Autumn crafts for kids usually start on the pavement: a coat pocket full of conkers, a few acorns and a leaf that was too pretty to leave behind. Here are eight ideas for turning that haul into something at home. The first four work with toddlers and preschoolers, the last four are for children aged 6 and up who use a 3D pen.

First, head outside: what to collect

Take a paper bag on your walk. In a plastic bag leaves sweat and go mouldy. Good things to collect:

• Leaves in different shapes and colours, ideally dry and flat
• Conkers and acorns (with and without their caps)
• Pine cones and a few sturdy twigs

At home, press the leaves for a few days between the pages of a thick book with a sheet of kitchen paper in between. That keeps them flat so they don't crumble while you craft.

4 ideas for toddlers and preschoolers

1. Leaf prints with paint

Brush a thin layer of paint onto the back of a leaf, where the veins are. Press the leaf onto paper, rub over it with your hand and peel it off carefully. Red, orange and yellow side by side give you a sheet that can go straight on the wall.

2. A leaf garland

Poke two holes in each leaf with a darning needle (that's your job) and let your child thread a string through. Alternate a big and a small leaf, or sort them by colour. Threading is good practice in itself for young children.

3. Conker people

The classic. A big conker for the body, a smaller one for the head, and cocktail sticks or matches for arms and legs. Make the holes beforehand with an awl, because a conker is harder than it looks. An acorn cap as a hat and your little figure is done.

4. A cardboard autumn wreath

Cut a ring out of a shipping box and let your child glue leaves, acorns and small pine cones onto it with a blob of craft glue. Hang it on the front door or lay it flat on the table with a tea light in the middle.

4 ideas with the 3D pen (ages 6+)

The wireless Fits4Kids pens use PCL filament, which softens at a low temperature. That's why children from 6 can get going with it themselves. Work on a drawing mat or on baking paper so everything peels off easily.

5. Tracing leaves

A lovely autumn project for the pen, and you already have the template at home. Put a flat leaf under a sheet of baking paper, trace the outline first, then the middle vein and then the side veins. No need to fill it in: the open veins are what make it pretty. Three or four of those leaves in orange and brown make a window garland that never dries out.

6. Mushrooms for the windowsill

For the cap, draw a circle and fill it with small loops working inwards. Draw a second layer on top and the cap becomes domed. The stem is a short roll made from a few layers of filament. Red with white dots or just brown, and five of them side by side on a saucer with some moss.

7. A pine cone hedgehog

The pine cone is the spiky back. With the pen your child makes a face: a small cone in light brown, two eyes and a black nose. Stick the face to the bottom of the pine cone with a drop of glue. No feet needed, the hedgehog lies steady on its tummy.

8. A spider web for Halloween

Halloween is at the end of October, and a spider web is easier with the pen than it looks. First draw five or six straight lines that meet in the middle, then spiral from the inside out, from line to line. Black or white filament works best. Add a little spider with eight legs and the web can go on the window with a bit of tape.

If your child can't draw freehand very well yet, start with tracing. You'll find a few shapes to practise with in our free printable 3D pen templates, and the XXL template book has dozens more.

Tips for a relaxed crafting afternoon

• Put down an old tablecloth or newspaper. Conkers and paint make more mess than you'd think.
• Keep it short. Two ideas per afternoon is plenty, save the rest for a rainy day during the autumn break.
• Make the holes in conkers within a few days of picking them up. Fresh ones are doable, dried ones turn rock hard.
• Keep finished pieces on a shelf or in the window. Children love seeing their work again.

Frequently asked questions

From what age can you do autumn crafts with your child?

Leaf prints and a leaf garland already work with toddlers from around 3, with some help. The wireless Fits4Kids 3D pens are suitable from age 6.

How do you keep autumn leaves looking nice?

Dry them flat for a few days between the pages of a thick book, with kitchen paper in between. If you want a leaf that never dries out, trace it with the 3D pen.

How do you make holes in conkers?

With an awl or a thin nail, and that's a job for an adult. Do it within a few days of picking them up, because dried conkers turn rock hard.

Which filament do you need for the 3D pen?

The wireless pens and the Race Kit use PCL filament. The XXL starter kit uses PLA. The two are not interchangeable, so check which pen you have.

On your next walk, take a paper bag and let your child choose what comes home. Don't have a pen yet for the ideas for ages 6 and up? Have a look at the wireless 3D pen starter kit.