" Animals, figures and toys made from natural materials "

All children love making things and look forward to the golden, sunny days in the fall when they can look for chestnuts again. But it's not just collecting them together that is great fun, but also the craft ideas that can be made with them. The children's room will soon be adorned with funny chestnut figures, chestnut animals and other toys.

Autumn crafts with children

Crafting with chestnuts is child's play and can be done by even the youngest children. There are no limits to the imagination and one child may prefer to make funny jewelry and another funny animals. There are many ideas for this, but an adult should always be present when holes are made in the chestnuts or scissors and glue are used.

Collecting chestnuts together

The first step is to look for the brown fruits together outside in the forest or in a park. At home, the haul is then dried on a clean cloth for one or two days before the work can begin. When well dried, they are nice and hard and stable and can be punched and processed very easily. The specimens, which are very flat at the bottom, are later suitable as a base for a larger figure or can be used as the foot or underside of a caterpillar.

Autumn crafts with children

Materials needed for crafting with chestnuts

It is best to gather together the required items before you start so that everything is ready to hand. This includes

• plenty of chestnuts
• scissors
• glue
• hand drill
• a sharp knife
• toothpicks

The latter are very suitable as connecting parts for the individual fruits. In males, they function as arms, necks or legs. For some animals, they can also be used as horns or spikes. Of course, you can also create beautiful fantasy animals that are decorated with colorful beads or funny strings.

Suitable suggestions and ideas for decorations as craft materials. Crafting with children is a lot of fun the more the little ones are allowed to choose for themselves.

Making chestnut animals

Craft ideas and instructions for chestnut men

These funny little men are a classic autumn craft idea and are very easy to make yourself. You need a hand drill, which you can find in specialist shops, or alternatively a sharp knife to make holes in the fruit.

Toothpicks or split matches are later inserted into the holes and glued in place for a better hold.

A hot glue gun is very practical here. A flat chestnut is suitable as a base, into which a hole is drilled from above. A toothpick is inserted into this hole. Then drill a hole in another chestnut from below and place it on the toothpick. This way, the body and head of the figure are already firmly attached.

Making chestnut men with toothpicks

If simple arms made from toothpicks are not enough for you, you can attach either a beautiful wooden bead or an acorn. Two more small holes in the upper chestnut form the eyes and if you like, you can put another hole underneath to give the little man a mouth.

The figures look particularly cute when they are wearing a small whistle made from an acorn cap. Then conjure up a chic hairstyle from raffia or colorful threads and glue it to the head. Some figures also look great in a hat. Acorns can also be used as legs, which are stuck into the lower chestnut with a toothpick. This makes it easy to create individual and funny little men or chestnut figures step by step.

Making chestnut men with matchsticks

Chestnut animals

But it's not just chestnut figures that are fun. There are also craft ideas that can be used to make various chestnut animals. These not only make pretty decorations in the fall, but can also be used as great toys.

One popular animal is the caterpillar. To make one, drill holes in the front and back of several chestnuts.

The individual balls are then joined together using halved toothpicks or matches. If you make sure that the individual parts are not attached straight but slightly offset, the caterpillar looks very authentic and meandering. The length can be chosen individually.

Making chestnut animals with matchsticks

The last chestnut no longer has a hole drilled in the back and forms the end. The head is attached to the front fruit with a short piece of wood. This is decorated with eyes. Small red berries or colorful crochet beads are suitable for this. colorful crochet beadswhich can be glued or stuck onto toothpicks.

Of course, you can also use a pencil if the light side of the chestnut is facing forward. Make two small holes for the feelers. Suitable feelers can be colorful pipe cleaners, painted wooden sticks or colorful strings. This way, the caterpillar is quickly finished.

Girls' crafts with chestnuts and pipe cleaners

Wall decorations made from chestnuts

Alternatively, you can easily make wall decorations out of chestnuts. These can be hung on the wall as a picture or given as a gift to relatives. To do this, tie many individual chestnuts into a wreath using string and decorate with a colorful bow at the end.

This tried and tested home remedy from nature is also effective against moths in the closet and looks very pretty at the same time.