35 Easy Pine Cone Crafts for Kids to Make Together at Home

If you have a basket of pine cones and a few basic craft supplies, you have everything you need for a creative afternoon with your children. These 35 easy pine cone crafts for kids include friendly woodland animals, colorful fall decorations, Halloween spiders, Christmas ornaments and imaginative characters for pretend play.

The first six projects include complete, step-by-step tutorials. The remaining ideas are quick and flexible, so you can adapt them to the supplies you already own and the age of your child. The goal is not a perfect-looking result. It is to slow down, make something together and let every pine cone develop its own personality.

Basic Pine Cone Craft Supplies

• Clean, completely dry pine cones in several sizes
• Washable, non-toxic craft paint and paintbrushes
• Child-safe tacky glue
• Felt and construction-paper scraps
• Pipe cleaners, yarn, ribbon and pom-poms
• Googly eyes in several sizes
• Air-dry clay
• Cardboard, jar lids or wood slices for stable bases

You do not need every supply for every project. Choose one or two ideas first, place the materials in a shallow tray and keep the rest out of the way.

Before You Start: Prepare the Pine Cones

Brush away loose dirt outdoors and check each pine cone for sharp points, insects and sticky sap. An adult should handle any deeper cleaning and make sure the cones are completely dry before craft time. Cover the table with newspaper or a washable cloth, pour small amounts of paint and glue into shallow dishes, and place the materials for each project in a tray.

1. Pine Cone Pumpkins for Autumn Decorating

These cheerful pine cone pumpkins are an easy fall craft for kids and look lovely grouped on a windowsill, mantel or Thanksgiving table.

What You’ll Need

• Clean, dry pine cones
• Washable orange craft paint
• A paintbrush or small sponge brush
• Short twigs or pieces of brown pipe cleaner
• Green felt or construction paper
• Child-safe tacky craft glue

How to Make Them

1. Set up the pine cones. Stand each pine cone on its widest end. If one wobbles, rest it in a jar lid while your child paints it.
2. Add the pumpkin color. Dab orange paint onto the tips and visible sides of the scales. Leaving a little natural brown showing gives the pumpkin more texture.
3. Let the paint dry. Set the cone aside until it no longer feels tacky. A second light coat can be added if your child wants a brighter pumpkin.
4. Make the stem. An adult can glue a short twig or a curled piece of brown pipe cleaner to the top.
5. Add a leaf. Cut a simple leaf from green felt or paper and glue it beside the stem.
6. Create a pumpkin patch. Make several in different shades of orange and arrange them with real leaves and acorns.

Little-kid tip: Let younger children sponge on the paint instead of trying to reach between every scale. The uneven finish makes each pumpkin look more natural.

2. Pine Cone Turkeys for Thanksgiving Tables

A fan of colorful feathers turns an ordinary pine cone into a Thanksgiving turkey. Children can choose the colors and assemble the face, making every bird look different.

What You’ll Need

• One pine cone for each turkey
• Five to seven colorful craft feathers
• Two googly eyes
• Orange and red felt or construction paper
• Child-safe tacky craft glue
• A small circle of cardstock for the base, if needed

How to Make Them

1. Plan the tail. Ask your child to arrange the feathers in a fan before adding any glue. Alternating the colors creates a bright, full tail.
2. Attach the feathers. Add glue to the lower ends and carefully tuck them between the scales at the back of the pine cone. An adult can secure loose feathers with hot glue.
3. Make the face. Glue two googly eyes near the upper front of the cone.
4. Add the beak and wattle. Cut a small orange triangle for the beak and a rounded red shape for the wattle. Glue them just below the eyes.
5. Help it stand. If the turkey tips over, glue it to a small cardstock circle and cover the base with paper leaves.
6. Let it dry. Leave the turkey lying on its back until the tail feathers are firmly attached.

Little-kid tip: Draw the beak and wattle shapes on the paper first. Your child can choose the colors and point to where each piece should go while you do the cutting.

3. Pine Cone Spiders for Halloween Night

These spooky-cute pine cone spiders are quick to assemble and make fun decorations for a Halloween table, bookshelf or pretend spider hunt.

