Looking for easy craft activities for children this summer? Get started with these 6 nature-based craft ideas for kids
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Introduction
I’ll start by saying that, in all honesty, I’m not a very crafty person. However, having lived a van life on the road for much of this last year (prior to lockdown) with my young children, I’ve had to hone my craft skills somewhat. On rainy days, or on most evenings while my husband (our resident chef) cooked dinner, I have entertained our girls by doing some sort of craft activity with them, to help pass the time. Often, this has involved creating some sort of collage picture using collected scraps of paper and card, or other natural bits and bobs, that we have accumulated and saved for the purpose.
With time on my hands during lockdown, I have expanded on this idea to think up a range of new nature-based craft ideas for kids, where possible using materials that can be collected from the garden. Admittedly, some do require additional equipment, but I have tried to keep this to a minimum. If you’d rather a simpler, ready-made activity for your kids, also take a look at our top 10 activities for inspiring wanderlust and adventure in young children, for more great ideas for things to do.
Along with playing travel games, craft activities are another great way to connect with your children over a shared activity. They are great to do at home, but also make perfect things to do while away on a camping holiday, or any other extended trip. They are also just some of the ways that you can get the most out of your stay at home holiday.
The first 2 activities that I’ve listed are great for using to encourage further imaginative play, while the remaining 4 make great holiday keepsakes. So, here they are – my 6 easy summer nature craft activities for kids…
#1 Flower Crowns & Wands
Materials Required
- A selection of collected flowers and leaves
- A collected stick of an appropriate wand size
- Card (something like an old cereal box)
- Scissors
- Stapler and staples
- Crayons
- Glue
- Sellotape
Method (Crowns)
- Cut a headband of card, approx 10cm wide and long enough to stretch right around the child’s forehead
- Colour the headband, using crayons (to create a nice background colour)
- Arrange and stick flowers and leaves onto this headband, using glue (and staples if necessary for larger items)
- Allow the glue to dry, then staple the ends together to create your finished headband/crown (measuring the right fit on your child first)
Method (Wands)
- Arrange flowers and leaves into a nice looking bunch
- Stick this bunch onto the end of your stick using sellotape, to create your finished flower wand
Play Time
These are great for creative play and for inspiring imagination in children. They can be used alone but are even better when combined with other fancy dress clothes or costumes. Who wouldn’t want to be a fairy flower princess?
#2 Frozen Flowers
Materials Required
- Assorted collected flowers and leaves
- Plastic tub (something like an old ice cream tub)
- A freezer
Method
- Collect flowers from the garden – try making a game out of this by making it a scavenger hunt, e.g. aiming to collect 1 red flower, 5 green leaves etc.
- Arrange inside the tub
- Pour water over the flowers to cover
- Freeze until solid, to create your finished frozen flower scene
Play Time
Use sticks or metal instruments to dig at the ice and excavate the flowers inside. This is best done outside in the sunshine, so the sun helps to melt the ice (and the mess doesn’t matter!). This may sound a strange thing to do, but I was surprised at how much my children enjoyed this as an activity!
#3 Sand Art
Materials Required
- Sand (preferably of different colours) – this can be collected in small amounts from beaches if staying somewhere near the sea
- Card (something like an old cereal box)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Shells (optional extra)
Method
- Cut out one of the large faces from a cereal box to create a piece of card for your ‘canvas’
- Place your different sand colours (if using) into different pots/tubs
- Apply glue to the card in creative shapes – top tip: only apply the glue intended for each colour of sand, one at a time
- Pour sand over the glue, then tip the card and pour any excess sand back into the pot
- Repeat the process of glue and sand for each colour of sand in turn
- Glue on any small shells (if using), to complement the picture
- Wait for the glue to dry, to reveal your finished sand picture
#4 Rock/Stone Painting
Materials Required
- Smooth stones/pebbles for painting
- Paints – Easiest for this is to use acrylic paint pens
Method
Get painting those rocks! Let yourself get creative. Once allowed to dry, you’ll have your finished painted stone. Top tip: This type of acrylic paint washes off skin but not clothes, so beware!
Once painted, why not use your stones again later for treasure hunts?
#5 Flower Pressing
Materials Required
- Assorted collected flowers
- Flower Press – something like this decent-sized wooden one
- Card
- Glue
- Crayons
Method
- Unscrew flower press and remove all layers
- Add each internal blotting paper layer back in turn, alternating with the collected flowers in between
- Add the wooden top layer and affix all 4 corner wing screws, being sure to screw them down tightly
- Leave for approx. 1 month, re-tightening the corner screws occasionally (if required)
- Once pressed and dry, the flowers can be used with the card, glue and crayons to create wonderful pictures, greetings cards, bookmarks or anything else creative you can think of
#6 Plaster Casting
Materials Required
- Shells, leaves, berries – anything that can make an interesting imprint
- Plaster of Paris
- Plasticine
- Cup/tub for mixing
- Paint – again, acrylic paint pens are good for this
Method
- Make an imprint into some plasticine, using your chosen natural object, to create a mould (a large, textured shell probably works best for this)
- Mix some Plaster of Paris to the specified consistency
- Pour into the plasticine mould
- Allow several hours for the plaster to set hard
- Remove from the mould and paint, to create your finished personal plaster cast
In Summary
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my 6 easy summer nature craft suggestions and are eager to try out some of the ideas for yourself. By using collected items from around the garden and from out in nature, you also get the added bonus of this on its own providing another fun activity for your children to do first, particularly if you turn it into a scavenger hunt or some sort of game of who can collect all the required items first. After all, it’s always good to keep the little ones entertained for longer when you can!
However you feel about doing craft with your children (“the mess!”, I hear you cry), I promise you can’t be any worse at it than me, and I’ve still managed to create some really nice things with my kids, while also having a great time with them along the way. Just put a bit of thought into where and when you’re doing these things, and you’ll be fine. You might even end up with some beautiful, natural keepsakes all of your own by the end, to treasure and remind you of your own adventures. That’s the plan, anyway – you never know unless you give it a try!
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Oh what fun crafts and activities. Found you through #KCACOLS.
I remember while growing up, I used to get fresh flowers from my mom’s garden and make garlands and play with it. I wish I had a green thumb like my moms and grow flowers .. Now I stick to succulents and plants that can basically survive on their own ..:D
When we bought our house, the garden beds were bordered with hand painted rocks. Every guest to the house would paint a rock for the garden. It was a lovely idea but we did get rid of them…The wands are super cute! #KCACOLS
So many great ideas we are going to have to try out sand art. #KCACOLS
Ohhhh I love all of these ideas. I think Mackenzie would particularly enjoy making a flower crown 🙂 #KCACOLS
*Not a crafty person* I love these. They are adorable. I love that they use nature and can be done outside to help with cleanup! #KCACOLS
These nature crafts are lovely and not too complicated which is appealing x #kcacols
These look lovely – I really want to try pressing flowers this summer 🙂 #KCACOLS
Brilliant activities, thank you for sharing about these, with great instructions and pictures too! We’ve done the frozen flowers before and it’s a great one for a sunny day 🙂 x #KCACOLS