A couple of years ago, we had a blast making coffee filter snowflakes, and they were such a hit that many of you requested more coffee filter crafts.
So, of course, I had to create these coffee filter leaves!
This colorful and creative activity is perfect for kids and a great way to celebrate the beauty of fall.
Using just a few simple materials, your little ones can create their own vibrant leaves that are perfect for decorating your home or classroom.
Not only is this craft super easy to do, but it’s also a wonderful way for kids to express their creativity while developing their fine motor skills and learning about colors.
And guess what?
I’ve designed free printable leaf templates to make the project even simpler!
Let’s dive into the fun and create these delightful coffee filter leaves together.
Materials
The best thing about this craft is that it uses items you already have at home, so no need for a big trip to the store!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Coffee Filters
We used 6 white basket-shaped filters in an 8-12 cup size.
- Washable Markers
You can use Crayola, Mr. Sketch, or any brand you have at home.
- Water Spray
You can use an eyedropper if you don’t have a spray bottle.
- Scissors
- Paper Clips
- Plastic/Metal Tray
We’ll use it to contain the mess. If you don’t have one, you can cover your working area with plastic bags or paper towels.
- Free Printable Leaf Templates (which I’ll share with you below!)
Video Tutorial
Watch the video below to learn how to make these coffee filter leaves using the free printable templates available at the end of the post.
How to Make Coffee Filter Leaves
- Print and cut your leaf templates.
Download the free printables at the end of this post. There are three pages with 6 different leaf designs to choose from.
First, cut out the circles and then cut them in half across the line. You should end up with 6 half circles.
- Flatten your coffee filters and fold them in half.
- Use a paper clip to attach the half-circle templates to the coffee filters.
Make sure your paper clips are inside the leaf outlines. Otherwise, things might fall apart when cutting.
- Cut out the leaf shapes.
- Remove the paper clips and unfold your coffee filters to reveal the leaves.
Don’t worry if the leaves aren’t perfect.
Part of the charm is that every leaf turns out unique, just like the real thing.
- Color your coffee filter leaves with washable markers.
This is where your kids can get creative. They can color all the way through the leaves or draw fun patterns.
Just keep in mind that the more white space you have on the leaves, the lighter the results will be.
- Place your coffee filter leaves onto trays to keep the mess to a minimum, and spray them with water.
Make sure all the coffee filters are wet, but don’t add too much water because they will take longer to dry.
You can swirl the filters around to make the colors move to different places and get fun effects (the tray was handy for this, too).
- Let the coffee filters dry completely.
Most of our filters dried out in around 2 hours, but others were really wet, and we let them dry overnight. That’s why I suggest not going crazy with the water on step 7.
You can also speed up the drying process by bringing your coffee filters to the oven at the lowest temperature for around 15 minutes. Always keep an eye on them.
- Use your coffee filter leaves as decorations!
Now that you’ve got a pile of beautiful coffee filter leaves, what can you do with them?
Here are some ideas to keep the fun going:
- Window Decorations: Tape the leaves to your windows to create a stained-glass effect. The sunlight shining through the colors is gorgeous!
- Garlands: String the leaves together to make a festive fall garland for your home or classroom.
- Art Collages: Use the leaves in mixed-media collages. Kids can glue them to construction paper along with other fall findings.
- Fall Cards: Glue the leaves onto blank cards to make seasonal greeting cards for family and friends
Leaf Templates
Ready to make this craft?
I’ve got you covered with these free printable templates that make cutting out your leaves a breeze.
Download them by clicking the link below!
*Please remember that these printables are for personal use only. You may not sell or distribute the files. If you want to share them, please link to this post and not directly to the PDF files.
If you try this craft, I’d love to see your creations! Feel free to share them with me on Instagram by tagging @theprintablesfairy.
More Fall Activities