What You’ll Need

• One round pine cone
• Four full-length black pipe cleaners
• Two large googly eyes
• Child-safe tacky craft glue
• Black washable paint, optional
• Glow-in-the-dark paint, optional

How to Make It

1. Choose the spider’s position. Lay the pine cone on its side and decide which end will be the face.
2. Make eight legs. Slide four pipe cleaners beneath or between the lower scales so an equal length sticks out on both sides. Each pipe cleaner forms two legs.
3. Secure the legs. Add a dot of tacky glue where each pipe cleaner meets the cone. An adult can use hot glue if the scales are too tight.
4. Shape the knees and feet. Bend every leg slightly downward in the middle, then turn the end outward so the spider can stand.
5. Add the eyes. Glue two googly eyes to the front. Add four or six smaller eyes if your child wants a sillier spider.
6. Add a spooky glow. Once the glue is dry, dab a little glow-in-the-dark paint onto the tips of the pine cone scales.

Little-kid tip: Prepare the four pipe cleaners in advance. Young children can help slide them into place, bend the legs and choose the spider’s expression.

4. Pine Cone and Acorn Creatures for a Fall Nature Tray

There is no single right way to make these little woodland characters. The fun comes from looking at your nature finds together and imagining what each shape could become.

What You’ll Need

• Small pine cones
• Clean, dry acorns and loose acorn caps
• Short twigs
• Googly eyes or small paper circles
• Felt, yarn and paper scraps
• Child-safe tacky glue or air-dry clay
• A shallow tray, box lid or piece of cardboard

How to Make Them

1. Invent a character. Place an acorn above a pine cone and decide whether it will become a person, animal or imaginary forest creature.
2. Attach the head. Use a small ball of air-dry clay to join the acorn to the pine cone. This is easier for children than strong glue and can be repositioned.
3. Create a face. Add googly eyes or glue on small paper eyes. Draw a smile with a washable marker.
4. Add arms and legs. Press short twigs into clay or tuck them carefully between the pine cone scales.
5. Dress the creature. Add an acorn-cap hat, a felt scarf, yarn hair or paper wings.
6. Build its woodland home. Arrange the characters on a tray with leaves, moss, smooth stones and extra pine cones, then use them for storytelling.

Little-kid tip: Put the natural materials in separate bowls and let your child choose one body, one head and three decorations. Limiting the choices makes the activity easier without taking away the creativity.

5. Painted Pine Cone Wreath for Fall

This family wreath works best as a shared project: children paint and arrange the pine cones, while an adult handles the strong glue and final assembly.

What You’ll Need

• Eight to twelve small pine cones
• A small cardboard, grapevine or wire wreath form
• Washable craft paint in orange, gold, rust, red and cream
• Paintbrushes
• Acorns, felt leaves or ribbon, optional
• Strong craft glue or a hot-glue gun for adult use
• Twine or ribbon for hanging

How to Make It

1. Paint the pine cones. Let each child choose two or three fall colors. Paint the scale tips rather than covering every part of the cone.
2. Dry completely. Stand the painted cones in an egg carton so they do not roll around.
3. Test the arrangement. Place the cones around the wreath form without glue. Mix the colors and turn the cones in different directions until the design feels balanced.
4. Attach the cones. An adult should glue each pine cone firmly to the form, working around the circle one at a time.
5. Fill the gaps. Children can point out empty spaces and choose acorns, felt leaves or small ribbon bows to fill them.
6. Add a hanger. Tie sturdy twine or ribbon around the top. Allow all glue to harden before lifting or hanging the wreath.

Little-kid tip: Invite children to arrange the painted cones in a repeating color pattern. It turns the decorating stage into a simple matching activity.

6. Pine Cone Christmas Trees for Holiday Mantels

Mini pine cone Christmas trees are easy to personalize and small enough to display on a mantel, windowsill or child’s bedroom shelf.

