This easy fall tree craft uses broccoli as the “paintbrush” to create realistic 3-dimensional leaves in an array of autumn colors!

Broccoli Painted Fall Trees

Fall is my favorite season and nothing brings me joy quite like seeing all of the trees ablaze in a vivid display of golds, oranges, and reds.

This craft uses broccoli to stamp colorful fall leaves onto a tree. I’ve created a free printable template you can use to get started. But other than that, you only need the most basic craft supplies: kids craft paint, cardstock or construction paper, and a piece of broccoli!

The idea to use broccoli for crafting came a while back when the kids and I made fireworks art for the 4th of July. A reader commented that this technique would also be perfect for painting fall leaves, so we had to give that a try! I have to say, it turned out absolutely beautiful and looks just like a colorful autumn tree!

Funny enough, broccoli is actually my kids’ FAVORITE vegetable, so we always keep some in the fridge. I try to use broccoli that is starting to turn already, and when we are done, we put the broccoli we used in our compost so it can help feed our garden. Nothing is wasted here! However, this craft can also be done with a large pom-pom, a bunch of Q-Tips bundled together, or crumpled tissue paper.

Craft Supplies Needed

For your convenience, I’ve included shop-able ad links to supplies used to make this kids flower craft; read our full disclosure policy here.

Printable PDF Fall Tree Template – I created this as an idea starter, so you have a tree and branches on which to paint the leaves.
Broccoli Florets – These need to be fresh, not frozen. If needed, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess liquid so it does not dilute the paint.
Craft Paint – If you’re going to be putting the broccoli in your compost afterwards, be sure to use a non-toxic washable paint. Otherwise, acrylic paint works great too! I recommend using multiple different colors to make your tree look more 3-dimensional.
Cardstock – We used thick white cardstock for this craft because it is sturdy and will hold up with lots of paint.

Instructions

Print out the PDF tree template linked above in the supply list. You can also freehand paint your own tree trunk and branches if you like.
Dip a broccoli floret into one color of paint.
Press the top of the broccoli onto the construction paper, like a stamp, adding leaves on and around the tree branches.
Use the other colors to fill in your beautiful fall tree.

Video Demo

Watch to see exactly how we painted fall trees with broccoli:

More Tips

If you don’t have any broccoli at home or prefer not to craft with food, you can achieve a similar effect using jumbo pom-poms.
Start with just a little paint so you can layer the colors. You can always add more paint!
Even younger children can likely do this project on their own with a little guidance. I usually show my littlest how I would do something and then let her create on her own. Sometimes they come up with ideas and techniques I didn’t think of, so I simply make suggestions and then let their imagination run wild!
Even though this is a fairly low-mess craft, anything with paint has the potential for splatters. I always have my kids wear old clothes and we work on a protected surface that’s easy to clean. We love these silicone art mats for keeping things clean because they are washable and reusable!

More Fall Crafts for Kids

Printable Directions

If you tried this craft and loved it too, please rate it!

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fall tree with the leaves painted using broccoli.

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