Button Apple Tree Craft

Discover the delightful world of crafting with buttons with this enchanting apple button tree craft project for kids or adults!

Here’s a button tree craft that doubles as an easy apple-themed teacher gift idea that kids can make. This creative endeavor combines the beauty of nature with the charm of buttons, resulting in a unique piece of art inspired by the apple tree. Invite artists of all ages to create an apple tree craft using buttons, as instructed below. Alternatively, use one of the suggested art supplies or craft materials to create this apple tree craft or another seasonal tree, such as a fall tree with an assortment of autumn colors, or a spring tree, with the free tree craft template. You might also enjoy this roundup of fall art projects for kids. It has even more autumn art and apple craft ideas you can make at home or in the classroom.

Crafting an Apple Tree with Buttons:

Have you ever asked what I can make with buttons? This fun apple-themed art activity teaches beginning to advanced crafters how to make an apple tree picture with buttons or an alternative craft supply. It’s an apple tree craft that offers toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners a fun way to improve fine motor skills and strengthen their hands, preparing them for writing and more advanced handwork projects, such as sewing buttons. Older adults can create button crafts like this to help maintain hand dexterity throughout their later years. It also makes for a unique back-to-school craft or a handmade DIY gift for a teacher. Create an apple tree craft using buttons or another craft supply with this fun autumn-themed idea!

Whether you’re working with preschoolers or are a seasoned crafter looking for a new DIY project or a creative way to use your stash of buttons, this cute apple tree craft idea provides an easy way to bring the beauty of autumn into your home or classroom. First published on September 7, 2017, this easy button craft tutorial is regularly updated to improve the content. My daughter and I created the button art tree featured in this post after visiting an apple orchard. We had a lot of fun learning and creating together, and our button apple tree crafts turned out beautifully as you can see in the photos!

How to Make Button Art that Looks Like An Apple Tree:

A button tree made with apple buttons is a fun fall craft and a unique apple-themed gift idea for a teacher. Children or adults can create a button tree that looks like an apple tree with this fun fall craft idea. Alternatively, teach children how to sew a button tree using the same buttons from this apple craft project. (Visit the craft tutorial for the hand-sewn button tree DIY project details.)

Create a fun button art tree with this apple-themed activity for kids. To begin this easy apple craft idea, gather an assortment of colorful buttons that mimic the hues of ripe apples, like those suggested in the craft supply list below. Next, print the Rhythms of Play logo tree craft template. Or sketch the outline of a tree trunk and branches on a canvas, linen paper, or heavyweight cardstock. 

Then, allow your artistic instincts to take over as you carefully arrange and glue buttons onto the paper to create the crown of the apple tree. Transform them into a bountiful harvest of apples with each button you place. The tactile sensation of arranging buttons and the visual satisfaction of seeing your button tree come to life is a treat for the senses and an opportunity to unwind and let your imagination flourish. 

Apple Tree Craft Supplies:

• FREE tree craft template
• Assorted green buttons or an alternative.
• Choose one of the following Apple buttons:
  • Multi-colored apple buttons.
  • Colored wooden apple buttons,
  • Red apple buttons (these go in and out of stock)
  • Flat-backed apple buttons (for gluing, not sewing)
  • Small flat-backed apple buttons (for gluing, not sewing)
  • Assortment of red and green buttons.
• Heavyweight Linen printer paper or cardstock (linen printer paper looks like a canvas and is featured in the photographs above and below)
• Glue
• Rustic photo frame for completed button apple tree art (optional)

Alternative Tree Craft Supplies:

• Here are a few alternative craft supplies to make tree art that looks like an apple tree (or another type of seasonal tree, such as a fall tree with autumn colors or a spring tree with blossoms and vernal green leaves) instead of buttons:
  • Construction paper
  • Tissue paper
  • Yarn
  • Pom poms
  • Felt scraps
  • Tempera paint (apply with fingertips or a cotton ball)
  • Dot markers or stickers

Alternatively, you can use red and green construction paper, tissue paper, colored yarn, pom-poms, or other alternative craft supplies to complete the apple tree. Or create a colorful fall tree craft using buttons or other autumn-colored craft supplies (such as red, orange, and yellow). You can also use the printable tree craft template for almost any other fall craft or seasonal tree art project, such as a spring, summer, or winter tree.