What You’ll Need

• One pine cone for each tree
• Green washable craft paint
• A paintbrush or sponge brush
• Mini pom-poms, sequins or small paper dots
• A paper or felt star
• Child-safe tacky craft glue
• A bottle cap, wood slice or cardboard circle for the base
• White paint for snow, optional

How to Make Them

1. Paint the tree. Stand the pine cone upright and brush green paint over the outer edges of the scales. It is fine to leave some brown showing.
2. Add snowy tips. After the green paint dries, dab a little white paint onto a few scale tips.
3. Attach the base. Glue the widest end of the pine cone to a bottle cap, wood slice or sturdy cardboard circle so it stands securely.
4. Decorate the branches. Add small dots of glue and press on pom-poms, sequins or colorful paper circles as ornaments.
5. Top the tree. Glue a small paper or felt star to the top. An adult may need to hold it in place until the glue begins to set.
6. Create a miniature forest. Make trees in several sizes and group them on a tray with cotton-ball snow and battery-operated tea lights.

Little-kid tip: Pour the decorations into a muffin tin so children can sort and select them easily. Use larger pom-poms instead of sequins when working with younger children.

7. Sparkly Pine Cone Ornaments for the Tree

Turn small pine cones into shimmering ornaments with white paint, child-safe craft glue, glitter and ribbon. Brush the scale tips with white paint first. When dry, add a thin layer of glue and sprinkle glitter over a tray so the extra can be collected and reused.

An adult can tie or glue a ribbon loop securely around the stem. Write your child’s name and the year on a small cardstock tag before hanging the ornament. For a lower-mess version, replace loose glitter with glitter glue or metallic paint.

8. Pine Cone Reindeer for Christmas Displays

For each reindeer, gather a pine cone, two brown pipe cleaners, two googly eyes, a red or brown pom-pom and small felt ears. Twist and branch the pipe cleaners into antler shapes, then ask an adult to secure them behind the reindeer’s face.

Glue on the eyes, nose and ears, then stand the reindeer on a wood slice or cardboard base. Make several and let the children name them. A line of reindeer looks especially sweet beneath a miniature pine cone Christmas tree.

9. Tiny Pine Cone Elves for Holiday Shelves

Give a small pine cone an elf hat cut from a felt semicircle. Roll the felt into a cone, glue the edge and add a tiny pom-pom to the point. Attach the hat to the pine cone, then add eyes, a wooden bead or pom-pom nose, and short pipe-cleaner arms.

Children can personalize each elf with a scarf, paper gift or miniature name tag. Display the finished characters on a shelf with cotton-ball snow. Keep loose beads and tiny decorations away from children under three.

10. Pine Cone Snowmen That Skip the Cold

Paint a pine cone white, or leave some brown visible for a rustic snowman. Once dry, add a felt scarf, a paper hat, googly eyes and a small orange paper nose. A few black paint dots can become buttons down the front.

Glue the cone to a jar lid or cardboard circle if it needs help standing. Instead of stacking several heavy pine cones, keep the design simple with one cone per snowman. This makes the project sturdier and much easier for younger children to decorate.

11. Pine Cone Gnomes With Felt Hats and Beards

Cut a rounded triangle from felt, roll it into a tall hat and glue the overlapping edge. Attach a small wooden bead or pom-pom beneath the hat for the nose. For the beard, use faux-fur scraps, thick yarn or white felt cut into a soft point.

Glue the beard to the upper front of the pine cone, add the nose, then place the hat low enough to cover the gnome’s eyes. Children can choose hat colors and decorations while an adult handles any cutting or hot glue.

12. Wax-Dipped Pine Cone Fire Starters for Adult-Supervised Gifting

This is an adult-led project. Hot wax can cause serious burns, so children must stay away while the wax is heated, poured or dipped. An adult can prepare the fire starters and allow them to cool completely on parchment paper.

Once the cones are cool and hard, children can help place them in a paper gift bag and decorate a tag. Label the package clearly as fire starters—not decorations—and include a reminder that they are only for use by an adult in a suitable wood-burning fireplace or outdoor fire where permitted. Never light them as candles.

