Easy Pine Cone Lion Craft for Kids – Fun Fall Nature Activity

Bring Nature Indoors with This Adorable Pine Cone Lion Craft

Fall is the perfect season for crafting with kids. The crisp air, vibrant leaves, and treasure trove of nature finds like pine cones and acorns make autumn a magical time for DIY nature crafts. If you’ve recently collected a basket of pine cones and you’re wondering what to create with them, we have the perfect idea: a pine cone lion wall hanger!

This creative project transforms ordinary pine cones into a colorful lion’s mane that your child can proudly display on their bedroom wall or playroom. It’s simple, fun, and makes use of materials you can gather right from your backyard or during a nature walk. This is one of those fall crafts for kids that mixes creativity with nature exploration, an ideal activity for a cozy weekend or rainy afternoon.

Ready to bring your pine cone lion to life? Follow the step-by-step tutorial below!

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Supplies You’ll Need for Your Pine Cone Lion Wall Hanger

To get started, gather the following materials:

• • Large piece of cardboard

  • Pine cones (medium or small-sized work best)

  • Chestnut (for decoration of the ears, optional)

  • Big googly eyes (optional for fun expression)

  • Paint markers, colored pencils, or craft paint

  • Scissors

  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks (adult supervision recommended)

  • Yarn or string (for hanging)

Step-by-Step Pine Cone Lion Craft Instructions

Step 1: Create Your Cardboard Base

Take a sturdy piece of cardboard and trace a large circle using a round plate or bowl. Cut out the circle carefully, this will be the base of your lion.

Then, using a smaller plate, trace a second circle in the center of the cardboard. This smaller circle is the lion’s face, while the outer ring will hold the pine cone mane.

Step 2: Design the Lion’s Face

Use markers, colored paper, or paint to create a friendly lion face in the center of the circle. You can draw it freehand or cut features from scrap paper. Add a cardboard nose, googly eyes, and even rainbow-colored cheeks if you want to give your lion a unique personality! We used our Posca paint markers, for great coverage! 

Step 3: Arrange the Pine Cone Mane

Lay out your pine cones around the outer edge of the circle, this will be the lion’s mane. Make sure everything fits nicely before gluing. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, glue each pine cone one by one using hot glue. I recommend hot glue so the different materials stick well . (Tip: Adults should help with this part for safety.)

Step 4: Add Decorative Details

For a bit of extra flair, glue acorn tops between the pine cones or add small leaves for an autumn touch. We used two chestnuts for the ears of the lion, but you can also paint the ears or use fabric. This way your DIY lion craft will look even more eye-catching!

Step 5: Hang Your Masterpiece

Attach a loop of yarn or string to the back of your cardboard base using strong glue or tape. Now your pine cone lion wall hanger is ready to be displayed on the wall, perfect for a child’s room, playroom, or classroom.

 

 

Pinecone lion craft for fall

Love This Pine Cone Lion Craft? Try These Next!

If you had fun making this pine cone lion, we have more nature crafts for kids you’ll enjoy:

Pine Cone Butterfly Puppets – A colorful fall favorite
Pine Cone Dinosaurs – Craft your own prehistoric creatures from nature materials
Pine Cone Squirrels – An adorable woodland animal project combining a pinecone with paper roll

Or enjoy one of these popular lion craft activities:

Paper Roll Lion Craf – Made with a recycled paper roll and newspaper 
Paper Cup Lion Craft With Rainbow Manes – and adorable dangling legs 

Final Thoughts

This pine cone lion craft is a fantastic way to engage children with nature while encouraging their creativity. Plus, it’s a beautiful handmade decoration they’ll be proud to show off. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver looking for easy fall crafts for kids, this lion wall hanger is a must-try. Happy crafting! 

Lion with pinecone manes

 

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