19 Easy Scarecrow Crafts for Kids to Make This Fall

These scarecrow crafts for kids run from a two-popsicle-stick scarecrow a preschooler can finish before snack time to a stuffed, kid-size scarecrow for the front porch. Most of them use paper scraps, glue and whatever is in the recycling bin, and they fit right in with my other scarecrow activities for kids if you are planning a full fall theme.

Every craft below lists the ages the tutorial suggests and how messy it gets, so you can pick a quick table craft for a toddler or a bigger project for older kids without opening every link first.

There are 19 ideas in three groups: paper and paper plate scarecrows, recycled and craft stick scarecrows, and a final set of scarecrow activities, printables and treats to round out the week.

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Table of Contents

Paper and Paper Plate Scarecrows

notimeforflashcards.com

Shape Scarecrow Craft

This is the one to start with for the youngest crafters. The whole scarecrow is built from paper circles, triangles and rectangles plus two googly eyes, so kids practice naming shapes and colors while they glue. Scrap paper works for almost every piece.

Ages: Toddlers and preschoolers | Mess level: Low (glue stick and paper)

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Paper plate scarecrow craft for preschoolers with yarn hair and a paper hat

homeschoolpreschool.net

Fine Motor Paper Plate Scarecrow

A paper plate becomes the face, and kids lace yarn through punched holes for the smile and weave more yarn into a paper sunflower on the hat. Older preschoolers and kindergartners can do most of it alone, while younger ones do better with the pieces cut ahead of time.

Ages: Preschool and kindergarten | Mess level: Medium (crayon or paint on the plate)

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your preschooler can make this easy scarecrow art

Scarecrow Paper Bowl Art Project

A paper bowl gives this scarecrow a rounded face that pops off the wall, which makes it a good pick if you want a row of them for fall decorations. It uses basic craft supplies and can be kept simple or layered with extra texture for older kids.

Ages: Preschool and up | Mess level: Medium (paint and glue)

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meaningfulmama.com

Pinwheel Scarecrow Paper Craft

A folded brown paper pinwheel turns into the scarecrow’s face, topped with raffia hair and a hat kids trace from a free template. An adult should handle the hot glue on the pinwheel, but kids can trace, cut and add the eyes, nose and mouth themselves.

Ages: Preschool and up, with an adult for hot glue | Mess level: Low

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simpleeverydaymom.com

Paper Bag Scarecrow Puppet

A brown lunch sack, a printed template and some paper straw hair make a scarecrow puppet kids can actually play with when they finish. Glue only the top inch of the hat so the face pieces still fit underneath. The template is free with an email sign-up.

Ages: Preschool through elementary | Mess level: Low

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simpleeverydaymom.com

Scarecrow Handprint Craft

Kids trace their own hands on yellow paper and cut them out to use as the scarecrow’s straw hair, which makes this a sweet keepsake to date and save. It takes about 20 minutes once the template pieces are printed.

Ages: Preschool through elementary | Mess level: Low

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simpleeverydaymom.com

Scarecrow Photo Craft

Your child’s photo becomes the scarecrow’s face, framed by paper hair, a patched hat and overalls on a craft stick. Print a roughly 2.5 inch circle photo before you start. It is a good one to send to grandparents.

Ages: Preschool through elementary | Mess level: Low

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Paper corner bookmark decorated as a scarecrow with a hat and yellow paper hair

redtedart.com

Scarecrow Corner Bookmark

One square of paper folds into a corner bookmark that slips over the page of a book, then kids add a scarecrow face, hat band and paper strip hair. The folding takes a little patience, so it suits school-age kids better than toddlers. There is a video tutorial on the page if the folds are new to you.

Ages: 5 and up | Mess level: Low (paper, glue stick, scissors)

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Recycled and Craft Stick Scarecrows

redtedart.com

Toilet Paper Roll Scarecrow

An empty toilet paper roll gets a paper shirt, a drawn face and an origami paper hat, with straw or yellow paper strips tucked under the brim. It takes about 20 minutes. Make the little paper flowers yourself for younger kids or skip them.

Ages: Preschool and up | Mess level: Low to medium (PVA glue for the hair)

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redtedart.com

Popsicle Stick Scarecrow

Two craft sticks glued in a cross make the body, and a paper circle head with strip hair and a tiny hat goes on top. Cut the paper shapes ahead of time for preschoolers. Older kids can add a small paper crow to perch on the arm.

