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    Home » Painting Activities

    Q-Tip Fall Tree

    Modified: Aug 30, 2022 · Published: Oct 7, 2016 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Hopefully the leaves are changing colors where you live. We have been so inspired by the changing leaves that we made a Fall Fingerprint Tree. No matter where you live, your child can make their own Q-Tip Fall Tree ablaze with the colors of the season with this fun Fall activity. Be sure to also check out our Fall Tree Window Painting.

    This Q-Tip Fall Tree is the perfect Fall activity for kids. Painting in this way really helps with fine motor skills plus it is just plain fun!

    Why this q-tip fall tree painting is great for kids

    • This fun painting activity doubles as a fine motor exercise
    • Perfect for a school classroom or home use
    • Makes a lovely fall or thanksgiving decoration

    Supplies needed

    • Fall colored paint
    • Q Tips
    • White and brown construction paper
    • Scissors
    • Glue

    How to make this fall tree craft

    My kids were excited to try out this new art technique.

    Draw a tree on brown construction paper. Drawing is not my strength so I enlisted my husband to draw the tree. My husband did a great job don't you think?

    Cut out the tree and glue it to some white construction paper. Fill some cups with small amounts of paint. We used orange, brown, red and yellow paint. Place a q tip in each cup.

    Q-Tip Fall Tree

    Have the kids use the q tips dipped in paint to make leaves on their tree branch.

    child painting with q-tips
    Q-Tip Tree

    B used specific colors for each branch of the tree. It's so interesting to see the process kids use as they paint the tree. Here she adds some red leaves.

    Q-Tip painting

    An unexpected benefit of working with cotton swabs over a traditional paint brush is that it forces kids to use a more traditional grip. When my daughter writes she holds a crayon between her fist, so it was great to see her strengthening her fine motor skills.

    painting tree with q tips

    Once the apple tree is done, kids can paint leaves near the bottom of the paper. My daughter told me these were fallen leaves.

    child making a Q-Tip Fall Tree

    It's very easy to create this vibrant autumn tree filled with all the beautiful colors of the season. When your kids are done they can use the remainder of the paint and q tips on some white paper for more fall activities.

    If you're interested in more activities for children, check out Green Kid Crafts, an earth-friendly monthly craft subscription box that kids will love! It helps spark creativity while teaching kids a love for the environment.

    Q-Tip Fall Tree

    Frequently asked questions

    How many colors of paint do you recommend?

    We used 4 colors which gave the kids a nice choice, without being overwhelming.

    Related posts

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    •  Free Fall Worksheets
    • 50 Turkey Thanksgiving Crafts

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      Watercolor Painted Seashells

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    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

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