13. Pine Cone Owls With Felt Eyes and Wings

Cut two large felt circles for the eye patches, two smaller circles for the pupils, a tiny triangle for the beak and two curved pieces for wings. Layer the eye circles and glue them near the top of the pine cone.

Add the beak between the eyes and the wings at the sides. Felt is easier than real feathers for small hands because it stays flat while the glue dries. Brown, cream and rust create a woodland owl, while brighter scraps make a playful storybook version.

14. Pine Cone Hedgehogs for Little Hands

Lay a pine cone on its side so the scales become the hedgehog’s prickly back. Shape a rounded face from air-dry clay and press it gently around the pointed end. Add two tiny ears, a larger nose and paper or googly eyes.

Let the clay dry before using the hedgehog for display or gentle pretend play. If your child enjoys storytelling, make a small leaf nest from a box lid and create a name and woodland adventure for the new character.

15. Pine Cone Caterpillars Made With Pom-Poms

Choose pom-poms in several bright colors and tuck them in a row between the scales along the top of a pine cone. Glue each one in place, then add a slightly larger pom-pom at one end for the head.

Finish with googly eyes and two short pipe-cleaner antennae. Children can copy a repeating color pattern or invent their own. Use large pom-poms for younger crafters and supervise closely because small pom-poms and eyes can be choking hazards.

16. Pine Cone Foxes With Felt Ears and Tails

Paint a pine cone orange, leaving a few brown areas visible for natural texture. Cut pointed ears, a white face patch and a long curved tail from felt or sturdy construction paper. Add a white tail tip before gluing the pieces to the cone.

Two paper eyes and a black pom-pom nose complete the face. If the fox will not stand, glue it to a cardboard base decorated with paper grass and leaves. Children can make a whole fox family using pine cones in different sizes.

17. Pine Cone Mice With Yarn Tails

Place a small pine cone on its side and use the pointed end as the mouse’s nose. Add two round felt ears, paper eyes, a tiny pom-pom nose and short pieces of yarn for whiskers.

Glue a longer piece of yarn to the back for the tail. Straight yarn makes a shy little field mouse, while braided or curled yarn gives it more personality. Create a cardboard cheese wedge or a tiny paper bed to turn the finished mouse into a story character.

18. Pine Cone Bees With Stripes and Paper Wings

Wrap short pieces of yellow yarn around a pine cone to create stripes, tucking the ends between the scales. Cut two rounded wings from white paper, tracing paper or a clean coffee filter and glue them to the back.

Add eyes and short pipe-cleaner antennae at the front. This is a lovely craft to pair with a child-friendly conversation about bees and flowers. Make sure the finished bee is clearly presented as a pretend craft rather than a realistic model.

19. Painted Pine Cone Ladybugs for Indoor Garden Displays

Paint a small pine cone red and allow it to dry. Add a black face at the pointed end and paint black dots across the outer scale tips. Glue on two eyes after the paint has dried completely.

Display the ladybug in an indoor plant pot or on a windowsill. Ordinary washable craft paint is not weatherproof, so keep it indoors unless an adult applies an outdoor-safe finish in a well-ventilated area according to the product instructions.

20. Pine Cone Porcupines With Googly Eyes

For a simple porcupine, place a wide pine cone on its side and shape a small rounded face from brown felt or air-dry clay. Add eyes, a pom-pom nose and four little feet.

Unlike the hedgehog craft, give this character a longer face and a small yarn tail. Children can add narrow paper “quills” between a few scales, but do not use toothpicks or other sharp pieces. Set the porcupine in a paper forest scene when it is dry.

21. Pine Cone Penguins Kids Can Paint and Display

Paint the outer part of a pine cone black, then add a white oval belly once the first coat is dry. Cut a tiny orange beak and two orange feet from felt or paper. Add the beak, feet and two eyes with tacky glue.

A narrow felt scarf adds color and helps each penguin look unique. Group several on a tray covered with white paper or cotton batting. Use battery-operated lights only; keep real candles and heat away from the craft materials.

22. Pine Cone Turtles With Painted Shell Details

Use a short, rounded pine cone as the turtle’s shell. Paint the scale tips in shades of green, teal or brown and let the cone dry on its side. Shape a head, four flippers and a small tail from air-dry clay.

