If you find yourself with an overabundance of apples from fall apple picking, or if you just want to try some apple crafts, here are some enjoyable activities you can do with your children. You don't need much in the way of supplies, just a few things from the grocery store and a few items you probably have around the house, and of course, apples.

Apple Dolls

Peel the apple that you want to use for the doll's head. Cut a face into it with a knife. If you are doing this with young children, use a plastic knife. All you really need is eyes, nose, mouth, and eyebrows. If you want, you can cut a few additional nicks into the apple for a more expressive face.

Dissolve a tablespoon of salt into about a cup of lemon juice, and place the apple into the mixture for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 100 degrees F, and dry the apple in the oven for one to two hours. Then let the apple sit out for a few days to dry even more.

Poke a dowel or small stick into the apple, and add pipe cleaner legs and arms. Then dress the doll with scraps of fabric clothing and accessories. Your children will have fun thinking up decorations to add to the doll.

Make Caramel Apples

Wash some apples and push a popsicle stick into the center of each apple. Prepare some small dishes containing coatings for the caramel apples. Some ideas for coatings are chopped nuts, crushed cereal, sprinkles, crumbled cookies, or chopped chocolate.

Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper to put the caramel apples on when they are done.

Melt caramel candies and two tablespoons of water over low to medium heat until all the lumps are gone. Use a wooden spoon or plastic spatula to stir the mixture, not a metal spoon. Make sure the caramel is all melted, but don't let it burn.

Take the apples that you speared with the popsicle sticks, and dip them into the melted caramel until they are coated. Then dip the apples into your preferred coating.

Put your finished caramel apples on the parchment-covered baking sheet, and refrigerate them until you are ready to eat them.

Apple Pie Play Dough

1 c water
Food coloring
2 c flour
1/2 c salt
1 tbsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp apple pie spice
1 tbsp oil

Combine 15 drops of food coloring and 1 cup of water. Red is nice, but you can use any color you want.

Take a large pot and combine one cup of flour and all the other ingredients in this pot. Add the colored water. Stir the mixture over medium low heat, then add another half cup of flour. Mix it well, and you will see the dough forming. Put the dough on a plate or mat. Coat your hands in flour, and add a little extra flour to the dough. Keep adding more flour in small amounts, until it is the right consistency and not sticky.

The play dough is ready for your children to play with! Make batches in different colors for even more fun play.

The next time you are at a loss for things to do with your children, try one of these apple crafts. Your children will enjoy making these easy crafts with you, and later they will have fun playing with the doll or the play dough, or eating the caramel apples. This is a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon as a family.