With screens occupying a significant portion of our lives, it’s crucial to carve out time to engage in activities that foster an appreciation for the natural world. One delightful and engaging way to achieve this is through creating nature critters with children. Nature crafts provide a perfect opportunity for young minds to explore their creativity while fostering a deep connection with the environment. By gathering materials from the great outdoors, children can transform ordinary objects into whimsical creatures, igniting their imagination and developing a sense of wonder.
Today, Tennessee mom and photographer Somer Pickel dives into the magical world of nature crafts, specifically focusing on creating nature critters with children. She explores the various materials that can be gathered from nature and transformed into unique creatures, as well as the benefits that come from engaging in these crafts together. As parents, we play an essential role in encouraging and participating in these activities, as they offer numerous benefits that extend far beyond the finished product.
On being “not crafty”
Is it alright to start a “crafting nature critters with kids” blog post, saying that I really truly don’t like crafting with kids?
I know, I know…as moms, we’re supposed to love doing all things crafty with our children. And let me tell you, I’ve tried. But at some point, it’s better to just accept the obvious truth. And in this scenario, it’s that I am not a crafty mama.
I can’t stand bits of paper all over the place. Finding stickers stuck to anything other than paper annoys me to no end. Don’t even get me started on glitter, slime, or Play-Doh. No.
But believe it or not, I’ve finally found a craft I can get behind – nature critters. Making nature critters together has just the right amount of crafting, creativity and outdoor time for both me and my kid. I get to have her outside exploring a nature-filled environment, including looking for small, minute details. She gets to use a hot glue gun. So basically, it’s a win-win.
Getting beyond the mess when crafting with kids
I know I’ve already voiced my displeasure about crafting with kids. And yeah, a lot of my displeasure is due to the concerted effort that’s needed in the setup and the patience involved during the actual craft. But, it’s also partially because crafting always seems to be so expensive. Then to add insult to injury, there’s the aftermath. After your kiddo loses interest, you’re stuck cleaning up Elmer’s glue from your kitchen table or picking Play-Doh out of your dog’s hair. Then you have to find someplace to put all kinds of crafting leftovers and supplies.
And don’t get me wrong, I know that crafting is some folks’ cup of tea.There are people who love it so much they have entire rooms in their homes dedicated to the wonders of all things crafting! As I am sure you all can guess by now, that’s just not me. But also, I highly doubt they live with the constant tornadic activity that is a pre-schooler. My kid could thoroughly destroy even the most organized of craft rooms in under 5 minutes.
Benefits of crafting with kids
However, there are some really great benefits of crafting with kids that I really appreciate, and go far beyond the finished piece of artwork and mess left behind. Crafting stimulates and enhances children’s creativity, allowing them to explore their imaginations and express themselves freely. It encourages problem-solving skills as they navigate through different materials and find innovative ways to bring their ideas to life. And doing craft projects with kids also promotes fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, as children manipulate and handle various tools and materials.
Moreover, crafting provides an opportunity for children (and their parents!) to develop patience, perseverance, and the ability to follow instructions, as they learn to complete tasks step-by-step. Doing crafts together and making art fosters self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment as children witness their creations taking shape, boosting their confidence and pride in their abilities.
If you’re a fellow hater of all things glitter, nature critter crafting may be just up your alley!
Tips for moms that hate crafting
For moms who find crafting with kids challenging (or frustrating, or just plain awful), there are several tips and strategies that can help make the experience more enjoyable, less messy, and less frustrating. Here are some suggestions to consider:
Simplify the projects – Start with simple and age-appropriate craft projects that require minimal supplies and have straightforward instructions. This will help reduce the complexity and frustration for both you and your child.
Choose low-mess materials – Opt for crafts that involve materials that are easy to clean up, such as washable markers, colored pencils, or pre-cut stickers. Avoid projects that involve excessive glue, glitter, or paint unless you’re prepared for a potential mess.
Incorporate what you like – Maybe you hate paint, but you don’t mind markers. If stickers seem wasteful, maybe consider stamps. Maybe you’re like me and don’t mind crafts that incorporate natural elements and cute creatures. Figure out (and embrace) what you like about crafting (or at least don’t hate or can tolerate) and use those materials. Cut out anything that’s too stressful, messy, or overwhelming.
Set up a dedicated crafting space– Designate a specific area in your home (or outside it) for crafting activities. Cover the surface with an old tablecloth or use a plastic tablecloth that can be easily wiped clean. Having a dedicated space will make it easier to contain the mess and keep things organized.
Embrace imperfection – Remember that the process of crafting with kids is more important than the final product. Embrace imperfections and allow your child’s creativity to shine, even if things don’t turn out as expected. Let go of the need for perfection and focus on enjoying the experience together.
Incorporate storytelling or music – Make the crafting experience more engaging by incorporating storytelling or playing background music. This can create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, making the process more enjoyable for both you and your child.
Take breaks and keep it short – Recognize when you or your child might be getting tired or frustrated and take breaks as needed. Keeping craft sessions short and focused can help maintain enthusiasm and prevent burnout.
Don’t be too hard on yourself – Remember that not all moms are naturally inclined towards crafting, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s more important to focus on spending quality time with your child and finding activities that bring joy to both of you. Embrace your strengths as a mom and explore other ways to bond and connect with your child that align with your interests and passions.
Crafting nature critters
Embracing what I like about crafts (natural elements, cute creatures, and spending time outside with my daughter) led us to try making nature critters. Basically, nature critters are essentially anything your kid wants them to be – they’re not necessarily real animals, but maybe based on a real animal with some creative elements incorporated.
