The step-by-step instructions below teach kids and adults of all ages and crafting abilities how to make a fall leaf crown with a gorgeous selection of natural autumn leaves.
Celebrate the beauty of fall with a simple nature craft: a handmade leaf crown! A fall leaf crown is a gorgeous autumn headdress for any girl, boy, man, or woman. Using real autumn leaves in their vibrant reds, oranges, and golds, this project is perfect for kids and adults alike. Whether you’re adding a whimsical touch to a fall festival outfit or just enjoying a creative afternoon outdoors, making a leaf crown is a fun way to connect with the magic of the season. This tutorial will guide you through each step to turn beautiful gathered leaves in autumn colors into a wearable work of art.
Best of all, the instructions below explain how to make a preserved fall leaf crown craft that can last longer than the time it takes to place it on a child’s or adult’s head. In the photograph below, my daughter shows how gorgeous natural fall leaves look when made into a crown or tiara with a FREE printable template and worn as an autumn headdress. Alternatively, you can fashion your fall crown headpiece from heavyweight cardstock, a brown paper bag, or a recycled thin cardboard box, such as a large cereal or cracker box. First published on November 25, 2020, this step-by-step fall crown DIY project tutorial is regularly updated to improve the content and remain current. Look at this list of fall nature crafts and art activities for more ideas.
What does a leaf crown symbolize?
A leaf crown is a powerful symbol with roots in ancient civilizations, especially Ancient Greece and Rome. People made them out of bay laurel leaves (yup, the same kind you might find in a spice jar!) and wore them to celebrate significant achievements. Leaf crowns were traditionally made from the leaves and branches of the Bay Laurel Tree (Laurus Nobilis) and shaped into a circular or horseshoe form to be worn on the crown of the head.
In these cultures, the laurel wreath was a mark of honor, awarded to victors in athletic competitions, such as the Olympic Games, as well as to poets, scholars, and military commanders. Over time, the leaf came to symbolize achievement, wisdom, and triumph. A story in Greek mythology explains how it all began. The god Apollo fell in love with a forest nymph named Daphne. To escape his advances, she was transformed into a laurel tree. To remember her, Apollo began wearing a crown made from her leaves. From that point forward, the laurel wreath became a symbol of love, honor, and greatness.
A few other types of leaves, besides the bay laurel, have been used in crowns to convey different meanings. Oak leaves, for example, were sometimes used to symbolize strength, bravery, and endurance, especially in Roman culture, where the “civic crown” was made of oak leaves and awarded for saving a fellow Roman’s life in battle. Olive branches, sacred to the goddess Athena, were also crafted into wreaths that represented peace and prosperity in ancient Greece. Make a leaf crown using the leaves of your choice, following the step-by-step instructions below.
How to Make a Fall Leaf Crown:
There are many ways to make an autumn leaf crown. This tutorial teaches how to make a DIY fall leaf crown with natural leaves and a printable paper crown template. As mentioned above, it also explains how to create a crown using a recycled paper bag or thin cardboard as an alternative to the leaf crown printable template provided.
Gather and collect gorgeous fall leaves in vibrant autumn colors to make a fall leaf crown. Next, choose the remaining crown craft materials you want to use from the recommended craft supplies below. Then, follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a preserved fall leaf crown craft using real autumn leaves, as shown in the photographs. After the step-by-step DIY tutorial, an alternative fall leaf crown craft tutorial is recommended to give even more options. You might also enjoy making a felt flower crown.
Homemade Autumn Leaf Crown Supplies:
- Real fall leaves
- Choose one of the following crown options for crafting a sturdy fall leaf crown:
- FREE Fall leaf crown template printed on Heavy cardstock,
- Hand-draw a crown template on a large recycled paper bag or recycled thin cardboard boxes (Cereal and cracker boxes work well for this).
- Mod Podge
- Foam brushes
- Wax paper
- Scissors
- Single-hole punch
- Yarn or string
1. Get outside to gather and collect fall leaves:
- Encourage the kids to go outside on a nature scavenger hunt for fall leaves in vibrant colors, which they can use to make autumn leaf crowns to adorn their heads.
