Paint a Fall Leaf Tablecloth

What You Need:

• Plain white cotton tablecloth
• Fabric paints
• Paintbrushes
• Leaves
• Scrap paper

What You Do:

1. Head outdoors with your child and collect leaves from around your yard or neighborhood. While you’re walking, see how many different colors your child can find in the falling leaves.
2. After you've collected a variety of leaves, head home and place the leaves on the work area with your tablecloth. Have your child think about their leaf tablecloth design. Do they want to cover the tablecloth with leaves, make a border of leaves, or just create a random design?
3. Take a look at the leaves and have your child name the main colors they see. Which colors do they think best represent fall? After your child picks out the best fall colors, help them choose the right paint colors and pour them onto paper plates.
4. Next, have them place the leaf on a piece of scrap paper and use a brush to paint the leaf.
5. Then, they can lift up the leaf and press it onto the white tablecloth, gently pressing over the top of the leaf with a clean piece of scrap paper.
6. Help your chid slowly lift the leaf, and they should have a beautiful printed leaf picture! Encourage them to continue painting and printing until their design is complete.
7. Finally, follow the directions on the fabric paint to set the paint.

When the tablecloth is all done, put it on your table to get your house all ready for the fall season!