The art and craft project tutorials below offer ideas for creating other tree-themed arts and crafts using the bottom of the “Rhythms of Play” free tree art template. For several more tree art and craft project ideas you can use to create seasonal trees with the printable tree template, visit the seasonal art project and painting ideas lists below:

Other Art and Craft Project Ideas for the “Rhythms of Play” Printable Tree Template:

• Fall Art Projects and Painting Ideas. (Includes fall or autumn tree art and craft project ideas for kids and adults.)
• Winter Art Projects and Painting Ideas. (Includes winter tree art and craft project ideas for children and adults.)
• Flower Art Projects and Painting Ideas. (Includes flowering spring tree art and craft project ideas for all ages.)

How to make a Button Tree: Step-by-Step Button Art Instructions:

Use this simple button tree tutorial to create a button art collage in the shape of an apple tree! You can also use another art or craft supply from the alternative materials above to create an apple tree crown or another seasonal tree craft, such as a spring, winter, or autumn tree craft. You might also enjoy making a Four-Season Fingerprint and Fingerprint Tree.

1. Draw or paint the base of an apple tree, or print the FREE Apple tree art template:

• Invite children to draw or paint the base of a tree, or access the free tree art & craft template and print it onto canvas paper or heavyweight cardstock.
  • If you choose to draw the base of the tree, use a brown colored pencil or marker.
  • Alternatively, you can paint a tree trunk with watercolors, tempera, or acrylic paint.
• The photograph on the right below shows a durable, printable linen or canvas paper, while the apple tree craft on the left features heavyweight cardstock.
• Whether you draw, paint, or print the tree base, thick and sturdy paper is best for making button crafts because it can handle the weight of the buttons, while regular printer paper or construction paper cannot.

2. Glue buttons above the base of the button tree trunk to create the crown of the apple tree:

• Create the crown of the apple tree with an assorted combination of green and apple buttons.
  • Alternatively, you can complete the apple tree using an alternative craft supply, such as torn pieces of construction paper, dot markers, tissue paper, dot stickers, or tempera paint.
  • Or, use buttons in an array of autumn colors, such as red, yellow, orange, and brown, to make a fall button tree, as shown in the photograph below.
• Next, glue the apple and assorted green buttons (or an alternative) onto the paper above the trunk to fill out the crown of the apple tree in a way that suits your fancy.

Related: Apple Craft

3. Display the button tree craft:

• Frame your button craft to hang on the wall or give it as a gift.
• Place a button apple tree in a gorgeous, rustic brown photo frame and give it to your child’s teacher as an apple-themed teacher gift.
• Alternatively, you can pin it to a bulletin board or hang it on a magnetic whiteboard with homemade fingerprint magnets.

Related: Apple Orchard Field Trip Ideas for Kids. 

Apple Tree Craft and Teacher Gift Ideas Kids Can Make:

Gather your favorite craft supplies to create gorgeous autumn-themed art, such as the apple tree pictured here, with this fun craft project tutorial suitable for kids and adults. Creating apple tree-themed arts and crafts using buttons (or an alternative craft supply) is a fun and creative way to celebrate the beauty of autumn.

Gluing buttons to create an apple tree craft can help preschoolers and kindergarteners strengthen their fine motor muscles, which prepares them for writing and more advanced handwork activities, such as sewing a button. Older adults can also benefit from crafting with buttons, as it helps them maintain hand strength and dexterity in their later years.

Once finished, hang your apple tree art on the wall or give it to a teacher as a back-to-school or teacher appreciation gift. You can also try teaching your children how to sew a button apple tree with the same materials. Visit the sewing tutorial for detailed information on the DIY project. I’d love to see what you make. Remember to tag rhythmsofplay or link to this post when you share your fall tree creations.

You might also enjoy this fun roundup of fall art projects for kids. For more apple art and fall craft ideas, you might enjoy the fun fall arts, crafts, and activity ideas on this fall bucket list of awesome autumn activities for kids and adults. Happy fall crafting!

Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this original button apple tree craft HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!

More Fall Tree Craft Ideas:

• Fall Tree Craft
• Printable Thankful Tree Craft
• Top Ten Thankful Trees for Thanksgiving
• How to Make a Thankful Tree with Preserved Autumn Leaves
• Gratitude Tree with Clay Fall Leaves
• Fall Art Projects and Painting Ideas (Includes a list of fall tree painting ideas.)

Other Seasonal Tree Craft ideas:

• Colorful Winter Tree Silhouette Art Project
• Winter Art Projects and Painting Ideas (Includes a list of winter tree painting ideas.)
• Flower Art Projects, Crafts, and Painting Ideas (Includes a list of spring tree arts, crafts, and painting ideas.)
• Four-Seasons Handprint and Fingerprint Art Tree

If You Enjoyed This Button Tree Craft, You Might Also Enjoy:

• Best Fall Nature Crafts
• DIY Acorn Marble Necklaces
• Calm Down Sensory Bottles 101
• Fall Leaf Crown