While I personally like to make them look more like animals, they don’t always end up looking like the one I envisioned when I started. For instance, when I tried to make a porcupine, I ended up making what looked like a turkey. My bird turned into a fish. And so on. Oh well.
My kid, on the other hand, is very imaginative and typically steers toward open-ended toys. So, I guess it’s no real surprise that she seems to like the more abstract-looking critters (cat-monkey!). When it comes down to it, the jest is they’re “critters” made out of any found natural materials and hot glue.
When crafting nature critters, they really can be whatever you want them to be. Or if you’re anything like me, whatever they turn out looking like when you’re trying to make something else. 🙃
How to prepare for crafting nature critters with your kid(s)
Have a glue gun with a few sticks of glue.
Find a mesh baggie to hold the materials you find. Why mesh? We learned the hard way with this little detail. We brought home a few bug “friends” the first time we made nature critters. If this isn’t an issue for you, by all means, use whatever sort of bag you want.
Set aside an hour or so to spend outside looking for critter-making materials. Your natural materials can be any of the following items (or whatever you can find in your area): leaves, pinecones, flowers, shells, berries, sticks, moss, grass, bark, acorns, twigs, pebbles, etc. (see below for more ideas)
Have an outdoor space with an outlet where you can plug in your hot glue gun. Why outdoor? Well, it’s just another precaution, given the likelihood of tag-along bug friends.
Pour yourself a hot cup of coffee or whatever your preferred means of caffeination and ready yourself to provide excessive patience.
When your child is out looking for materials to craft with, they slow down. They take more in and they find purpose in the search.
Safety note
Some hot glue guns probably get hot enough to cause actual burns. Ours is a fairly cheap one that doesn’t get very hot. Even so, my four-year-old was supervised the entire time she used the tool. I also noticed that since she perceived it to be “dangerous,” she took more care with it than I believe she otherwise would have. She was much slower, more deliberate, and controlled with the hot glue gun than she ever is with her typical school glue. This could be purely coincidental, but I don’t think it is. I feel like it tracks with the idea that kids’ capacity to learn increases when a bit of risk is involved. But back to the nature critters…
Typically when children perceive a task as risky, they slow down and focus on what they are doing. In turn, they tap into deeper learning and understanding.
Why natural materials for crafting nature critters
Could you use more than just natural elements when making nature critters? Of course! If you want to break out the googly eyes, pom poms, pipe cleaners, and crafting supplies, go for it! However, we prefer to only use what we find in the yard or on a trail. I feel like this gives the critters a bit more personality and makes the whole activity more challenging and creative.
Plus, it really forces me and my child to slow down and pay closer attention to our environment than we otherwise would. On our most recent critter supply run, my kiddo found two good-sized Appalachian forest snails. They were so camouflaged that I had stepped right past them. My kiddo was so thrilled to have found what my eyes had missed, that she spent the rest of the hike talking about her superhero vision.
I love watching my child slow down and really take in the world around her. This craft has been a fun way for us both to engage more deeply with the natural world and each other.
What materials to collect for crafting nature critters
Honestly, these are your critters, so collect whatever suits your fancy!
Everywhere you go will have different things available. We live in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, so we have an abundance of deciduous and coniferous trees growing in our area. This gives us access to lots of pinecones, needles, pebbles, moss, bark, etc.
But, last week, we were in southwestern Florida. While there, we found loads of shells, fish bones, sand, driftwood, and other treasures on the beaches every morning. I am sure desert environments would have their own brand of wonderful nature treasure finds that would lend to excellent critters too. Just use whatever you find around.
Personally, I’ve found coniferous cones, large and small, make great bases for critter heads and bodies. Acorns are fantastic for heads and hats. Sticks and twigs make great limbs. Other things we have used include leaves, bark, moss, seeds and seed pods, flowers, rocks, and grass.
But really, just collect whatever catches your eye. The good thing is, you can just toss whatever you don’t use into the bushes or compost pile after craft time is over. Or at least that’s what we do.
Nature critters can be made into all sorts of concrete or abstract creations with a bit of creativity and luck! (This is supposed to be a deer of some sort.)Sometimes the critters may just turn out well enough and sturdy enough to be toys! Other times they fall apart if you even try to move them. Either is fine, because, in the end, it was all about the process.
Nature art inspiration
So I’m not deluded enough to believe our crafting to ever grow into something truly outstanding. We are in it for the experience and the fun of creating. However, there are folks out there creating truly inspiring art out of totally found natural materials. One of them is David Bird. He started his career as a Lego toy designer, and that later moved into creating adorable little critters he lovingly refers to as Becorns. Do yourself a favor and check out his work. And, I also love the nature art created by Sisten Golden (@sistergoldenshop) on Instagram. Both artists create such a beautiful blend of photography, naturalism, and art! They demonstrate what is possible with time, creativity, and a passion for the world around us.
Side note: my kid finds value in expressing her independence— including dressing herself. I find value in my own sanity more than her wearing socially appropriate outfits.
Embrace the mess
While the mess and challenges of crafting with kids may seem daunting, it’s essential to embrace the chaos and immerse ourselves in the joy and wonder of creating with our children. Making nature critters together not only allows us to tap into their boundless creativity but also offers a unique opportunity to bond with our children, both inside and outside. By engaging in these activities, we can foster a deep connection with nature, instill a sense of environmental consciousness, and nurture our children’s development holistically.
So, let’s embrace the mess, seize the chance to explore the great outdoors, and create cherished memories as we embark on this creative journey with our little ones. After all, the mess will fade away, but the moments shared, and the love nurtured will endure forever.
More nature crafts (that you may not hate)
Never fear, non-crafty mamas; we have a few nature-inspired crafts and activities that you may not hate! All of these involve spending time outside (in nature) with your kids and can be done with less mess than regular crafting.