Press or glue the clay pieces around the base of the shell, then add simple eyes. Rest the turtle on a cardboard “pond” while the clay dries. Children can paint lily pads and water around it to complete the scene.

23. Easy Pine Cone Dinosaurs for Preschoolers

Paint a pine cone in your child’s favorite dinosaur color. Cut a head, legs and tail from sturdy paper or felt, then make a row of soft triangular back plates. An adult can cut the shapes while the child chooses the colors and placement.

Glue the pieces between or beneath the scales and add a large friendly eye. Ask your child to name the dinosaur and decide what it eats. This turns a quick craft into imaginative play without needing a scientifically perfect model.

24. Pine Cone Fairies for Magical Pretend Play

Stand a slim pine cone upright for the fairy’s body. Add a wooden bead or large pom-pom head, yarn hair and a small felt hat. Cut one symmetrical wing shape from paper or felt, fold it down the middle and glue the fold to the back.

Decorate the fairy with paper flowers, ribbon or glitter glue. Avoid sharp craft wire for projects made by young children. Once dry, place the fairy in a miniature garden made from a shallow box, leaves and smooth stones.

25. Pine Cone Unicorns With Rainbow Yarn Manes

Paint a pine cone white or a soft pastel color. Cut short lengths of colorful yarn for the mane and a longer bundle for the tail. Glue the yarn between the scales, mixing the colors as you work.

Roll a small triangle of metallic paper into a horn and let an adult glue it securely to the head end. Add felt ears and gentle closed eyes drawn on paper. Skip sharp wire and loose metallic foil when crafting with very young children.

26. Pine Cone Mermaids With Shimmery Tails

Paint a pine cone in ocean colors such as turquoise, blue and purple. Cut a wide mermaid tail from cardstock or felt and decorate it with metallic paint, sequins or dots of glitter glue.

Glue the tail to the wider end of the cone and add yarn hair, a paper face and small felt arms at the other end. Place the mermaid in a cardboard underwater scene with paper seaweed and shells. Avoid loose glitter when working with very young children.

27. Pine Cone Robots Built From Recycled Materials

Turn clean cardboard, foil-covered paper circles, bottle caps and paper straws into robot parts. Use the pine cone as the body, then let your child arrange the pieces before gluing anything down.

Add accordion-folded paper arms, cardboard feet and a friendly control panel drawn on paper. Use large recycled pieces rather than real nuts, bolts or sharp wire when crafting with small children. Give each robot a name and a pretend job when it is complete.

28. Stacked Pine Cone Story Characters

Paint friendly faces on three pine cones, giving each one a different expression. Once the paint is dry, an adult can attach the cones vertically to a wide cardboard or wood base with strong glue.

Add felt eyebrows, yarn hair or paper hats to make each face more expressive. Rather than copying culturally significant ceremonial art, encourage children to invent original story characters and tell a tale about how the three characters know one another.

29. Pine Cone Butterflies With Coffee-Filter Wings

Flatten a coffee filter on a protected surface and decorate it with washable markers. Lightly mist it with water so the colors blend, then leave it to dry completely. An adult can protect the table and supervise the water spray.

Pinch the dry filter in the middle to form two wings and secure it to the back of a slim pine cone. Add paper eyes and two short pipe-cleaner antennae. The finished butterfly looks lovely hanging from clear thread in a window.

30. Pine Cone Flowers for a Colorful Craft Table

An adult can trim suitable pine cones for a flatter flower shape, or children can simply paint the broad base of an intact cone so the scales resemble layered petals. Use several shades of one color and add a contrasting center.

Glue each dry flower to a sturdy paper straw or a straight twig, then arrange the stems in a small jar. If trimming is required, it must be done beforehand by an adult with appropriate tools while children are away from the work area.

31. Woodland Pine Cone Animals for a Display Shelf

Combine several of the animal ideas into one woodland family. Make an owl with felt circles, a hedgehog with a clay face, a fox with an orange tail and a bear with round felt ears.

