There’s just something about apples, school buses, freshly sharpened pencils, and tiny pieces of lined paper that makes September feel extra special!
Back-to-school season is one of my favorite times of year to get creative with the kids. Even though the little ones in my daycare aren’t necessarily heading off to kindergarten or elementary school yet, I still love getting them excited about the season.
Many of my daycare kids have older brothers and sisters getting ready for school, so they get to experience the excitement right along with them. And for the kids who don’t have school-aged siblings? Well, they still deserve to have some back-to-school fun!
I also have a great list of activities here for back to school: https://www.funkyfrugalmommy.com/2024/09/ways-to-celebrate-back-to-school-for.html?m=1
This adorable apple suncatcher craft is the perfect way to celebrate the season. It’s made with simple supplies like construction paper, tissue paper, and contact paper, but you can make it extra special by adding tiny school-themed details like buses, rulers, pencils, and even little pieces of lined paper with each child’s name on them.
The finished apples look absolutely adorable hanging in a sunny window!
Why We Love This Apple Suncatcher Craft
This craft is more than just something cute to hang in the window. It gives children an opportunity to:
- Practice cutting and gluing
- Work on fine motor skills
- Recognize their names
- Explore colors and transparency
- Talk about school and what happens there
- Build excitement about a new school year
- Use their creativity to make something uniquely theirs
And honestly, watching their little faces light up when they see their name on their tiny piece of “school paper” is pretty much the best part!
Supplies You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy to make these adorable apple suncatchers.
For the Apple
- Red construction paper
- Green construction paper
- Brown construction paper
- Clear contact paper
- Tissue paper in red, pink, yellow, orange, or whatever colors you like
- Scissors
- Glue
For the Back-to-School Details
Use construction paper scraps to make tiny:
- 🚌 School buses
- ✏️ Pencils
- 📏 Rulers
- 📚 Books
- 🎒 Backpacks
- 🔤 Letters
- 🔢 Numbers
You’ll also need some small pieces of white paper or lined paper. I love writing each child’s name on their little piece of paper so they can see their name right there on their apple.
You can even let older children try writing their own names!
Step 1: Make Your Apple Shape
Start by drawing a large apple shape onto a piece of red construction paper.
Cut out the apple.
Next, draw a smaller apple shape inside the first one, leaving a border around the outside. Carefully cut out the middle.
You should now have what looks like an apple-shaped frame.
For younger children, I recommend doing the cutting yourself, especially when cutting out the middle of the apple.
Step 2: Add the Contact Paper
Cut a piece of clear contact paper slightly larger than your apple.
Peel off the backing and place the sticky side facing up.
Carefully position your construction-paper apple frame on top.
Press around the edges so it sticks well.
Now comes the fun part!
Step 3: Create Your Tissue Paper Design
Give the kids lots of small pieces of colorful tissue paper.
They can place the tissue paper inside the open center of their apple.
There really isn’t a wrong way to do this!
They can overlap the pieces, mix colors, create patterns, or simply cover the entire apple with whatever colors they love.
The tissue paper will become beautifully translucent when sunlight shines through it.
Daycare Tip
I like to pre-cut the tissue paper into small pieces before starting the activity. This makes it much easier for younger children to participate without the craft becoming frustrating.
You can also turn this into a color-learning activity by asking questions like:
“Can you find a red piece?”
“What happens when we put the yellow tissue paper over the red?”
“Can you make a pattern?”
Step 4: Add the Back-to-School Fun
Now it’s time to make these little apples extra special!
Before the craft, cut tiny school-themed shapes from construction paper.
Make miniature school buses, pencils, rulers, books, backpacks, and anything else that reminds you of school.
Then let the kids choose which pieces they want to add to their apple.
You don’t need to make them perfect. In fact, I think the slightly wonky little buses and tiny pencils make them even cuter!
Step 5: Add Their Names
This is my favorite part.
Cut a tiny piece of white or lined paper for each child.
Write their name on it in big, easy-to-read letters.
Then let them place their little name paper onto their apple.
For children who are learning to recognize their names, this is a wonderful opportunity to practice.
For older preschoolers, you can let them try writing their own names.
You can say:
“Can you find your name?”
or
“Where should we put your school paper?”
It’s a simple little addition, but it makes the craft feel like it truly belongs to each child.
Step 6: Seal the Suncatcher
Once the kids are finished decorating, carefully place another piece of clear contact paper over the top.
Smooth it down gently, starting from one side and working toward the other to prevent large air bubbles.
Press firmly around the edges.
Trim away any excess contact paper.
You should now have a sealed apple suncatcher!
Step 7: Add a Stem and Leaf
Cut a small stem from brown construction paper and a leaf from green construction paper.
Glue them to the top of your apple.
You can also add a little green leaf with the child’s name written on it, or even add a tiny worm peeking out of the apple for some extra personality!
Step 8: Hang Them in the Window
Punch a small hole near the top of the apple and add some string or ribbon.
Then hang your finished creations somewhere where the sunlight can shine through them.
This is when the magic happens!
The tissue paper glows in the sunlight and turns these simple paper apples into colorful little decorations.
Make It a Back-to-School Activity
While we’re making the suncatchers, I love turning the craft into a conversation about school.
We can talk about:
- What happens at school
- What school buses look like
- What teachers do
- What kinds of things children learn
- Favorite school supplies
- Making new friends
- What the kids’ older siblings are doing at school
- Things they might be excited about when they eventually start school
For my daycare kids, I think this is especially important.
Some children may be watching their big brothers and sisters get new backpacks, lunch boxes, shoes, and school supplies and wondering why they’re not going to school too.
Instead of making them feel left out, I love bringing them into the excitement.
They get to make their own back-to-school crafts, talk about school, decorate with school supplies, and celebrate the beginning of a new school year right along with everyone else.
A Great First Week of September Activity
This apple suncatcher would be adorable as part of a whole back-to-school-themed daycare week.
You could pair it with:
🍎 Apple stamping
🚌 School bus crafts
✏️ Pencil coloring pages
📚 Story time about starting school
🎒 Pretend classroom activities
🔤 Name-recognition games
📏 Measuring activities with rulers
🎨 Back-to-school process art
You could even create a little pretend classroom where the kids can take turns being the teacher, student, or school bus driver.
To save on school lunches this year take a look at my ways to cut costs on school lunches article here: https://www.funkyfrugalmommy.com/2023/10/top-5-ways-to-cut-costs-on-school.html?m=1
A Simple Craft With a Big Purpose
I absolutely love crafts like this because they don’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.
A few pieces of construction paper, some tissue paper, and contact paper can turn into a bright little apple that represents so much more than just a craft.
It gives kids a chance to be creative, practice important skills, recognize their names, and—most importantly—feel included in the excitement of a new school year.
And when those little apples are hanging in the window with the sunlight shining through them, you’ll have a colorful reminder that every child deserves to feel excited about learning. 🍎❤️
Whether they’re heading off to kindergarten or still have a few years of daycare ahead of them, there’s no reason they can’t join in on the back-to-school fun!