Do you enjoy crafting with kids? What sort of nature critters will you make?
About the author
Somer is a mama living in southern Appalachia. Somer’s motherhood journey began when her oldest daughter (Avelyn) was born with severe congenital heart disease. Avelyn spent the majority of her 18 months of life in a pediatric ICU. Though she lived her life chronically critically ill, Avie was an incredibly loving and joyous child. After her death, Somer and her husband sought solace backpacking a section of the Appalachian Trail. Before long, they discovered their ability to cope seemed to correspond with time spent outdoors.
When it came time to add another kiddo to the mix, bringing the baby along was never a question. In an effort to celebrate the freedom provided by healthy bodies, Somer has hiked her second-born 2k+ miles. Even so, she doesn’t believe grand adventures are necessary to reap nature’s wonder. They just as often revel in mundane evenings in their backyard. The family believes it’s prioritizing time spent outdoors that’s important.
Professionally, Somer has spent the last decade caring for veterans in an acute psychiatric unit as a clinical nurse educator. Over the years, she’s become a passionate advocate for the intersectional relationships of mental health, wellness, and the natural world. She truly believes there’s healing and strength to be found outdoors for those who seek it.
Nature crowns are so much fun to make and even more fun to wear! Making a DIY nature crown is a great way to encourage kids to spend time outdoors, collecting nature items, and then inspire their creativity and get crafty! Flower crowns can be made with all kinds of natural materials, most of which can be found right outside your door. Today, Lea Reynolds (New Mexico nurse, Army vet, photographer, and mom of two) is here sharing an easy tutorial for making three different DIY nature crowns for kids. Whether you’re looking for a gender-neutral crown for the king of the woods, a gorgeous colorful flower crown, or a simple crown using the flowers in your yard, there’s sure to be a nature crown perfect for you.
DIY nature crowns for kids
A beautiful nature crown should be a staple in any nature-loving child’s wardrobe. Nature crowns made from twigs and flowers can make your child feel like a wandering wizard or a frolicking fairy exploring the forest. Anyone who’s ever worn a crown before can attest to feelings of exhilaration, creativity, and mystical imagination. Not only are nature crowns fun and easy to make, but foraging for materials gets kids to spend time outside and piques their creativity.
Nature crowns are also a wonderful way to engage children in outdoor and imaginary play! Add a crown to any outfit, and you turn your toddler into a prince! If you really want to take your child’s imaginative play to the next level, add some butterfly wings (moth wings) or a wizard robe to their ensemble, and let your child’s imagination run wild!
There are three common types of crowns that can be made with natural materials: 1) nature crowns made with sticks, leaves, and foliage, 2) wildflower crowns made with just wildflowers, and 3) traditional flower crowns. Today, we will learn how to make all three of these fun nature crafts!
DIY cardboard nature crown
This gender-neutral nature crown is so fun to make and wear. Plus, all the materials can be found in your backyard and recycle bin! It’s an excellent option for creative kids that want to express their personality and display their favorite nature treasures and wild things. I love this type of crown because it helps teach our children the 3 R’s – Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle!
These DIY cardboard nature crowns can be made using nearly anything! We’ve used the same process with paper strips to make leaf crowns using only colorful autumn leaves and fall foilage. We also love adding other fun items that give the crown lots of color and texture, like evergreen twigs, berries, sticks, flowers, and shells.
My son had a blast making his own cardboard nature crown. We took a basket outside and frolicked through our yard, foraging for natural items to use for the crown. Once we had all of our natural elements, we gathered our craft supplies and sat down to create his crown. I helped him glue the pieces on, but he selected all the nature materials and created the patterns. It was so much fun to see what he picked and watch his vision come to life.
When we were finished, he wore his crown and played in the forest and pretended to be a wizard. It brought so much joy to my heart to see him use his imagination to play. We made a fort with sticks and logs, which added a whole new dimension to his pretend play. My niece wore the flower crown I made (see below for instructions), making her feel like a forest princess! They played for hours, creating fairy houses out of sticks and observing different types of insects local to our area.
Cardboard nature crown supplies:
Durable cardboard or card stock (I used cardboard from a soda box)
Cut a piece of cardboard about 3″ in width. Measure your child’s head for the length and cut your cardboard strips accordingly.
Lay the cardboard flat and begin designing your crown. Take into consideration the items you are gluing. We added small rocks, which added a lot of weight to the crown, so I had to adjust the size.
Next, take your sticks, leaves, and other natural elements and glue them to your crown. If your kids are old enough, let them do this on their own. It’s a great way for older children to work on fine motor skills. Younger children will need more help.
When you are done designing your crown, glue the ends together.
Wear your crown and have fun playing in the forest!
DIY flower crown for kids (Haku Lei)
Traditional flower crowns are worn for a variety of special occasions and they have the uncanny ability to make you feel like a nature queen! In Hawaii, they are called Haku leis, and they are given to someone you love. These types of crowns are primarily seen at weddings, baby showers, and other special events. However, I like to wear them for holidays as well. History tells us that the circular shape of flower crowns represents power, glory, and eternity. When we add flowers and foliage, it represents love and celebration!
Making your own traditional flower crown is fun, easy, and opens up your creative outlets. This type of nature crown is perfect for the child in your life that loves color and flowers and likes to stand out in a crowd!
I tend to choose flowers that will last a little longer, are bigger in size, and really pop with color! Roses, marigolds, daisies, and protea pincushions are my favorite. Each one of these are found in excess here in the Southwest. For those living in tropical areas, I know you have access to beautiful tropical florals! If you don’t have access to pick these types of flowers, you could also purchase a bouquet from your local flower shop, farmer’s market or grocery store to use in your flower crown. Alternatively, if you want your flower crowns to last a LONG time, you could even use artificial flowers. The same instructions below apply to all variations.