Use a shallow cardboard box as the forest floor and decorate it with paper trees, leaves and smooth stones. Keeping all the animals in one scene makes the individual crafts feel like a finished collection and gives children a setting for imaginative play.

32. Pine Cone Sorting and Painting Trays for Young Children

Choose smooth pine cones without sharp or broken scales. Paint them in three or four colors and allow them to dry. Set out matching cups or painted circles and invite your child to sort each pine cone by color or size.

Pine cones are natural objects rather than certified toys, so supervise the activity closely and stop if a cone begins to break apart. For children who still put objects in their mouths, use larger painted wooden shapes instead.

33. Pine Cone Bird Feeders With Seed

Tie sturdy natural twine around the top of a large pine cone. Spread plain, unsalted peanut butter or an allergy-appropriate seed butter between the scales, then roll the cone in plain birdseed on a tray. Check ingredient labels and avoid mixtures containing chocolate, artificial sweeteners or added salt.

Hang the feeder outdoors from a reachable branch and wash everyone’s hands afterward. If anyone in the home has a peanut allergy, do not use peanut butter. An adult should choose a suitable alternative and supervise the entire activity.

34. Mini Pine Cone Wreaths for Any Occasion

Cut a ring from sturdy cardboard and paint it to match the season. Children can arrange miniature pine cones around the ring, leaving a little space for ribbon, felt leaves, paper flowers or pom-poms.

An adult should attach the pine cones with strong glue because they are heavier than paper decorations. Once dry, add a ribbon loop and hang the mini wreath from a cupboard knob, bedroom door or wall hook rather than an exposed outdoor door.

35. Pine Cone Stars Made With Ribbon and Glue

Arrange five small, narrow pine cones in a star shape with their pointed ends facing outward. Place a cardboard circle beneath the center and ask an adult to glue each cone securely to it.

When the glue is fully set, weave ribbon loosely around the center and finish with a bow. Add a loop if you want to hang the star, or place it flat as a table decoration. Because the finished piece is relatively heavy, use a strong hook and keep it out of reach of small children.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Clean Pine Cones Before Crafting?

Shake and brush the pine cones outdoors to remove loose dirt and insects. An adult should inspect them for sharp points and sticky sap, clean them using an appropriate method, and allow them to dry completely before children begin crafting. Do not microwave pine cones or leave children in charge of heating or cleaning them.

Are Pine Cones Safe for Toddlers?

Pine cones can have sharp scales, sap, dirt and loose pieces, so they require close adult supervision. Choose smooth, sturdy cones and avoid pine cone activities for children who still put objects in their mouths. Googly eyes, beads, sequins and pom-poms are choking hazards and must be kept away from children under three.

What Glue Works Best for Pine Cone Crafts?

Thick tacky craft glue works well for lightweight paper, felt, yarn and pom-poms, although it needs time to dry. Heavy pine cones and wreaths may require hot glue or another strong adhesive, which should be handled only by an adult. Let every project dry fully before children play with or display it.

How Long Do Pine Cone Crafts Last?

Indoor pine cone crafts can last for several years when kept dry and stored carefully between seasons. Wrap delicate pieces in tissue paper and use a lidded box. Outdoor moisture, direct sun and temperature changes will make natural materials and washable paint deteriorate much faster.

Where Can You Get Pine Cones for Crafts?

You can collect fallen pine cones where gathering is permitted, ask friends who have conifer trees, or buy clean craft pine cones. Avoid collecting from protected land or private property without permission. Store-bought scented cones may contain strong fragrance, so unscented cones are usually the better choice for children’s crafts.

Make the Project Your Own

These pine cone crafts are starting points, not rules. Swap felt for paper, use paint colors your child loves and combine ideas from different projects. A pine cone owl can wear an elf hat, a Christmas tree can become a rainbow tree, and a woodland creature can live in a cardboard castle.

Choose one easy project, set out only the supplies you need and let your child make the creative decisions. The finished craft may not look exactly like the photograph—and that is often the best part. You will end up with a handmade decoration, a new story to tell and time spent making something together.