2. Clean and Dry Autumn Leaves:
- Gently rinse the fresh autumn leaves with water and pat them dry with a towel.
- Do not use soap to clean the leaves. Soap can strip leaves of the natural oils that keep them looking fresh and can dry them out.
- The fall leaves do not need to be pressed flat before being made into an autumn crown. The rippled edges of the leaves add interest to the crown, but you can flatten them if desired.
- Learn how to press and preserve leaves HERE.
3. Prepare work surface:
- Cover the area you will be working on with wax paper to protect the work surface and prevent the leaves and glue from sticking to it.
4. Print and cut out the FREE fall leaf crown template, or hand-draw an Outline on Thin Cardboard or Heavy Paper:
- Get access to the FREE fall crown template and print it onto heavyweight cardstock.
- Cut the crown out and decorate it with crayons, colored pencils, or markers before gluing on fall leaves. (optional)
- Alternatively, design your autumn crown with a recycled paper bag, thin cardboard box, or heavyweight cardstock.
- In other words, use one of these items to make a sturdy crown base like the one shown in the photos.
- It should go at least halfway around the crown of the head of the person who will wear it. Or make a complete crown to fit the wearer.
- Cut it out, and if needed, use glue tape or a stapler to hold it together.
5. Decorate the autumn crown or tiara with real fall leaves:
- Use Mod Podge with a foam brush to attach the fall leaves to the autumn crown.
- Mod Podge is a type of glue that can help preserve fall leaves.
- If you want to preserve your fall crown, use a foam brush to apply Mod Podge to the leaves as you glue them onto the crown.
- The fall leaf crowns in the photographs for this craft tutorial have had Mod Podge applied to the leaves.
- Give the fall leaf crown time to dry after applying Mod Podge to the leaves before proceeding to the next step.
6. Attach yarn or string to complete the fall crown craft:
- Use a single-hole punch to punch holes on either side of the crown.
- There are dots on the crown template to make this easy.
- Punch holes in the printable crown template before or after it is decorated with autumn leaves. Either method works.
- Once the autumn leaves are dry, measure and tie a piece of yarn or string to each side of the fall crown craft.
- Before tightening, place it onto a child’s or an adult’s head to gently bend, form the preserved leaf crown around their forehead, and tie it to fit.
- Examples of two completed crowns are shown in the photograph below:
Fall Leaf Crown Craft Video Tutorial:
I am in the process of editing the video tutorial that goes with this post. Please check back again soon.
Fall Crown Craft for Kids and Adults:
There you have it–your very own autumn leaf crown, handcrafted and inspired by nature! Once finished, crown your autumn prince or princess with their gorgeous handmade fall crown craft. A magnificent crown with real fall leaves will make anyone feel like a king or queen. Whether you wear it for a fall photo shoot, a seasonal celebration, a festive event, or just for fun, your crown is a unique reminder of the fleeting beauty of autumn.
Another gorgeous method to make a fall leaf crown that does not require a crown template (or even glue) can be found HERE. In this fall leaf crown craft tutorial, photographer Lori Frederick shares how to make an autumn leaf crown that can be made outdoors in the wild as the kids play. You may also enjoy these fall nature crafts and this list of fall art projects.
Don’t forget to take a picture while the leaves are still fresh, and maybe even make a few extra leaf crowns to share with friends and family. Happy crafting, enjoy the magic of fall!
Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author, photographer, and creator of this leaf crown craft HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!
More Fall Leaf Craft Ideas:
- Gorgeous Glowing Leaf Lanterns and Luminaries
- How to Make a Thankful Tree with Real Leaves
- Fall Leaf Sewing for Kids
- Watercolor and Fall Leaves Art Projects
- Heart Leaf Lanterns
- Thanksgiving Turkey Leaf Crafts
- Invitation to Create Fall Leaves Art
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