Ages: Preschool through early elementary | Mess level: Low

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toddlerapproved.com

Cardboard Scarecrow Craft

A square of cereal box cardboard on a popsicle stick stake becomes a scarecrow with a cardstock hat, button eyes and raffia hair. It pairs with the picture book Barn Dance! by Bill Martin Jr., so it works well after story time. Pre-cut the shapes for little ones and let older kids cut their own.

Ages: Toddlers and preschoolers | Mess level: Low to medium

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Make your preschooler a 3d scarecrow puzzle

Scarecrow Popsicle Stick Puzzle with 3D Elements

Wide popsicle sticks become a scarecrow puzzle with fabric, burlap and straw added for texture. It makes a good quiet busy bag for a younger child while you work with older kids, and it travels well to appointments.

Ages: Toddlers and preschoolers | Mess level: Low once it is made

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Kid-size scarecrow made from stuffed pajamas and straw

handsonaswegrow.com

Kid-Size Scarecrows

This is the big project on the list. Kids pick an outgrown pair of pajamas, stuff them with straw, and make a head and arms from a stuffed pair of nylons, then decorate the face. It is a good weekend family project for the porch.

Ages: Toddlers and up, with an adult | Mess level: High (do it outside)

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Scarecrow Activities, Printables and Treats

fun-a-day.com

Scarecrow Process Art

Kids paint with brushes made from folded hay, then glue on buttons, plaid and denim scraps and tiny straw hats however they like. There is no right way for it to look, which is the point. Ask about hay allergies before you start.

Ages: Preschool and kindergarten, older kids enjoy it too | Mess level: High (paint and hay)

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Make your preschooler a scarecrow sensory bin

Build a Scarecrow Sensory Bin

Kids build their own scarecrow from the pieces in a fall sensory bin, then you can add learning by counting buttons, sorting by size or naming first letters. Older kids can write the words for each item.

Ages: Toddlers and preschoolers | Mess level: Medium (bin filler)

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Scarecrow Activity Bag for Kids

A themed busy bag full of textures and scarecrow pieces for building and rebuilding. It is meant to keep hands busy in waiting rooms or while you cook dinner, and it costs very little to put together.

Ages: Toddlers and preschoolers | Mess level: Low

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Build a Scarecrow Printable

Print, color, cut and glue the pieces to assemble a paper scarecrow kids can keep and play with. It covers cutting, coloring and following directions in one sitting.

Ages: Preschool and kindergarten | Mess level: Low

Get the Printable

Scarecrow Cutting Printables

Scarecrow-themed cutting pages give preschoolers focused scissor practice with a fall theme. Print a few copies so kids can try again once they get the hang of it.

Ages: Preschoolers | Mess level: Low (paper scraps)

Get the Printable

Scarecrow Food Ideas

When the crafts are done, these scarecrow-themed snacks and treats work for class parties, fall gatherings or a weekend afternoon in the kitchen together.

Ages: All ages, with an adult in the kitchen | Mess level: Medium

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Picking a Scarecrow Craft by Age

Toddlers (2 to 3): Stick with the shape scarecrow, the cardboard scarecrow or the sensory bin. Cut every piece ahead of time and hand over a glue stick; the goal is placing pieces, not cutting them.
Preschool and kindergarten (3 to 6): The paper plate, toilet paper roll, popsicle stick, handprint and paper bag scarecrows all fit here. Let kids cut the straight lines, like paper strip hair, and help with curves.
Ages 5 and up: The corner bookmark and pinwheel scarecrow need folding and more careful cutting, and the kid-size scarecrow is a good one to hand off to older siblings while you supervise the straw.

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Almost every craft on this list uses the same short supply list: construction paper or cardstock, a glue stick, white school glue, child-safe scissors, googly eyes and something yellow for hair. Raffia covers the hair on most of them, and paper strips work when you run out.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Hair, ages and how long the finished scarecrows hold up are the questions that come up most with these crafts, so here are quick answers.

Yellow or tan raffia, yarn, crinkle paper filler or strips of yellow construction paper all work. Cutting the paper strips is good scissor practice for preschoolers, and none of these shed the way real hay does, which also helps if anyone in the house has hay or grass allergies.

The shape scarecrow and the cardboard scarecrow are the easiest, as long as an adult cuts the pieces ahead of time and the toddler handles the glue stick. If you would rather skip glue altogether, the build a scarecrow sensory bin lets little ones put a scarecrow together with their hands and take it apart again.

Build it on cardstock, a paper plate or cardboard instead of thin construction paper, and use white school glue for heavier pieces like buttons and craft sticks. Let it dry flat overnight before hanging it. For a stuffed scarecrow on the porch, keep it under a roof so rain does not soak the straw.