So let’s get to it! Here are the steps and items needed to make a traditional flower crown. It should be noted these same steps apply for making flower crowns with artificial flowers.
DIY flower crown supplies:
Floral wire
Floral scissors
Floral tape or raffia (I like raffia because it is easier to control)
Flowers
Greenery (hardy leaves, fern leaves, eucalyptus).
How to make DIY flower crowns for kids:
Take your floral wire and measure the crown of your head. Add a few extra inches. Create a loop at one end and wrap the loop a few times for security. Leave a few inches at the other end to loop through when your crown is complete.
Trim your flowers. I cut so I have just enough stem to wrap around the crown. Remove leaves and extra stems.
Trim your greenery/filler. Remove extra stems.
Start with greenery and place it parallel with your wire. Wrap floral tape or rafia around the stem. (I usually wrap 3-4 times and sometimes more if it’s a heavier piece of foliage.)
Next, choose your flower. Lay it on the floral wire in the same direction as the greenery, wrap around the stem.
Next, add another set of greenery and wrap the rafia.
Continue this process until you finish your crown. Alternate between green leaves and flowers.
When complete, loop your extra wire into the loop we made and secure it based on your head size.
Twirl in the forest or on a beach and enjoy your flower crown!
Flower crown pro tips*
When making your flower crown, alternate between flowers and greenery. Think of the greenery as a frame and the flower as your photograph. Always place a flower in between greenery to frame the flower.
Place your flower crown on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator until you are ready to wear it. This helps to preserve it. When you no longer need your crown, don’t throw it away! Hang it up and let it dry out. They make beautiful art pieces for your home.
When it comes to making crowns for infants, I find it best to use very small flowers and lightweight foliage, like baby’s breath. I made the one pictured above, which was a little too heavy for my 10-month-old. Still, she had so much fun playing in the woods while rocking her flower crown.
*I should mention that I am not a florist or pro flower crown maker, or expert. I attended a few workshops when I lived in Hawaii, and now, I simply enjoy creating flower crowns for special occasions. Moreso, now that I have a daughter. Anyone and everyone can make them!
DIY wildflower crown (no supplies needed)
Ask a handful of nature-lovers about their feelings regarding kids picking wildflowers and you’ll get a handful of mixed feelings. Many of us nature-lovers live by the Leave No Trace principles. One of the principles is to leave nature where it’s found. No picking the wildflowers, as that’s evidence that you were there. Wildflowers are a beautiful, beneficial and necessary part of nature.
However, as parents, we know that in order to raise kids who love, appreciate and respect nature, they need to be able to feel it and touch it and understand it. It’s harder to love something from afar that you’re not allowed to touch or pick. There has to be a balance. Personally, I believe if you are picking the flowers to make something beautiful and are sharing in the appreciation of nature in a way that’s not harmful, overarching, or takes away from others, then why not.
If you’d like to make a DIY nature crown from wildflowers, please only pick what you need in an area where it’s permitted and allowed. Dandelions are a great option for wildflower crowns, as they’re usually very prevalent in your own yard and public areas. They work well for nature crowns due to their strong stems and ability to survive for several days. However, I could not find any dandelions near me, so I used these wildflowers from my backyard (which I planted) instead.
DIY wildflower crown supplies:
wildflowers (that’s it!)
How to make DIY wildflower crowns for kids:
Frolick through your yard, a park, a forest, or somewhere that wildflowers grow.
Make sure you have permission to pick the flowers, and it’s not against any rules or regulations.
Pick just enough wildflowers to create your crown, making sure to leave plenty for the bees, butterflies, and others to enjoy.
Gather your flowers and remove any leaves along the stems.
See the photograph below on how to weave each wildflower. Little hands might need help with this process.
Continue the process until your crown is complete!
Let your kids wear their own nature crowns and take some pictures enjoying the outdoors!
3 easy nature crowns for kids
And there you have it, three beautiful DIY nature crowns for kids that you can easily create! Whether you live in a city, near the mountains, or near a beach, you can create any variation of these nature crowns for your children. The next time you’re on a nature walk or hiking through the woods, take a look around you for potential nature items to use for this really fun craft. To this date, my son still asks to wear his nature crown any time we are headed for the woods. I am so excited to see what you can create! If you have questions, be sure to comment below or reach out. Tag us on social media (use the hashtag #runwildmychild), so we can see what magical crowns you create!
Have you ever made a nature crown with your child?
About the author
Lea is a dedicated wife, adventurous mother, Registered Nurse, and Army veteran. She is from New Mexico and strives each and every day to get outside with her wild toddler and newborn baby girl. She and her husband Brandon both served 8 years in the Army and it was during that time their love for the outdoors and seeing the world was born. When they had their son, that passion only intensified. They love to fly fish, overland in their Jeep, hike, surf, and capture these moments on camera. Lea is a professional photographer on the side and you can always catch her with her camera in her hand. Their goal is to influence more families in their rural state of New Mexico to explore the beauty of the SW while educating them on photography tips, medical tips like First Aid, outdoor safety and gear, etc.
Fall is the perfect time to get outside and have fun! The colorful changing fall leaves add an extra flair of excitement to the mix and create endless possibilities for outdoor fall leaf fun! Today, full-time RV mom of two, Katie Fox is here sharing all kinds of ways we can explore fall leaves and have fun (and maybe even learn something) while doing it! She’s sharing fall leaf craft ideas, fall leaf outdoor activities, science experiments, fall leaf jokes, books, and more! So, jump in our pile of fall leaf fun for kids! There’s room for all!
