Bring the outdoors into your kid’s creative activities by throwing some nature crafts into the mix. Gardens and parks are an endless source of inspiration and a great place for your little ones to learn, play and grow. Below are 10 fun and crafty ideas to get you started!
1. Leaf birds
Leaves are a great material to use for arts and crafts. Take this project for example – all you need to do is find a few leaves, use PVA glue to stick them to paper or cardboard in the shape of a bird and decorate it with acrylic paints. If you have some googly eyes in your craft box, this makes a cute little addition that the kids will love.
2. Nature treasure hunt
Teach your kids about nature with this fun treasure hunt activity from Unlocking Fun. Think about items you can find in the backyard or the park, then create an instruction sheet with labels and pictures. Your little ones can help to make the treasure chest as well as enjoying the hunt! Plus, reuse the box by creating a new sheet with different treasures on it.
3. Leaf and flower colour wheel
Bring nature and colour recognition together with this bright activity from Little Homes Jones. Help your kids create a colour wheel using watercolour paints and then let them arrange flowers and foliage to match!
4. Animal tails
We love this idea because it works for so many different types of animals! Whether it’s a fox, dog or monkey, draw an animal on a piece of cardboard and punch a hole through it where the tail will be. Kids can then find flowers or leaves to create the tail!
5. Colourful pine cone wreath
Nature crafts for kids don’t have to be temporary – this pine cone wreath project will last all year. Start by bending sticks or vines into a circle (you may like to reinforce this with wire) and binding the ends together with wire or thread. Your kids can then collect and paint some pinecones using acrylic paints. Once they’re dry, you can attach them to the wreath using wire, thread or a hot glue gun. Make sure any sharp or hot tools are kept out of reach of kids so that there are no accidents.
6. Nature crowns
When it comes to nature crafts for kids, we couldn’t leave out crowns. These can be made with leaves, flowers, pine cones and anything else your little artists can find. Kids can also add a splash of colour with acrylic or poster paints!
7. Rainbow stick mobile
This easy activity is perfect if you want to keep things simple. Collect a few sticks from the garden with your kids, paint them using acrylics and tie them to a longer stick like the image above. Your little artists can use single colours or create patterns to mix things up a bit.
8. Nature sensory puzzle
Gather leaves, sticks, pebbles, dirt and flowers and use them to make a puzzle! You can create this activity in a box like Little Homes Jones, or create outlines on a sheet of flat cardboard. Use whatever you can find in the backyard, or take a trip to the park or nearby forest if you don’t have much to work with at home. If you’re collecting nature from a park, try to only take pieces that are already on the ground so that you don’t damage any plants.
9. Painted shells
Give new life to discarded shells with this cute snail craft project from Chic Planete. You can use shells from the beach or the garden, just make sure there are no little creatures living inside!
10. Leaf imprints
A list of nature crafts for kids wouldn’t be complete without a mention of leaf imprints. All you need is some air hardening clay, some leaves and a rolling pin for this activity. Roll your clay into balls, press them flat and gently push your leaves into the clay using a rolling pin or your hands. Peel the leaf off carefully, let the clay dry and you’ve got yourself a beautiful imprint!
We hope you have a ball getting out into nature and creating with your little artists.
If you’re looking for even more ways to encourage your little ones to express themselves, browse through these 15 sensory play activities for kids. Don't forget to tag us on Instagram or Facebook using #montmarteart to show us what you’re creating!
