Just in time for autumn, learn how to make the cutest fall hedgehog craft with paper leaves, paint, and pom poms. This easy fall craft includes a printable hedgehog template, making it perfect for home or school.
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Fall Hedgehog Craft
Several years ago, we adopted a hedgehog named Huey. He came to us from a college dorm room where he had lived life in a plastic bin, hidden under a bunk bed. The thing about Huey was that he did not like to be handled, so he huffed and puffed, shook his quills, and rolled up into a prickly ball whenever we tried to hold him.
This spikey leaf hedgehog craft reminds me of Huey…except for the sweet smile. Huey never smiled. He was an incredibly grumpy hedgehog!
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Craft Supplies Needed for Fall Hedgehog Craft
Before you get started on this craft, make sure you have all the right supplies!
- Fall Hedgehog Template
- White cardstock
- Washable paint
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Pom poms
- Glue stick or hot glue gun
- Sticker eyes or wiggly eyes
- Black marker
Directions for Leaf Hedgehog Craft
STEP 1: Download and print the leaf hedgehog craft template. Our Leaf Hedgehog Craft Template is available in our Teachers Pay Teachers shop! After purchasing the template, download it to your device and then print it on white cardstock. You will need one template, plus 5–10 extra leaves, per child.
STEP 2: Paint the hedgehog and leaf templates. Invite your child to paint their template with washable paint. We chose orange, red, yellow, and brown for our leaves, and black washable paint for the hedgehog’s body.
Of course, kids could also color their hedgehogs with colored pencils or crayons, or trace the template onto colored construction paper.
TIP: Our favorite Crayola paint boasts vibrant color but is light enough to allow the lines of printables to show through. Check it out here.
STEP 3: Cut the templates. When the paint is dry, invite your child to cut out the hedgehog shapes and the leaves.
Admittedly, cutting out the leaves is quite time-consuming for little ones—amazing fine-motor—but time-consuming! You may wish to consider stretching this project into several blocks. If you have or work with very little ones, think about pairing them with an older “buddy” to shoulder some of the work!
Another alternative is to have kids paint blank sheets of white cardstock, then use a leaf paper punch to cut out leaves. If you are making this craft with a large group of kids, it may be easier to provide baskets of pre-punched leaves. We used 25–30 small leaves per hedgehog. You may need more or less, depending on the size of the paper punch.
STEP 4: Glue the templates. Use a glue stick or tacky craft glue to secure the paper leaves to the hedgehog’s body.
STEP 5: Draw the details. Invite your child to decorate the hedgehog’s face. We used pompoms for the hedgehog’s nose, but kids could also use buttons or paper circles.
STEP 6: Finish the craft. Last, glue the greeting card portion of the hedgehog craft to the back of the decorated part. When the glue dries, the card will open and close! Kids can sign their names and write a personalized message inside.
Isn’t it cute? Such an easy and fun fall craft for kids!
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