A Simple Fall Craft: DIY Acorn People

There is something about fall that makes me want to slow down, take a little longer on our walks, and notice all the little treasures that seem to appear outdoors this time of year. Colorful leaves, pinecones, interesting sticks, and, of course, acorns. Lots and lots of acorns!

Penny and I are fortunate to have a few oak trees in our neighborhood, and we’ve taken to collecting the fallen acorns during our walks. What started as picking up a few here and there quickly turned into quite the collection. (Apparently, it’s hard to walk past a perfectly good acorn when you have a child who loves collecting nature’s treasures!)

After accumulating a rather impressive stash, I decided it was time to find a way to incorporate some of our little treasures into a craft. That’s when I stumbled across the idea of making acorn people, and I couldn’t resist giving it a try.

Joanna Gott

These little woodland friends turned out even sweeter than I imagined! With their tiny painted faces, fabric outfits, and acorn hats, they have so much personality. Best of all, they’re incredibly simple to make and use supplies you probably already have tucked away in a craft drawer.

It’s the perfect little fall activity for an afternoon at home, especially when you want something creative to do without making a special trip to the craft store.

Supplies You’ll Need

One of my favorite things about this project is how little you actually need. Most of the supplies can be found around your house, and the most important ones can be gathered on your next neighborhood walk!

Acorns: Look for acorns with their little caps still attached or collect the caps separately. You’ll want a few different sizes to give your people some personality.
Small sticks: Gather small twigs from outside. We happened to have leftover cinnamon sticks from another craft, which worked perfectly and added a little extra charm.
Acrylic paint or paint pens: For creating the little faces. Fine-tip paint pens make this especially easy!
Fabric scraps or felt: Small pieces of fabric are perfect for creating little dresses, shirts, and scarves. We used some leftover fabric scraps from a quilting project.
Twine or ribbon: For adding a little bow or belt around their outfits.
Hot glue gun: To attach the acorn heads, clothing, and other little details.

How to Make Acorn People

Step 1: Gather Your Natural Treasures

Start with the fun part: foraging! Head outside and collect acorns, acorn caps, and small sticks or twigs. Look for acorns in different sizes so you can create a little family of woodland friends.

Once you’re home, brush off any dirt or debris and let your acorns and sticks dry completely. Check the acorns for holes or signs of insects before bringing them into your craft supplies.

Step 2: Create the Little Bodies

Choose a small stick for each person. These will serve as the bodies and legs of your acorn people.

If you’re using twigs, look for relatively straight pieces that are easy to wrap with fabric. You can trim them to your desired length if needed. We used leftover cinnamon sticks for ours, which worked just as well!

Step 3: Paint Their Little Faces

This might be my favorite part!

Before attaching the acorns to the bodies, use acrylic paint or fine-tip paint pens to give each one a face. Add two little eyes, a nose, and a smile. You can also add rosy cheeks, freckles, or even little eyelashes if you’d like.

Each one can have its own expression and personality. Maybe one is a little shy, another is always smiling, and another looks like she’s ready for a fall adventure.

Set the acorns aside and allow the paint to dry completely before moving on.

Step 4: Attach Their Heads and Hats

Choose an acorn for each person and pair it with an acorn cap to create a little hat.

Using hot glue, attach the bottom of the acorn to the top of your stick. Then secure the acorn cap to the top of the acorn to create the hat.

Hold everything in place for a few seconds until the glue sets.

A quick safety note: Hot glue guns and freshly applied glue can cause burns, so this step should be handled by an adult. If you’re crafting with little ones, let them help choose the acorns, paint the faces, and pick out the fabrics while an adult takes care of the gluing. Always allow the glue to cool completely before handling your finished creations.

Step 5: Give Them Some Clothes

Now it’s time to give your little people some personality!

Cut small strips of fabric or felt to wrap around the sticks. You can make dresses, sweaters, scarves, or little shirts. There really isn’t a right or wrong way to do this.

Wrap the fabric around the stick and secure it with a small dab of hot glue. We added a little twine around the waist of each person, tying it into a bow for an extra sweet detail.

Don’t worry about making everything perfectly symmetrical. I think the slightly imperfect, handmade look is part of what makes these so charming.

And just like that, you have your very own little acorn people!

Joanna Gott

More Fun Crafts to Make with Acorns

If you find yourself with a growing collection of acorns (as we did!), there are plenty of other ways to put them to good use. Here are a few more simple ideas to try:

Acorn garland: Paint acorns in fall colors or leave them natural, then attach them to twine to create a simple seasonal garland for your mantel or bookshelf.
Acorn mushrooms: Turn acorns and their caps into tiny mushrooms using red and white acrylic paint. These are especially cute tucked into a fairy garden.
Painted acorns: Give acorns a colorful makeover with acrylic paint. Try polka dots, stripes, tiny flowers, or simple patterns. Display them in a little wooden bowl for an easy fall decoration.
Acorn picture frames: Glue acorn caps or whole acorns around a simple wooden picture frame for a nature-inspired keepsake.
Miniature acorn ornaments: Add a little twine loop to painted acorns and use them as handmade ornaments for a small fall tree or even your Christmas tree.

A Little Creativity Goes a Long Way

I love crafts like this because they remind me that you don’t need a long supply list, an elaborate plan, or a trip to the craft store to make something special. Sometimes the best projects start with a simple walk around the neighborhood and a little curiosity about what you might find along the way.

These little acorn people are proof that a handful of nature’s treasures and a few supplies from the craft drawer can turn into something awfully sweet.

So the next time you’re out for a walk and spot a few acorns on the ground, scoop some up! You never know what kind of little woodland friends might be waiting to be made.