Fall leaf fun for kids
Fall arrives every year and demands our attention and awe with a beautiful display of colorful leaves. Children are particularly drawn to the vibrant colors of individual leaves and the tempting piles of leaves that can be found this time of year. The colors, sizes, and shapes ignite their imagination. Tap into this fascination and help your little nature explorers discover the magic of fall leaves.
Do you need some ideas on how to have fun with fall leaves with your kids? We’ve got you covered. This post is filled with clever craft ideas, science experiments, books, jokes, and more all about LEAVES!
Fall leaf crafts for kids
One great thing about fall leaves is that there is virtually an endless supply of them! And they’re completely free. That’s right as the beautifully colored leaves fall from the trees, you can gather them right on up and get your craft on with your kids.
There are so many fun fall leaf crafts to do and make with kids. We’ve included a few crafts below, but don’t stop with this list. Let your children’s imaginations run wild and find new and exciting ways to create fall leaves crafts and have fall leaf fun with kids.
Foster some creative play with fall leaf crowns. There are a few simple ways to make fall leaf crowns and because most fall leaves have varying shapes and colors, the crowns are bound to be absolutely beautiful.
Option 1: Upcycle a paper bag or scrap paper and cut a 3-5 inch wide strip in a length that will fit around your child’s head. If your paper isn’t long enough to fit around your child’s head, just cut as many as you need and tape, staple or glue them together to make the right length. Once you have the right length, glue or tape it together to create a paper crown. Then it is time to add all the beautiful leaves you collected. There is no wrong way to decorate these crowns with leaves. We used a stapler to adhere the leaves on the crowns featured in the photo above. Line up the leaves, tuck the bottoms/stems under the crown, and staple to secure! So easy, even kids can do it!
Option 2: Use duct tape to create a crown. To do this, you simply cut the duct tape in the length you need to fit around your child’s head with an inch or two extra to stick it together at the end. Lay it flat on your work surface, sticky side up. Help your child lay their fall leaves on the sticky tape, being careful not to let the tape stick to itself. Make sure to not stick leaves too close to the ends of the tape. Once your child is happy with the number of leaves, take match up the sticky ends of the tape, with the leaves on the outside of the crown.
Another fun way to encourage pretend outdoor play is by making a leaf fox tail (pictured above). Our friends at @unlocking.fun say you simply need leaves, some cardboard (upcycling a paper bag would work too), white paint, and string.
To make the fox tail shape, cut the cardboard in the shape you want. Then, paint the tip white, and then glue or tape leaves over the rest of the tail-shaped cardboard. Once it is dried, help your child add a string to the top of the tail and then tie it loosely around your child’s waist.
Dipping your fall leaves into beeswax is a wonderful way to preserve the colors of fall leaves. All you need is some plain beeswax, a way to melt it, some leaves to dip into it, and a place to let the leaves dry. It really is that easy, though it is also a bit messy when doing it with children, so prepare for a mess. Let the leaves dry on a large piece of wax paper to catch all the drippings. A nice thin coat should work just fine!
4. Fall leaf wall hanging
Need something to do with your preserved beeswax leaves? Or maybe you just have a ton of fall leaves scattered around your nature shelf or kitchen table. Make a fall leaf wall hanging with them! This is a beautiful way to keep them off the table and shelves, while also displaying them for all to see and admire.
All to need to do to make a wall hanging is to attach your leaves to a piece of string or twine. You can hang them all at various lengths from a longer branch or tie them all together and attach to a pinecone. Or, you could even thread them and make a colorful leaf garland for the mantle. If you preserve your leaves in beeswax, your wall hanging will last a long time. If you prefer to create it without preserving them, it will still last a couple of weeks.
5. Painted leaves and funny face leaves
Painting leaves is a neat way to use up all the fall leaves you collect, while also creating fun holiday-themed decorations. You can create ghosts and pumpkins with ease and oak leaves make excellent Christmas trees and reindeer. These painted fall leaves make excellent decorations and even a fun annual activity to add to your holiday decor.
You could also make funny faces on your leaves. Add expressions with paint or use stickers or googly eyes. Funny face leaves are so much fun to make and display. They could even be made into gifts! Paint, markers, cut-up leaves, googly eyes, crayons, construction paper, and pretty much any other craft supply you can think of would be perfect for creating these funny face fall leaves with kids.
6. Leaf masks
Leaf masks are another way to have fun with fall leaves. The masks can be as simple or as complicated as your children desire. Search for big leaves and simply cut eye holes into them and suddenly your child is camouflaged and can hide in plain sight. You could also use a variety of fall leaves to create elaborate masks with your kids. Create a mask shape with cardboard or a paper bag and then let your children glue the leaves on to create whimsical leaf masks.
7. Leaf confetti
Need something to keep little hands busy? Or are you needing confetti for an upcoming party or celebration? Fall leaves are perfect for making all-natural DIY biodegradable confetti! Plus, it is so very easy!
Hand your kids some dry fall leaves, scissors, and a hand-held hole punch. Let them cut up and punch holes in the leaves to their heart’s content. If you have decorative edge scissors, kids can experiment with how it makes the leaf confetti look too. This is a wonderful way to enjoy throwing confetti, but without using plastics and glitter, which are harmful to our planet and are typically found in store-bought confetti.
8. Pressed leaves
A lot of the fall leaves kids collect quickly begin to dry and curl at the edges. An easy way to prolong the life of a fall leaf is to press it. If you have a flower or leaf press, use it. Sticking the leaves in the pages of a book will do pretty much the same thing. Pro tip: If you use a book, be sure to put a piece of paper between the leaves and the book pages to protect the book. If the leaves were not entirely dry before being placed in the book, you may find unwanted mold.
