Acorn Painting Process Art

Acorn Painting is a low-prep autumn art activity where kids use acorns as paintbrushes! As they roll and shake the acorns, children not only explore color but also practice fine motor skills and enjoy hands-on sensory fun. Plus, it works perfectly for home, school, or preschool lesson plans.

If your kids enjoy painting with acorns, they may also like making Popsicle Stick Acorns, Acorn Bells, or creating an Acorn Suncatcher.

Acorn Painting Process Art

When my kids were younger, acorn season was serious business. Every August, September, and November, they collected them by the handful—stuffing pockets, backpacks, and sometimes even the washing machine (not recommended!).

At first, we just admired their finds, but soon we realized there had to be a more creative way to use all those acorns. That’s when we started painting with them. Rolling acorns through paint across paper quickly became a favorite fall activity, combining hands-on fun, sensory play, and a little bit of mess—just enough to keep things exciting!

Why You’ll Love Acorn Painting for Kids

Acorn painting is quick to set up, low on prep, and full of creative fun. Even better, it’s flexible: children can start by exploring it as open-ended play, then display the resulting artwork as seasonal decorations. Here are more things to love about it:

• Encourages creativity with open-ended process art.
• Builds fine motor skills as kids pick up and roll acorns.
• Offers sensory play through textures, movement, and sound.
• Fits easily into preschool lesson plans or at-home activities.
• After painting, the painted acorns can be reused for crafts, games, or holiday décor.

Supplies for Acorn Painting

You only need a few simple items to get started:

• Acorn Template
• Cardboard box or deep tray
• White cardstock
• Scissors
• Washable paint
• Acorns
• Biodegradable glitter

Watch the Video Tutorial

To see the process in action, watch the video below to see how we created our acorn art.

Directions for Acorn Painting

Follow the steps below to see how acorns can become tools for creative process art:

STEP 1: First, collect acorns. Head outside and gather a small handful of acorns. Kids love being part of this step—it turns the activity into a mini adventure. If desired, bring along a nature guide to learn about the different types of oak trees in your region.

STEP 2: Next, download the template. Grab the free printable acorn template from the supplies list and save it to your computer. Print the acorn pattern on white cardstock.

STEP 3: After that, cut it out. Trim along the outline of the acorn printable.

STEP 4: Now, place it in a box. Put the cut-out acorn template inside a cardboard box. This will keep the acorns from rolling everywhere.

STEP 5: Prepare your paint. Squeeze small amounts of washable paint onto the template. Stick with fall colors or let kids choose their favorites.

STEP 6: Add the acorns. Place a few acorns into the box on top of the template.

STEP 7: Paint with movement. Roll, shake, or tilt the box so the acorns move across the paper, leaving trails of color.

STEP 8: Sprinkle glitter. While the paint is still wet, let kids add a light dusting of eco-friendly glitter for extra sparkle. I don’t use glitter often in crafts, but I really like it in this one!

STEP 9: Finally, let it dry. Remove the painted template and set it aside to dry before displaying!

Take It Further

Want to build on the fun? These easy ideas make the project last even longer:

• Make acorn patterns: Paint several templates in solid colors and line them up in repeating color patterns to sneak in early math learning.
• Try sensory play: After painting, wash the acorns and add them to a sensory bin with rice, beans, or fall leaves.
• Write a story: Invite kids to use their painted acorns as inspiration for a short story or classroom display.
• Pair with a book: You can also connect the craft to fall-themed books about acorns, trees, or autumn.
• Create a fall bulletin board: Another idea is to display the painted acorns together to make a colorful classroom or hallway mural.
• Experiment with motion: Instead of shaking the box, try tilting it slowly, rolling the acorns gently, or even blowing them with a straw to see how the paint spreads differently.
• Make a counting game: For a math twist, number the acorn templates and have children count painted dots or trails.
• Add vocabulary: You might also introduce words like oak, acorn, sprout, and cap, encouraging kids to use them in sentences or label their artwork.
• Compare textures: Another extension idea is to paint with acorns one day, then try pinecones, sticks, or leaves the next. Discuss how the textures create different results!
• Journal about nature: After the activity, invite children to draw or write in a nature journal about where they found their acorns and what might happen to the ones left outside.
• Seasonal twist: Use peppermint candies and our gingerbread man template for a Christmas version of this craft!

More Fall Crafts for Kids

If your children enjoyed acorn painting, they’ll also enjoy trying more autumn-inspired activities. These crafts are simple, colorful, and perfect for home or classroom use.

• Leaf Suncatchers – Use tissue paper and our free template to create bright, stained-glass style leaves that glow in the window.
• Leaf Printing – For another idea, collect leaves, coat them in paint, and press onto paper to make festive prints.
• Leaf Spray Painting – Place real leaves on paper, spray over them with washable paint, and lift to reveal a beautiful silhouette.
• Fall Leaf Scribble Art – Another fun option is a quick, low-prep activity that combines free drawing with seasonal shapes.
• Fall Pine Cone Craft – Decorate a pine cone with pom poms to make a cute fall tree for imaginative play.

Save This Craft

Save this craft on Pinterest using the image below!