Easy Fall Kids Craft: DIY Leaf Caterpillars from Amazon Boxes

Kelsey Berry
Oct 8
2 min read

Updated: Oct 14

If your porch looks like a mini Amazon warehouse after Prime Day, you’re not alone. Before those boxes hit the recycling bin, let’s turn them into something fun (and free!) — DIY Leaf Caterpillars!

This simple fall craft transforms a pile of cardboard into a creative outdoor adventure for kids. It’s part nature walk, part art project, and 100% adorable. Bonus: you’ll feel super mom-y for reusing materials you already have.

a caterpillar leaf craft with a cardboard box face

What You’ll Need

A few leftover Amazon boxes (or any cardboard)
Scissors
Something sharp (I used the end of a meat thermometer)
Markers
Pipe cleaners
Pom-poms or googly eyes (optional but extra cute)
A handful of colorful fall leaves

(Tip: Make it a game! See who can find the most colors of leaves — red, yellow, orange, green, even brown. My daughter tried to make a rainbow with this one.)

🎨 Step 1: Make the Caterpillar Faces

Cut circles out of your cardboard (we used a small paint can to trace ours). Draw fun, silly faces — the goofier the better. Add two holes at the top for antennas and one in the middle for the core (it looks like a cute nose in the end).

Twist on pipe cleaners for antennas and glue on googly eyes if you want. Each face gives your caterpillar its own little personality — our kids named theirs Leafy and Crunchy.

Take a third pipe cleaner and run it through the center hole and tie a knot. You can also poke two holes right next to each other and thread it back through for added security.

cardboard faces with pipe cleaner antennas

🍁 Step 2: Collect and Stack the Leaves

Time to head outside! Grab your "bugs" and start threading on leaves one by one. Layer them thick so your caterpillar looks fluffy and full.

You’ll be surprised how into it the kids get — they’ll start searching for “the perfect leaf” and proudly show off their collections.

(Pro tip: damp leaves are easier to thread, fully dry ones crumble — so aim for fresh ones!)

two children in the grass adding leaves to their pipe cleaners

🐛 Step 3: Bring Your Caterpillar to Life

Once your stick is full, adjust the leaves so they fan out nicely.

Now step back and admire your new little friend! You can even stand them up in the yard or “race” them across the grass. My kids ended up pretending theirs were crawling home to eat dinner. 😂

two children showing off a craft with leaves and cardboard

💛 Why We Love This Craft

✔️ Uses up leftover Amazon boxes

✔️ Encourages outdoor play

✔️ Costs $0

✔️ Great fine-motor practice for little hands

✔️ Creates a sweet fall memory you’ll actually want to keep

This project kept my kids entertained for hours — from collecting leaves to giggling over silly faces. It’s the perfect mix of creativity, nature, and chaos (the good kind).

📦 Before You Recycle, Reuse!

Next time you’re surrounded by cardboard, grab your scissors instead of the trash bin. A simple box + some fall leaves = one happy little caterpillar family.

So go ahead — turn those Prime Day leftovers into a fall day full of fun. 🍁🐛