9. Outdoor leaf art
While you are out exploring your neighborhood or local trail, gather some leaves with your kids. Once you have a few (or a ton), use them to create a work of art on the ground near where you found all the leaves. Make a heart, spiral, funny face, maze, a blob, a line, a giant number (for how old they are), or anything else you and your child can think up. Not only will your artwork brighten someone’s day, but the supplies were literally collected right there so cleanup is not required.
Ever heard of the book Leaf Man by Lois Elhert? The leaf art in this book is so wonderful and so much fun to try and create yourself. Creating leaf people and animals is a fun way to utilize fall leaves, while also incorporating family reading time. Bring the book outside and read it under a color fall tree and then collect some leaves to create your own leaf animals and people. You can try to recreate some of the scenes in the book or make up your own story.
11. Leaf lantern
With it getting dark earlier and the ground covered in fall leaves, there is no better time to make a fall leaf lantern with your kids. Check out this leaf lantern tutorial on how to do it. Use your leaf lantern to go for a night hike or even just a twilight stroll around your neighborhood. Making your own lantern will make any evening outing that much more fun and magical!
12. Leaf rubbings
This is probably an activity you are familiar with, but it is a classic for a reason. It is fun (and educational)! All you need to do to make leaf rubbings is put a piece of paper on top of a leaf and then rub the side of a crayon over the area of the leaf to make a rubbing of the leaf. You can try with different media (like oil pastels or colored pencils), experiment to see which colors work best, try out a variety of leaves, and see what several leaf rubbings look like together on one piece of paper. Once you have leaf rubbings, try identifying the leaves. Are they from a maple, oak, ash, aspen, dogwood, hawthorn? For extra credit, find the tree the leaf came from and make a bark rubbing as well! There are so many ways to take this classic activity and make it your own.
13. Leaf bookmarks
Looking for a fun craft that can also make the perfect gift? All you need is thick paper, leaves, and glue. You can use cardstock or upcycle paper bags, construction paper, or thin cardboard. Cut several rectangles in the general size of a standard bookmark (approximately 3 x 8 inches). Gather any fall leaves you want to use for your bookmarks and press them in a book or leaf press before you use them (see more on this below). Flat leaves are easier to glue down.
After you have your paper bookmarks and your pressed fall leaves, all you do is glue them onto the paper. The best way to do this is to have your kids paint the glue on. Then, glue the leaves onto the paper and then paint the glue over the top of the entire bookmark. Once they are dry, you can trim the edges or leave them how they turned out. They really do look beautiful no matter what!
If you have Modge Podge, this will work better at sealing the bookmarks to help preserve them.
Fall leaf activities for kids
Even if you are not feeling crafty, there are so many other ways to enjoy some fall leaf fun with kids! A lot of these activities are just good old-fashioned outdoor play! Here are a few of our favorite outdoor fall leaf fun ideas to get you started on your adventures.
1. Collect leaves
While out exploring nature in your local park or neighborhood simply collect some leaves. Some leaves are just begging to be admired! There are leaves that are mottled and polka-dotted. Some are so vibrant it’s crazy. Others look almost tie-dyed! You can collect one leaf that you found absolutely stunning. Or heck, collect a whole basketful! There is no wrong way to do it. Just make sure you have permission to collect them, as some parks (especially national parks) ask that you not collect any form of nature. You can put them in a collection bag, carry them or put them in a backpack to bring home and enjoy.
2. Rake leaves for a friend or neighbor
I always like adding a few acts of service/kindness to any seasonal activity list. A great way to pay-it-forward in the fall is to rake the leaves out of the yard of a friend or neighbor. If you have an elderly or disabled neighbor or just know someone that could use a few extra hands, send the kids over with the rakes and leaf blower to help out. Not only will they feel good about helping, but they can make piles of leaves and have fun in the process (see below). Join forces with other neighborhood families and your good deed will go even faster with extra fun and laughter!
3. Jump in a leaf pile
If your kids are little, rake a pile of leaves into a safe location for them. Make sure the ground underneath is relatively soft (grass, not concrete) and remove any long/sharp twigs, sticks or branches. And then, let them jump! If your kids are older, hand them the rake and put them to work making their own piles! Raking leaves is a great gross motor activity and good for coordination.
What to take it up a notch? Here are some other ways to make leaf raking and leaf piles extra fun for kids:
Make leaf raking a competition. Who can make the biggest pile the fastest? Ready, set, go!
Rake a pile of leaves into shapes (a number that represents their age, the year, or the grade they’re in) and take a photo of them next to the pile from above as a keepsake.
Take a photo of your child from above and try to capture the same shot year after year to document how much they’ve changed.
If you’ve got a large space, use the leaves to create a maze. Add obstacles and blocks that you have to go around. Or even a circular spiral leading to a prize (a giant leaf pile).
Make a leaf rainbow. Different trees make leaves of different colors. Sort your leaves into piles by color and then use them to make a rainbow!
The ground is lava! Instead of one big pile of leaves, make a bunch of smaller piles and let the kids jump from pile to pile without touching empty spaces.
3. Throw leaves in the air
Throwing leaves up into the air is a fun and super simple activity. It can also make for a great photo opportunity, though it can be hard to capture* sometimes. Plus, this activity couldn’t be any more simple. Gather some leaves, or better yet use an existing pile of leaves, and toss the leaves into the air. And yes, mom, YOU need to do it, too! It’s fun and you can do it until your kids tucker out or get bored.
*Pro tip: Make sure your shutter speed is quick and your depth of field isn’t too narrow or you’ll get a bunch of blurry and out-of-focus photos.
