More activities with natural materials!

A Fairy House feeling a bit small? Build a Fairy Park!

Time: 1 hour
Location: Outside & Inside
All Ages
Materials: Pie pan or container, dirt and natural materials, small bowl and water if you’d like to create a pond or pool, hot glue gun (optional – for getting fancy!)

• Pie Pan or container
• Dirt and natural materials
• Small bowl and water if you’d like to create a pond or pool
• Optional: Hot glue gun (if you want to get fancy)

Little kids love to make noise. Invite your little one to make music like wee wild things!

Time: 30 min-1 hour
Location: Outside
Ages: 0-2, 3-5
Materials: Random household items – plastic or metal containers, lids, rubber bands, beads, etc. accompanied by natural materials

Create paint by mixing soil with a bit of water!

Time: 1 hour
Location: Outside & Inside
All Ages
Materials: soil (diversity of samples if possible), surface to dry soil, tools to crush soil, sieve or pantyhose to sift soil, glue, water, cups, and plates, watercolor paper, paintbrushes

Painting Nature

All you need are paint and some natural materials to make art! Have your little one collect sticks, leaves, and/or stones to paint and turn into their own creative masterpiece. A bundle of sticks can transform into a bouquet or centerpiece (and be used to learn early math skills) and a stone collection can become pieces in an art gallery, or their finished product can be turned into sound stones to teach early literacy skills. The opportunities are endless!

Making a stick crown is fun to make and wear, and you don’t have to travel very far to find the materials for it!

Paint sticks and hot glue them to a thick strip of card stock.

The tree is your canvas and natural materials are your supplies with this Faces for the Trees activity!

Time: 1 hour-1+ hour
Location: Outside
All Ages
Materials: water, bucket, towel
High Mess

Transform an egg carton into a treasure box!

Time: 30 min-1 hour
Location: Outside & Inside
Ages: 3-5
Materials: egg carton, optional: paint & other decorating supplies

We’re all staying home a lot so add some art to your walls by pressing leaves and flowers!

Time: multi-day
All Ages
Location: Outside & Inside
Materials: A plant press (create your own with cardboard and newspaper), 2 plywood boards, something to bind the stack (belt, bungee cord, etc.), thinned white glue or Mod Podge, weight (heavy books or bricks)

Use plant pigments to create simple dyes for artwork and clothes!

Time: 30 minutes-1 hour
All Ages
Location: Outside & Inside
Materials: Fresh flowers and leaves, rubber mallet, white or light-colored cotton fabric, safety goggles, wax paper, newspapers

Keeping a wildlife journal is a great way to build both observation and writing skills while spending time outdoors.

Time: 30 minutes
All Ages
Location: Outside & Inside
Materials: Several sheets of unlined paper, hole punch or stapler, ribbon or string, writing utensils

Collect natural materials such as sticks, stones, moss, and leaves to use as a paintbrush and create a masterpiece.

*This activity can be found on page 17 of the linked PDF.*
Time: 30 minutes-1 hour
Ages: 3-5, 6-9
Location: Outside
Materials: Paint and paper (or any canvas to paint on)

Use natural materials to build a home for insects. They will repay you by controlling pests and pollinating your plants!

*This activity can be found on page 143 of the linked PDF.*
Time: 1+ hours
Ages: All ages
Location: Outside
Materials: Natural materials (cork, brick, wood, bamboo, rocks, sticks, pine cones, seedpods, cardboard), wooden box or open birdhouse with an overhanging lip, strips of wood, wire to hang the box, drill, wood glue

Learn how to make a wind catcher from items you pick up in nature!

Time: 1 hour
Ages: All ages
Location: Outside
Materials: Natural materials (bark, rocks, sticks, pine cones, seedpods), twine or string

Grab your bubbles, head outside and try these different ways to spark wonder through bubble play!

Time: 30 minutes
Ages: 0-8
Location: Outside
Materials: glycerin, dishwashing soap, pipe cleaners

Make a gorgeous suncatcher for your window with items collected from nature!

Time: 1 hour
Ages: 3-9
Location: Outside
Materials: Paper plates, contact paper, yarn or ribbon, flowers and leaves, scissors, hole punch, tape

Use sticks and twine to create a weave of natural materials!

Time: 1 hour
Ages: 6+
Location: Outside
Materials: Twine, natural materials

Collect different leaves to see how many different shades of green there are!

Time: 30 minutes
Ages: 6-13
Location: Outside
Materials: Strips of paper, masking tape, leaves