Woodland Animal Craft for Kids, Hedgehog & Squirrel with Fall Leaves

What is your favorite woodland animal for fall? Autumn is the perfect season for cozy craft projects. The air is crisp, the leaves are colorful, and kids are eager for fun, hands-on activities. If you’re looking for a simple and creative fall craft for kids, this woodland animals project is a must-try.

Today we’re making two adorable woodland friends: a leafy hedgehog and a fluffy-tailed squirrel. These autumn crafts are easy to set up, fun for kids of all ages, and perfect for classroom projects, homeschool activities, or family craft time.

The best part? We’ll be using real fall leaves! This makes it not only an art project but also a little nature scavenger hunt, a great way to get outside, explore, and collect materials. You can make the craft from scratch or buy the printable bundle. You can get our woodland animal printable bundle in our Printable Etsy Shop and in our Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

By using this site, you agree to our terms of use. This article contains affiliate links; read our full disclosure here.

Why You’ll Love These Woodland Animal Crafts

• Easy prep: All you need are paper, scissors, glue, and leaves.
• Educational: Perfect for fine motor skills, seasonal learning, and creative play.
• Versatile: Works for preschool, kindergarten, elementary classrooms, and homeschool.
• Beautiful results: Every child’s hedgehog or squirrel will be unique, making them perfect for bulletin boards or seasonal displays.

Supplies You’ll Need for Fall Animals

To make these woodland animal crafts from scratch, you’ll need:

• White cardstock or construction paper
• Pencils, crayons, or paints
• Scissors and glue
• A collection of real fall leaves (different sizes, colors, and shapes)

Optional: brown, orange, or tan paper for cutting out body shapes if you don’t want to draw freehand.

Step-by-Step Woodland Craft Instructions

Hedgehog Craft

1. Draw the Hedgehog Body
   On cardstock, sketch a simple hedgehog shape with a rounded belly and a pointy nose. Don’t worry about making it perfect, kids love quirky shapes!
2. Collect and Prepare Leaves
   Go on a nature walk and gather fall leaves in reds, yellows, oranges, browns, and greens. Trim off the stems so they’re easier to glue.
3. Add the Spines
   Glue the larger leaves along the hedgehog’s back, pointing outward like spines. Layer smaller leaves toward the top for a full, textured look.
4. Add Details
   Draw or paint an eye, nose, and little feet. Kids can also color in the face and belly with crayons or paints.

Squirrel Craft

1. Draw the Squirrel Body
   Sketch a simple sitting squirrel shape holding an acorn. Leave the tail section blank for now—that’s where the leaves will go!
2. Color the Squirrel
   Let kids color or paint their squirrel using warm autumn colors like orange, brown, and red.
3. Make the Fluffy Tail
   Glue real fall leaves along the tail outline. Place larger leaves in the center curve of the tail and smaller ones around the edges. Layer them up for a bushy effect.

For little ones: spread glue over the whole tail and let them sprinkle on crumbled leaves like confetti.

4. Add the Acorn
   Draw, color, or cut out a paper acorn and glue it into the squirrel’s hands. For extra fun, mount the acorn on a little accordion-fold paper spring so it wiggles playfully!

Display Your Woodland Animal Artwork

Once the glue has dried, cut out your woodland animals and hang them up! They look wonderful on fall bulletin boards, classroom displays, or framed as seasonal art at home.

Love This Craft but Short on Time?

If you’d like to skip the drawing step, I’ve created ready-to-use printable templates for both the hedgehog and squirrel crafts. Each comes with a full-color version, a coloring page, and clear instructions. You can get our woodland animal printable bundle in our Printable Etsy Shop and in our Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

We have the hedgehog and the squirrel separately, or check out the bundle, which includes both animals together for double the fun!

Final Thoughts

Crafting with kids in the fall is such a joyful way to celebrate the season. These woodland animal crafts combine creativity, nature, and play in one cozy project. Whether you’re a parent looking for a rainy-day activity or a teacher planning your autumn classroom crafts, this hedgehog and squirrel craft will bring lots of smiles.

Happy crafting & happy fall!

0