4. Go for a fall leaf walk
You do not have to collect leaves, craft, or do any sort of activity to enjoy fall leaves with your kids. Simply taking a fall hike is a great outdoor activity and a way to take advantage of the leaves. You can simply meader along a trail or through your neighborhood taking in the vibrant colors of the season. Hiking during the fall months is extra fun and beautiful! You usually don’t have to deal with the heat or mosquitoes, plus, there’s all that beautiful scenery to take in!
Lying under a tree is a great way to enjoy fall with your kids. This is an especially fun activity when there is a gentle breeze knocking the leaves off the trees. Watching the fall leaves flutter to the ground is relaxing. And if your child is bored or needs to burn energy, they can see how many leaves they can catch before they hit the ground.
Fall leaf science for kids
Just because we’re having some fall leaf fun, doesn’t mean we can learn while we’re at it! Fall leaf fun can be both a blast and educational. If you want to throw some learning into your fall leaf exploration, there are so many ways to do it. Here are a few easy science-based fall leaf activities you can do with your kids.
1. Parts of a leaf
Labeling the parts of a leaf is a simple way to add in some learning with your kids while out exploring nature. You can get formal and tape the leaf to a piece of paper and have your child label it, or you can simply do it verbally while you explore. Have your kids identify the stem, veins, lobes, base, and any serration. There is no wrong way to integrate this easy science activity.
2. Compare leaves to seeds
Autumn brings fall leaves, but it is also the season of acorns, conkers (horse chestnuts), pinecones, and more. Go on a hunt for both the leaves and the seeds of the trees. You can use both in crafts, plus matching them up is a great way to learn the lifecycle of a tree and learn to identify trees in your area. This science activity is fun to do year-round. If you have an abundance of conkers in your area, check out this post for some ideas on conker crafts to do with your kids.
3. Leaf identification
Different trees create different shaped and colored leaves. A fun science-based activity is learning how to identify a tree by its leaves. In the fall, it’s even more fun because the leaves are not just green, but a variety of colors. Use nature books or apps and walk and explore and learn about trees together. Match the leaves to the tree and then identify the species.
If you have a kid who really enjoys science experiments, this activity may be perfect for your family. A Little Pinch of Perfection provides a detailed tutorial on leaf color and chlorophyll. You really just need fall leaves, boiling water, rubbing alcohol, and a couple of jars. It’s a super easy experiment and one that will likely delight most children and their grownups.
Fall leaf jokes for kids
Everyone can use a little more laughter in their life. Here are a few funny child-friendly jokes all about fall leaves.
Q: What did one autumn leaf say to another? A: I’m falling for you!
Q: What is the cutest of all seasons? A: Awwwtumn!
Q: What happens when winter arrives? A: Autumn leaves!
Q: Why do trees like to try new things each year? A: Because every autumn they turn over a new leaf!
Q: What did autumn say to summer? A: Make like a tree and leave!
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Iva
Iva who?
Iva bunch of leaves that need raking!
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Olive
Olive who?
Olive looking at the autumn leaves!
Fall leaf books for kids
Books are such a wonderful addition to any activity. Take a book with you on a nature walk and read it under a tree. Read a book while your children paint fall leaves or cut them up into tiny confetti pieces. As the seasons change, having seasonal books on hand for your children to explore and for you all to read together as a family can be fun. If you have personal libraries you are growing, here are some wonderful options all about fall leaves.
Katie lives in a tiny home on wheels and travels full-time with her two mostly wild children, tech-minded partner, two well-traveled pups, and adopted pet snails. As they wander the North American continent, Katie explores as much as possible, with a particular fondness for the adventures her family enjoys in state and national parks. When not trekking through the outdoors, Katie enjoys baking, homeschooling, consuming mochas from local coffee shops across the continent, practicing her photography skills, and soaking up as much knowledge as she can.
As an advocate for families exploring the great outdoors, Katie co-founded a Hike it Baby branch in her hometown in Northern California and tries to encourage families to get outside whenever possible. Katie has a Master’s degree in human development from the University of Missouri, Columbia, but her passion is really history and humanities (which is coincidentally what her Bachelor’s degrees are in). She currently volunteers on the Hike it Baby National team as a contributing blogger.
We love holiday crafts, projects, and traditions. If you’re looking for a fun new tradition to start with your kids, making dried fruit garland is a great one! This fun and easy project is made from natural items, is eco-friendly, and easy enough for little kids to help with. Plus, you’ll end up with a beautiful decoration to hang on your mantle, tree, or cozy spot of your choosing! Today, the uber-talented Tiffany Griffin, Texas homeschooling mom of four, walks us through the process of how to make your own dried fruit garland with kids. She’s got a step-by-step tutorial with all the details – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how fun and easy this project is!
Starting a new holiday tradition
Traditions are a big thing in our family. I find around the holidays, my heart aches for slow mornings, simple crafts, and quality time with my children. I can only hope my love for traditions rubs off on them to pass down to generations after me. One of our favorite holiday traditions is the ever popular dried fruit garland! If you’re looking for a fun new tradition to start with your kids this year, making a dried fruit holiday garland should be at the top of your list!
There are so many reasons this activity is so wonderful. It’s great for little hands and helps with dexterity and fine motor skills. Not only is drying fruit a gift of beauty from mother nature, but it is also a sustainable craft that requires little to no waste. Leftovers can be composted, used to infuse for water/homemade cleaning solutions, or in our case, fed to our pet Lizards. Win! It will also add so much natural beauty to your home (and smells great, too!).
