!
@intheplayroom Little tissue paper scraps look so pretty when the sun shines through them 🍂☀️ Make these autumn leaf suncatchers with the kids using our free printable template, available on In The Playroom! Save this for your next craft afternoon 🧡 #AutumnCrafts #KidsCrafts #LeafSuncatcher #FallCrafts #CraftsForKids
♬ Kinda Like You – Laurel Nash
More Fall Crafts for Kids
Keep the autumn crafting going with more simple projects for little hands. Our torn paper leaf craft is another lovely way to explore fall colors, and autumn fingerprint art is perfect for children who enjoy getting a little messy.
You can also pair your suncatchers with fall coloring pages or other leaf activities for a relaxed afternoon of making and creating.
- Autumn Leaf Peg Dolls
- Crumpled Tissue Paper Hedgehog Craft for Kids
- Moving Paper Plate Squirrel Craft
- WAX RESIST FALL LEAF ART FOR KIDS
If you enjoyed this fall leaf suncatcher craft, please share this post with other parents and teachers, or save it to Pinterest so you can find the free printable template when you’re ready to make it!