The history behind holiday citrus
While the drying of fruit has been around for countless years, are you aware of why oranges are seen as a “holiday” fruit? During the Great Depression, oranges and citrus fruits were considered a luxury item. Most families could not afford citrus fruit at all, any time of year. But they’d splurge at Christmastime and give oranges, which became a symbol of gold and wealth! Ever received an orange in your stocking? That is why!
Optional air-dry clay beads
We decided to add in some hand made beads to turn this project into a fine motor skills activity. Molding clay improves children’s spatial awareness and 3D visualization abilities. Throw in the wonderful dexterity workout that is threading the oranges and beads and you have a full force sensory craft to share with your children, while also creating a tradition that can be shared each year!
How to make your own dried fruit garland with air-dry clay beads
STEP 1: Cut the oranges into 1/4 in slices.
STEP 2: Pat dry as much as possible, the drier the better!! It is very important to get as much juice off of the oranges/grapefruit that you can. Paper towels and terrycloth rags do wonders!
STEP 3: Once the fruit is as dry as you feel you can get it, place the slices on parchment paper on a cooking sheet. I found it was helpful, but not necessary to bake them on a cooling rack. If you don’t have one, no worries!
STEP 4: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and put in your fruit! The middle rack works best! Cook them for about three hours, making sure to flip halfway through. Be sure to check on them about every 30 minutes to make sure they are not browning. If they are, take them out and allow them to cool and dry out for 12-24 hours before resuming.
Step 5: Allow the fruit to set out until they are completely cool. This is a good time to make your beads!
Step 6: Using air dry clay, have your kids roll the clay into small balls. You can do all the same size or various sizes. Use a toothpick to make a hole through the ball big enough for your string/jute/twine. Allow to dry and harden.
Step 7: Once the fruit slices are cooled and dry you can use a toothpick to make two small holes through your fruit to thread your string/jute/twine through the oranges to create a garland! Alternate between fruit and beads.
Step 8: Hang your garland and enjoy!
Have you ever made dried fruit garland?
About the author
Tiffany is a homeschooling Mama of four earthside children, one baby girl that travels among the stars. She is a vintage-obsessed, wicker-collecting, tree-loving photographer, creator, painter, and writer. She loves to document her children’s childhood and is passionate about sharing her take on motherhood, raising children outside of the “norm” and in nature. She’s crafty, creative, and passionate about mental and emotional health. She’s a big believer in the healing power of nature.
Tic-tac-toe is a great game for kids of all ages (and adults alike)! It teaches kids valuable skills like problem-solving, anticipation, logic, strategy and more. Playing tic-tac-toe can be done anywhere at nearly anytime, but we have a fun way to take the game outside! Today, we’re sharing the painted rocks tic-tac-toe game we created out of river rocks and a slice of wood. This game is fun for the kids to make and portable so you can play anywhere. All you need are a few supplies and you’ll be set with a game that will keep your kids entertained for a long time!
Tic-tac-toe is great for kids
Tic-Tac-Toe is one of those games that’s easy enough for preschoolers, yet is still competitive enough to entertain older kids and adults. It’s one of my 4-year-old’s favorite games to play. It’s fast and quick, so it holds his short attention span and you can play many times in a row before he’s ready to move on to something else. I love tic-tac-toe because I believe it teaches kids a lot of valuable skills. Kid learn logic, reasoning, creativity, strategy, coordination, visual skills, motor skills, concentration and how to be a good loser.
Another great thing about tic-tac-toe is that you can play anywhere, with anything! There’s no required game board or small pieces, no batteries to charge or dice to lose. You can write with a pen/paper, a dry erase board or just by using your finger in the sand. Our favorite new twist to the game is to paint river rocks to serve as the X’s and O’s so we can play outside. We painted a grid onto a wood slice so we could take our board anywhere we wanted. However, if you don’t have a board to use for the grid, there are tons of ways to make your own! Use four long sticks for the outline, draw a grid on the sidewalk with chalk or use 9 large leaves to designate the spots.
Make rock collecting fun
If you want to make your own DIY painted rock tic-tac-toe board, start by collecting the rocks for your game pieces. Take your kids to a creek (or even just a dry creek bed) and let them explore the area and collect the rocks they want to use. Explain to your kids that round flat rocks work best and show them a few good examples and let them choose their own. Give each kid a small bag and tell them they can bring home as many rocks as they can carry! Once home, pick the best ones, clean them with dish soap and let them dry outside.
Let them pick the colors
When painting the rocks, you can use regular craft paints in any number of bright fun colors. We debated between using just 2 colors (all X one color and all O another color). We decided it would be more fun to mix them up. I let the kids choose 9 different colors and then painted two rocks (one X and one O) each color. Once my kids are a bit older, this might add an additional element to the game. Maybe part of the gem is that they have to use rocks in colors that haven’t been played on the board yet, so that each of the 9 spaces contains a different color rock. But for now, we don’t worry about that.
Put the rocks on paper plates or newspaper and let the kids paint them by themselves. If your kids are little (not the best painters) or if you’re a bit Type A (like me), just know that the rocks will need multiple coats of paint to fully cover and you can correct all the splotchiness later. After you get the rocks fully coated (top and bottom), let them dry overnight. The next day you can paint X’s and O’s on them with black paint. In order to keep the paint from chipping/scratching off, lightly spray them with a coat of Mod-Podge or any other type of clear coat you feel comfortable with (or skip this step).
Play anywhere
Once your rocks are painted and dry, you’re ready to play! The rocks make it easy to play over and over again and the board’s portable – we love playing it outside in the back yard or on the front porch on our swing in the rain. These tic-tac-toe painted rocks are a fun craft, easy for kids to make and don’t require a lot of prep work from parents. And at the end of the day, you’ve got a great game that they can play for years! Good luck!
